From one dock person to a different: CalDigit or Satechi? [Setups] – Uplaza

Sure names in USB-C and Thunderbolt docks and hubs carry quite a lot of weight, like CalDigit and Satechi — each well-respected manufacturers. However in at the moment’s M2 MacBook Air setup, a dialogue broke out over the person’s distinctive expertise with a CalDigit Thunderbolt dock and a commenter’s woes over a Satechi Thunderbolt dock. Learn among the commentary and study extra concerning the gear under.

This submit incorporates affiliate hyperlinks. Cult of Mac could earn a fee whenever you use our hyperlinks to purchase objects.

M2 MacBook Air person depends on CalDigit TS3+ Thunderbolt dock

Redditor scotty_dsntknw showcased the compact setup in a submit entitled, “My Mac Setup.” His M2 MacBook Air drives a 34-inch Samsung ultra-wide 1440p show by a CalDigit TS3+ Thunderbolt Dock. Atop the monitor sits a Quntis mild bar (the third and greatest mannequin he’s tried: “Since the Samsung has a curved/bulged back, this light bar stayed in the best and didn’t move every time I pressed a button.”) He enters knowledge by a Keychron K4 mechanical keyboard and a Magic Mouse. His Sanyun Bookshelf Audio system present the setup’s soundtrack.

“I think a monitor arm should help,” steered a commenter.

“I thought about a monitor arm but because of the pegboard, I can’t mount the arm on the desk,” Scotty replied. And he added the wallpaper known as “Angled Waves,” however couldn’t recall the place he bought it.

Hooray for CalDigit Thuderbolt dock, not a lot for Satechi

“How do you like the CalDigit? I’m looking for a new dock because mine disconnects often,” a commenter stated. “It’s not so much while I’m working, but if I leave my MacBook plugged in, I come back to it tons of messages about disconnecting it the wrong way.”

“The CalDigit has been great! Which dock do u have now? Is it a Thunderbolt dock or USB-C dock?”

“It’s Satechi’s Thunderbolt 4 dock,” the commenter replied. “It’s normally considered a great Mac-friendly brand, but this one is annoying. They’re so expensive, I want to make sure the next one is a good one.”

Unhelpful assist

“Satechi had always been a good brand,” Scotty famous, and we couldn’t agree extra. “Did tech support offer any help? I have had my CalDigit for awhile now and it has been awesome. I bought one for home and another for the office, so I have two. Since I have an Air, i still can’t do two externals, but happy with the ultra-wide. Are the error messages related to Thunderbolt or USB-C? You might want to check if there is a firmware update on the Satechi.”

“Support was not really helpful. Suggested restarting Mac or trying a different cable,” the commenter replied. “Restarting helps when my external disks completely disappear, but most of the time it’s just a flash — goes out and comes right back. In any case, I’d like a dock with some different features — like better handling of the dual monitors. The CalDigit TS4 checks all my boxes, but it is the most expensive of the three docks I’m looking at.”

“I’m on TB3 with my unit. I’m not really doing anything that will give me a speed advantage with TB4. You might be able to pickup a used TS3+ for less than $100 if you didn’t need the TB4 xfer speeds?”

Nearer take a look at CalDigit TS3 Plus Thunderbolt 3 Dock

The newest and best dock from CalDigit is a Thunderbolt 4 station. Try our information about Thunderbolt versus USB-C connectivity. The TS4 dock’s 98-watt energy supply is good for any Thunderbolt or USB-C host machine, together with larger-screen laptops that require loads of energy. A single cable will cost your laptop computer and join 18 gadgets directly.

For individuals who don’t want a lot velocity and energy — and for individuals who need to spend much less — the CalDigit TS3 Plus Thunderbolt 3 dock is a superb machine.

So the dock, which supplies 87W charging, bristles with 15 ports. Port embrace two Thunderbolt 3 (40Gb/s), one DisplayPort 1.2, 5 USB-A and one USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 (5Gb/s), and one USB-C 3.1 Gen2 (10Gb/s knowledge solely). The dock additionally options Gigabit Ethernet, UHS-II SD graphics card slot (SD 4.0), optical audio (S/PDIF), and three.5mm stereo audio. The dock’s sturdy aluminum development supplies a warmth sink with out a fan.

And you may join as much as two 4K@60Hz (4096 x 2160 30-bit shade) screens through DisplayPort and Thunderbolt 3/USB-C port. Or you’ll be able to join a single 5K@60Hz show through the Thunderbolt 3 port. (Word that M1 Macs can’t assist twin show over Thunderbolt.)

You’ll be able to nab CalDigit’s Thunderbolt 3 dock for $210 on Amazon, down from an everyday worth of $240.

Store this stuff now:

Pc and dock:

Show and lightweight bar:

Enter gadgets:

Audio and equipment:

If you need to see your setup featured on Cult of Mac, ship some high-res photos to [email protected] (iPhone pics often suffice). Please present an in depth record of your gear. Inform us what you want or dislike about your setup, and fill us in on any particular touches, challenges and plans for brand spanking new additions.