Gamers and creative pros will be able to connect extra-large 8K monitors to their computers with Intel’s release of Thunderbolt 5 in 2024, the chipmaker said Tuesday.
Thunderbolt 5 is a connection technology that uses the same underpinnings as USB 4 version 2. That means it’ll transfer data at 80 gigabits per second, double the 40Gbps speed of Thunderbolt 4, Intel said Tuesday. The extra speed means support for bigger monitors and other demanding peripherals like high-end storage arrays — not something average laptop users need, but some help to people with high-end hardware.
And as with USB 4 version 2, which also hasn’t yet shipped in products, Thunderbolt 5 will come with a mode that can boost speeds to 120Gbps from PCs to peripherals. That’ll come at the expense of halving the return trip speed to 40Gbps, though.
Although Thunderbolt uses the same basic technology as USB 4 and does the same basic job, products supporting it must pass Intel certification tests. That improves compatibility and ensures that all cables are both fast and can handle charging power of at least 100 watts, which can be reassuring to those worried about USB-C cable confusion. It also means Thunderbolt products are typically more expensive.
The push toward Thunderbolt and USB has given personal computers the ability to connect to much more powerful external devices like monitors, storage systems, high-speed networks and docks that come with a profusion of ports. That has helped boost the utility of thin laptops, since those ports are so flexible.
USB and Thunderbolt haven’t become as universal as some engineers wanted, though. Apple, after moving to laptops that had only USB-C and Thunderbolt ports, restored ports for HDMI video cables and its MagSafe 3 magnetic power connections that customers wanted. You can still charge these MacBooks with the Thunderbolt/USB-C ports, though, if you only want to carry one charger for the many devices that plug in with USB-C.
Expect Thunderbolt 5 cables that are both long and fast to be more expensive. One-meter Thunderbolt 5 cables can be passive, meaning they don’t require any processors to boost signals, Intel said. But it’s possible that 2 meter cables (a bit over 6 feet) likely will need the extra electronics.
