Intel Thunderbolt 5 Connectivity Standard Up to 3x More Bandwidth Compared with Previous-Gen

Intel Corp. announced Thunderbolt 5 – the next-gen of Thunderbolt – and demonstrated a prototype laptop and dock.

Thunderbolt 5 promises to deliver improvements in connectivity speed and bandwidth benefits for computer users.

“Thunderbolt 5 will provide industry-leading performance and capability for connecting computers to monitors, docks, storage and more. Intel is excited to continue our tradition of leadership for wired connectivity solutions. Thunderbolt is now the mainstream port for connectivity on mobile PCs, and delivering the next generation of performance with Thunderbolt 5 will provide even more capability for the most demanding users,” said Jason Ziller, GM, Client connectivity division.

What it does:
Thunderbolt 5 will deliver 80Gb/s of bi-directional bandwidth, and with Bandwidth Boost it will provide up to 120Gb/s for the best display experience. These improvements will provide up to 3x more bandwidth than the best existing connectivity solution, providing outstanding display and data connections. Thunderbolt 5 will meet the high bandwidth needs of content creators and gamers. Built on industry standards – including USB4 V2 – Thunderbolt 5 will be compatible with previous versions of Thunderbolt and USB.

Why it matters:
Bandwidth needs of content creators, gamers and professionals are increasing significantly. These users want high-resolution displays and low-latency visuals while working with increasingly larger video and data files. Thunderbolt 5 has been designed to massively improve connectivity speed and bandwidth to ensure modern PC users can enjoy the highest-quality visuals and immersive experiences for years to come. 

“Microsoft is excited to closely collaborate with Intel to bring the latest USB4 standard to Windows customers,” said Ian LeGrow, corporate VP, Core OS product management, Microsoft Corp. “Thunderbolt 5 is fully USB 80Gb/s standard compliant to support the next generation of high-performance displays, storage and connectivity.”

Thunderbolt 5 builds upon Thunderbolt 4 in several ways, including:

• 2x the total bi-directional bandwidth; Bandwidth Boost provides up to 3x the throughput for video-intensive usage, up to 120Gb/s.
• Double the PCIe data throughput for faster storage and external graphics.
• Built on industry standards including USB4 V2, DisplayPort 2.1 and PCIe Gen 4; compatible with previous versions.
• Double the bandwidth of Thunderbolt Networking for high-speed PC-to-PC connections.
• Utilizes a new signaling technology, PAM-3, to deliver these increases in performance with today’s printed circuit boards, connectors and passive cables up to 1m.

About Thunderbolt in PC market:
Thunderbolt products have become mainstream in the PC marketplace, with leading PC accessory vendors WW adopting the standard to reach hundreds of millions of PC users active today. Thunderbolt 5 will build on this extensive base and continue to deliver on the vision of 1 USB-C port and cable that can do it all – simplifying the PC experience for users around the globe while still providing the highest quality and performance possible.

The announcement of Thunderbolt 5 is another milestone in Intel’s long history in I/O innovation. The company works closely with PC, accessory and cable partners to deliver advanced and complete wired connectivity solutions through dedicated enabling and testing programs.

All Thunderbolt products undergo certification testing to ensure the best wired connection solution performance for the PC industry. Products that pass this testing use the Thunderbolt brand royalty-free. That’s why Thunderbolt has become a globally recognized indicator of the best wired connectivity solutions for PCs and accessories.

What’s next:
Computers and accessories based on Intel’s Thunderbolt 5 controller, code-named Barlow Ridge, are expected to be available starting in 2024.

Resource:
Intel Thunderbolt technology