Intel JHL9480
The Intel JHL9480 is a Thunderbolt 5 controller chip for device-side, codenamed Barlow Ridge. Released in the third quarter of 2024, the chip is designed to provide high-speed data transmission and versatile connectivity for high-performance peripherals.
The JHL9480 supports four PCI Express (PCIe) channels, configured as x4 Gen 4, with functions such as ACS, FBP, PTM, P2P, and supports 128/256B load. In terms of display port, it provides 2 DP Sinks and 3 DP Sources, supports DP 2.1 tunneling and retiming functions, supports x1/x2/x4 modes, and the rate ranges from 1.62Gbps to 20Gbps, with SST, MST, DSC 1.2, FEC, LTTPR, Panel Re-play and other features. The chip uses FC-CSP packaging and is available in two packaging forms: Tray and T&R.
Thunderbolt 5
On September 12, 2023, Intel released the Thunderbolt 5 specification, which is compatible with the latest USB4 V2 specification. In symmetrical mode, it provides 80Gbps of upstream and downstream transmission bandwidth, which is twice that of Thunderbolt 4; in asymmetric mode, the unidirectional bandwidth can reach up to 120Gbps, which is three times that of Thunderbolt 4.
Thunderbolt 5 also supports multiple protocols, including PCI Express (PCIe) and DisplayPort (DP), providing up to 64Gbps of PCIe transmission bandwidth, that is, PCIe 4.0x4, which is twice the PCIe transmission bandwidth of Thunderbolt 4 32Gbps. This means that Thunderbolt 5 will have a significant improvement in performance in high-speed storage, external graphics cards (eGPU), etc.
TX001
Purplelec has launched its first Thunderbolt 5 mobile SSD enclosure. The product uses Intel JHL9480 main control chip, supports Thunderbolt 5 protocol, and is backward compatible with Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 standards, providing a theoretical bandwidth of up to 120Gbps. TX001 supports the installation of M.2 2280 NVMe SSDs with a maximum capacity of up to 8TB, meeting users' needs for large-capacity and high-speed storage. In actual tests, the sequential read speed of TB501 is about 6200MB/s, and the sequential write speed is about 5900MB/s.
To ensure stable operation under high load, TX001 adopts an active cooling design, built-in turbo fan, and equipped with a fin-patterned all-aluminum alloy heat-conducting shell, with grille holes on both sides to further enhance the heat dissipation capacity. The body is equipped with a Thunderbolt 5 interface and comes with a 0.5-meter C to C Thunderbolt 5 data cable for easy connection and use. TX001 is not only a powerful mobile SSD enclosure, but also a highly forward-looking high-end storage solution.
