What is Thunderbolt?

Today, when you buy a laptop or desktop, it’s not just the speed and performance of the device itself that matters. Equally important is how fast you can charge it, or transfer data from it to other devices. Well, we have one word for you. Thunderbolt. Intrigued? Read on.

Understanding what is a Thunderbolt port

Thunderbolt is the name of a hardware interface used for connecting external peripherals to a computer. It was developed by Intel in collaboration with Apple, and was initially named Light Peak. 

Resembling a mini DisplayPort connector, a Thunderbolt port is a very concise interface which enables a device to connect to another, to transfer data. Due to its compact size and fast performance too, Thunderbolt ports have now become a staple feature in modern laptops, desktops, and other peripherals.

Thunderbolt combines PCI Express (PCIe) and DisplayPort (DP) in to two serial signals, and even provides DC power via a single cable. Therefore, one Thunderbolt connector can support up to six peripherals in a go. 

Types of Thunderbolt ports

Now, Thunderbolt has up to four iterations.

While Thunderbolt 1 and 2 use Mini DisplayPort connectors, Thunderbolt 3 and 4 use a USB Type-C connector. It was only in September last year, that Intel also unveiled Thunderbolt 5. Thunderbolt 5, according to the company, can support data transfer speeds of up to 80 Gbps. The first laptops with Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, are expected to arrive in the market towards the end of 2024. 

ALSO READ: Can the MacBook Pro charge with a USB Type-C cable?

Thunderbolt offers high speed connectivity that has completely transformed data transfers, peripheral connections, and even charging devices for ever, and is simply indispensable in the world of tech today.