Intel today confirmed key details about the next generation of Thunderbolt cable, Thunderbolt 5. The company expects PCs and accessories with Thunderbolt 5 to release in 2024.
Intel will release Thunderbolt 5 technical collateral and development resources to developers in Q4 of 2024, Jason Ziller, general manager of the client connectivity division at Intel, told reporters ahead of the announcement.
The main feature of the new specification is its ability to transmit data at up to 120 gigabits per second (Gbps) while simultaneously receiving data at up to 40 Gbps. The mode, which Intel is dubbing Bandwidth Boost, only occurs when a high-bandwidth display is connected.
[...] Thunderbolt 5 will support previous versions of Thunderbolt and is based on the USB-IF USB4 Version 2.0, VESA DisplayPort 2.1, and PCI-SIG PCIe 4.0 (x4) specifications.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by takyon on Friday September 15 2023, @04:45PM (2 children)
USB-C Can Hit 120Gbps With Newly Published USB4 Version 2.0 Spec [soylentnews.org]
It's just USB 4 Part Deuce with some Intel junk and branding thrown on top.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by VLM on Friday September 15 2023, @08:26PM (1 child)
The real problem with it physically being USB-C is the market will be made up entirely of fake cables that won't work reliably at the full rated Thunderbolt 5 speed, and super expensive ones no one buys that actually work. So the tech is guaranteed to die, which is unfortunate.
Expect to see a lot of $3 partially operational USB-C cables at retail stores labeled "Thuderbold 5 compatable", right next to the USB chargers with no isolation that occasionally electrocute the user or burst into flames. The kind of place that sells $5 meme tee shirts where the graphic washes off the first time the shirt is washed, or shirts with differing numbers of buttons vs buttonholes.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Friday September 15 2023, @09:07PM
It's not fated to die, but it's in the same shitty boat as "Universal" Serial Bus. Because it is USB with an Intel coat of paint.
The fix is very simple. Include the cable with the appropriate features and speed alongside your product. For example, if you sell an expensive external GPU enclosure, include the USB 4 / Thunderbolt 5 cable that can deliver the maximum possible bandwidth.
If they can't be bothered to do that, maybe don't buy the product.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by kazzie on Saturday September 16 2023, @03:22PM
To the best of my knowledge, I've never used any thunderbolt 1 - 4 cable (though the fact they've shared connectors with other types of cable means I'm not 100% certain).
That leaves me wondering whether I should care about the arrival of this new cable...