Write the cable plan before comparing port totals
List each display input, resolution and refresh target, then draw the video path from the host through the dock. Include the actual cable or adapter at each end. A USB-C-shaped data port is not automatically a video output, and an HDMI-to-DisplayPort adapter is not interchangeable with a DisplayPort-to-HDMI cable.
An older host does not gain a Thunderbolt 5 link
Check the exact computer against CalDigit's compatibility matrix. Connection to an older supported host uses that host's capabilities; the TB5 label does not upgrade the computer's controller. For MacBooks, native display count is also a chip-specific constraint. These are native docks, so a dock purchase does not supply a DisplayLink workaround.
Work out whether 10GbE changes the whole path
TS5 Plus is useful for networking only when the endpoint, cable, switch and NAS or server can use the faster link. A 1GbE switch or a 2.5GbE NAS leaves that lower bottleneck in place. Draw local storage traffic separately from internet traffic; a faster local connection does not change the ISP plan.
Compare complete upgrade cost
Include video adapters, a suitable host cable, any switch or NIC needed for the intended network path, and return costs. Keep a known-good TS4 configuration when the new dock changes none of the daily requirements. Test the complete purchased setup for both displays, charging under the normal workload, peripherals and sleep/wake during its return window; this guide does not certify those results.
Which listing is this guide recommending?
The existing TS4 research page remains about TS4. This comparison does not relabel its purchase link as TS5 or TS5 Plus. New-model buying links require a separate exact-model and bundle check; the manufacturer references below are editorial sources.