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Thunderbolt

A high-speed hardware interface developed by Intel and Apple that combines PCIe and DisplayPort signals into one serial signal.

Categoryhardware

Overview

Thunderbolt provides massive bandwidth for external devices. Starting with Thunderbolt 3, it uses the USB Type-C connector, making it physically compatible with USB-C devices while offering much higher performance.

Key Features

  • Daisy Chaining: Connect up to six devices to a single port.
  • External GPUs (eGPU): High bandwidth allows connecting desktop graphics cards to laptops.
  • High-Resolution Video: Can drive multiple 4K or 8K monitors.

Versions

  • Thunderbolt 3/4: 40 Gbps.
  • Thunderbolt 5: Up to 120 Gbps.

Related Terms

DisplayPort