Thunderbolt 3 docks are all the rage at this year’s CES. Henge Docks and Elgato revealed new docks at the show, and not to be left out is CalDigit and its two new Thunderbolt 3 docks.
Thunderbolt Station 3 Lite
CalDigit Thunderbolt Station 3 Lite: Front
A new dock from CalDigit, the Thunderbolt Station 3 Lite has a horizontal aluminum box design that’s similar to docks made by other companies. On the rear of the device are two Thunderbolt 3 ports, a USB 3 port, gigabit ethernet, DisplayPort, and audio in and out jacks. The front sports USB 3 and USB-C ports.
The Thunderbolt Station 3 Lite can support two 4K displays, with one connected via DisplayPort, and the other through a Thunderbolt 3 port using a USB-C to HDMI adapter. If you want to use one display, the DisplayPort can support 5K resolution.
CalDigit Thunderbolt Station 3 Lite: Back
According to CalDigit , the Thunderbolt Station 3 Lite will be available during the early part of the first quarter of 2017. The company is accepting pre-orders in its online store at a special price of $170. The Thunderbolt Station 3 jumps to $200 after the pre-order period is over.
Thunderbolt Station 3
CalDigit Thunderbolt Station 3: Front
The Thunderbolt Station 3 uses the same vertical form factor as CalDigit’s Thunderbolt Station 2 (it can be used horizontally), which we reviewed last year. The back of the dock has two Thunderbolt 3 ports, two USB 3 ports, two eSATA ports, gigabit ethernet, and DisplayPort. The front has a USB 3 port and audio in and out jacks.
CalDigit Thunderbolt Station 3: Back
Like the Thunderbolt Station 3 Lite, the Thunderbolt Station 3’s DisplayPort can be used with a 5K display. You can use two 4K displays if you connect one to the DisplayPort and the other to a Thunderbolt 3 port using a USB-C to HDMI adapter.
CalDigit says the Thunderbolt Station 3 will ship in the later part of the first quarter of 2017. The regular price is $250, but the company is offering a $200 pre-order price.
Author: Roman Loyola, Senior Editor
Roman has covered technology since the early 1990s. His career started at MacUser, and he's worked for MacAddict, Mac|Life, and TechTV.