Thunderbolt is a hardware interface developed by Intel in collaboration with Apple. This technology combines data transfer, video output, and charging into a single connector, drastically simplifying the process of connecting devices.
It supports a data transfer rate of up to 40 Gbps, that’s twice the speed of the USB 3.2.
It can connect to two 4K displays or one 8K display simultaneously, providing a seamless high-resolution experience.
It supports charging up to 100W for laptop and 15W for accessories, making it a one-stop solution for power needs.
Thunderbolt 4 specifications
Bitrate: Thunderbolt 4 supports a bidirectional data transfer rate of 40 Gbit/s, which is the same as Thunderbolt 3. However, Thunderbolt 4 increases the data transfer bandwidth from 16 Gbps (Thunderbolt 3) to 32 Gbps, providing assurance of higher speeds.
Protocol: It supports 4× PCI Express 3.0, DisplayPort 2.0, and USB4.
Display Support: Thunderbolt 4 requires support for either dual 4K monitors or one 8K monitor, whereas Thunderbolt 3 only required support for one 4K monitor.
Ports: Thunderbolt 4 supports accessories with up to four Thunderbolt ports, compared to two ports with Thunderbolt 3 technology.
Charging: Thunderbolt 4 requires laptop charging of up to 100W on at least one computer port. Both Thunderbolt 4 and Thunderbolt 3 ports provide 15W power to all Thunderbolt accessories and can also be used to charge smartphones.
Wake from Sleep Mode: A connected accessory like a keyboard or mouse can wake a computer from sleep mode over a Thunderbolt 4 interface1.
Backward Compatibility: Thunderbolt 4 is backward compatible with Thunderbolt 3 devices, allowing cross-generational computers and accessories to be connected interchangeably.
Enhanced Security: Thunderbolt 4 requires Intel VT-D-based direct memory access (DMA) protection or equivalent, which was optional in Thunderbolt 3. This security feature helps ensure that accessories connected through a Thunderbolt port can only access data for their specific workloads by isolating data in memory.
USB4 Specification Compliance: Both Thunderbolt 4 and Thunderbolt 3 technologies are compatible with the USB4 specification, which allows users to use Thunderbolt 4 and Thunderbolt 3 products with USB4 ports.
