CalDigit announces Thunderbolt docking station, RAID boxes


As Apple's computers have been trading size for ports and drives, such as Ethernet, audio input, and optical drives, the concept of a Thunderbolt breakout boxes gain tractions. The MacBook Air was a trendsetter in this regard, but Apple's most recent iMac and MacBook Pro with Retina display are also slimming down on features. Plus, Apple's big iron Mac Pros continue to be both expensive and wilting on the vine. So the idea of moving functions outside of the box via speedy Thunderbolt may make sense for some. We've seen some PCIe chassis and lately more and more port docking stations.

CalDigit's new Thunderbolt Station is an affordable solution for adding HDMI, Gb Ethernet, audio I/O, plus some additional USB 3.0 ports all in one box. The Thunderbolt Station also has dual Thunderbolt ports so users can chain on additional devices.

The company also announced a 3-bay RAID box called the T3. The T3 is intended for video creators and offers speeds of up to 700 MB/second. Also announced is the VRmini 2, which is an update to the company's portable RAID storage. The VRmini 2 is bus-powered and now offers USB 3.0 connectivity in addition to FireWire 800.

The Thunderbolt Station is expected to sell for $199. Pricing on the other products are not immediately available, nor is an expected shipping timeframe.

CalDigit