Intel Unveils Thunderbolt 5: Blazing 120Gbps Speeds and More
Intel has officially unveiled Thunderbolt 5, heralding the arrival of blazing speeds of up to 120Gbps. This momentous announcement is accompanied by a host of impressive features, including theoretical compatibility with 540Hz gaming monitors, an impressive charging capacity of 240 watts, and a plethora of other advancements. However, it’s worth noting that while the Thunderbolt 5 specification has been solidified, it won’t be until 2024 that we see accessories and PCs equipped to support this cutting-edge technology.
Built upon the foundation of USB4 v2, Thunderbolt 5 will seamlessly integrate with its predecessors, Thunderbolt and USB. In contrast to the 40Gbps speed limit of Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 5 is poised to transmit data at an astonishing rate of 80Gbps, with the potential to reach an astounding 120Gbps when employing Bandwidth Boost mode. It’s important to mention that this mode necessitates a high-bandwidth display; otherwise, Thunderbolt 5 will maintain a commendable bidirectional speed of 80Gbps.
Thunderbolt 5 emerges as the ideal solution for connecting laptops to multiple displays, particularly due to its support for multiple 8K monitors, three 4K monitors running at a silky-smooth 144Hz (in contrast to Thunderbolt 4’s limitation to two 4K monitors at 60Hz), and a minimum charging capacity of 140 watts, expandable to an impressive 240 watts. Additionally, the potential for 540Hz panels opens up exciting possibilities for gamers, and the enhanced bandwidth, courtesy of PCI Gen 4, may finally usher in a new era for external GPUs. With support for up to 240W, gaming laptop manufacturers may even contemplate eliminating separate power ports on future devices. Furthermore, Thunderbolt 5 is fully compatible with DisplayPort 2.1.
Jason Ziller, the general manager of the client connectivity division at Intel, declares, “Thunderbolt 5 will offer unparalleled performance and capabilities for linking computers to monitors, docking stations, storage solutions, and more.” He goes on to emphasize that Thunderbolt has solidified its status as the mainstream port for mobile PC connectivity, and the advent of Thunderbolt 5 will empower even the most demanding users with enhanced performance.
Notably, Microsoft has collaborated closely with Intel to ensure seamless integration of USB4 into Windows, and Thunderbolt 5 is fully compliant with the USB 80Gbps standard. Intel’s breakthrough in bandwidth enhancement can be attributed to the adoption of a new signaling technology known as PAM-3, which finds support in USB4 v2.
As we eagerly await the unveiling of Thunderbolt 5-compatible accessories, it’s clear that docks, monitors, and storage drives will be among the first to embrace Thunderbolt 5 connectivity when it arrives in 2024.
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