This is the English edition of a review from my Japanese YouTube channel, iestaLife. I review gadgets from my home studio in Japan, so product links go to Amazon Japan.
Quick take
I use the CalDigit Thunderbolt 4 Element Hub with my 14-inch MacBook Pro, and after nearly six months it does exactly what I bought it for: one cable from the Mac brings up two displays and a Thunderbolt audio interface chain. It is small and simple, with no SD card reader or Ethernet, and it runs warm enough that I stuck an SSD heatsink on it.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports | 3 |
| USB-A ports | 4 |
| Host connection | USB-C port on the side |
| Charging to the laptop | 60 W in my setup |
| SD card / Ethernet | None |
What I tested
- Nearly six months of daily use with a 14-inch MacBook Pro
- Two external displays plus a Universal Audio Apollo 8 and an expansion unit, daisy-chained over Thunderbolt
- Charging the MacBook Pro through the hub while working
What I found
- One-cable desk: plugging a single cable into the Mac connects both displays and the whole audio interface chain at once.
- Daisy-chaining works: I wasn’t sure my setup would work through this hub, so I bought it to test. It did, without problems.
- 60 W was enough for me: my 14-inch MacBook Pro’s battery never drained while connected, whatever I was doing.
- It gets hot: I’d read reviews about heat, and it does warm up. I added a stick-on SSD heatsink to help it shed some of that heat.
- Minimal ports: three Thunderbolt 4 ports and four USB-A ports, nothing else. That keeps the price and size down.
Who it’s for
Mac users who want to connect Thunderbolt gear such as displays and audio interfaces through one small hub. If you want a single box that also handles SD cards and wired Ethernet, a full dock like CalDigit’s TS4 is a better fit.
Watch the video
The video is in Japanese. My desk wiring is shown from about 02:20.
Limitations
This is one setup on one 14-inch MacBook Pro. The heatsink is my own addition, not part of the product. When I wrote this, I couldn’t find the Element Hub itself listed on Amazon Japan, so only the TS4 link is below.
Products
CalDigit TS4 (the full-featured dock): on Amazon Japan
The Amazon Japan links above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Check the listing for the exact model, current price and shipping availability in your region.
More reviews in English
All Camera & Desk Setup (42) →Browse all English reviews →
This review is also available in Japanese.