Intel has today announced an upgraded Thunderbolt 5 interface standard that supports bandwidth up to 120 Gbps – three times that of Thunderbolt 4.

Thunderbolt 5 still uses the USB-C connector and is backwards compatible with previous Thunderbolt and USB standards. Even your existing passive cables up to 1 meter should work, according to the working group, although there will be conducted new certification testing.


 Credit: Intel Corp.

Thunderbolt 5 utilizes four 40 Gbps lanes; two in each direction (transmitter, receiver) for default 80 Gbps bi-directional bandwidth. For next-gen monitors there will be a boost mode that converts one of the receiver lane to a transmitter lane for up to 120 Gbps video bandwidth – three times faster than Thunderbolt 4.

- "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 of the Client Connectivity Division, Intel.


Multiple 8K, 540Hz, more
Intel says that Thunderbolt 5 enables connection of multiple 8K monitors and that it also supports three 4K monitors at 144Hz as well as up to 540Hz refresh rates.

Even more extreme combinations of resolution and refresh rate should be possible, depending on the video parameters. Intel is referring to PC signals (4:4:4 RGB) which is a lot more bandwidth-heavy than video signals.

Speaking of video signals, the 120 Gbps bandwidth of Thunderbolt 5 compares to "just" 48 Gbps for HDMI 2.1, but again there are differences between the PC and video ecosystems, and there is no indication that TVs and video players will be adopting Thunderbolt in the near future. Thunderbolt is still intended mainly for PCs.

Thunderbolt 5 obviously also supports ultra-fast data transfer and power charging. Intel even imagines that the ultra-high bandwidth will help external GPUs take off.

The first computers and accessories with Thunderbolt 5 are expected to be available starting in 2024, according to Intel.


 Credit: Intel Corp.

 Credit: Intel Corp.