Intel announces Thunderbolt 5 with up to 120Gbps speeds

This week, Intel is introducing the latest iteration of its Thunderbolt technology. Thunderbolt 5 is on the way, aiming to triple speeds compared to Thunderbolt 4. The new standard would offer much more bandwidth, enabling greater display compatibility too.

Thunderbolt 4 offered 40Gbps bandwidth. This will increase to 120Gbps with Thunderbolt 5. The new standard can support up to three 4K/144Hz displays, or multiple 8K displays. For gamers, it would allow for up to 540Hz refresh rates.

Thunderbolt networking speeds have doubled from 32Gbps to 64Gbps. TB5 will also enable a new wave of speedier external SSDs and up to 240W charging for devices like laptops, so the new standard could become very popular amongst laptop makers.

We still have questions as to whether TB5 will be integrated in Meteor Lake. New active TB5 cables will be available in up to 2M length, while passive cables should still top out at 1 meter.

While Intel is announcing this now, the first products supporting Thunderbolt 5 aren't expected to arrive until 2024.

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KitGuru Says: With Thunderbolt 5 on the way, it seems like it will be a topic of conversation at CES and Computex next year as manufacturers begin to show off new upcoming products. 

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