Today CalDigit took the wraps off its first Thunderbolt 5-enabled device, the nine port, and aptly-titled Element 5 Hub.The follow up to the company’s original eight-port Element hub, the $249 Element 5 features four Thunderbolt 5 ports supporting 80Gb/s, plus a whole host of additional features and tidbits to consider.Let’s take a closer look.
Some of my favorite gear AirPods Pro 2 Jeff Benjamin's favorite wireless earbuds; they just keep getting better.Ports and charging The Element 5 hub has nine ports total, while the original sported eight ports.4 x TB5 (80Gb/s) ports 2 x USB-C (10Gb/s) ports 3 x USB-A (10Gb/s) ports Host power delivery of 90W Displays The max resolution for Macs that support 8K is 8K 60Hz The max resolution on macOS for dual displays is 6K 60Hz.
The M4 Max supports Dual 8K 60Hz The max high-refresh rate on macOS for dual displays is Dual 4K 240Hz The Element 5 Hub supports the new Bandwidth Boost feature of Thunderbolt 5, which allocates up to 120Gb/s to displays when needed, such as when connecting multiple high refresh rate displays.On compatible Windows machines with Thunderbolt 5, the Element 5 supports up to Triple 4K 60Hz displays via a single port.It’s worth noting that the Mac, including the latest M4s, do not support triple displays via a single Thunderbolt 5 connection.
This is a limitation of macOS computers, and no dock or hub at this time can natively support triple displays on macOS via a single TB5 connection.Other tidbits CalDigit notes that host charging consistently delivers up to 90W and never drops regardless of how many devices are connected.Included with the Element 5 is a new 180W power supply that is 42% smaller than its predecessor while offering 30W of additional power.
The Element 5 Hub features 64Gb/s PCIe, double the bandwidth of its predecessor, to accommodate fast storage devices.Some of my favorite gear M4 Mac mini The M4 Mac mini is pound-for-pound the best value in Mac computers in Apple's history.9to5Mac’s Take Slowly but surely, the Thunderbolt 5 landscape is beginning to take shape, and the Element 5 has the makings of a solid hub for those who need the expansion.
In terms of compatibility, of course the Element 5 is best paired with new M4 Pro and M4 Max Macs featuring Thunderbolt 5 ports, but it’s also compatible with TB4, TB3, and USB-C Macs and iPads as well.What do you think? Sound off in the comments with your thoughts. You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day.
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