Up to date October 30, 2024: Apple has launched its first Macs to assist Thunderbolt 5. This text has been up to date to replicate this developmet.
In September of 2023, Intel introduced Thunderbolt 5, a brand new replace to the Thunderbolt specification that doubles the bi-directional bandwidth to 80 Gbps (Thunderbolt 4 helps as much as 40 Gbps). A function known as “Bandwidth Enhance” supplies as much as 120 Gbps for video content material.
A few yr later, the Thunderbolt 5 has made its Mac debut within the new Mac mini and MacBook Professional fashions that embrace the M4 Professional processor. Macs which have the common M4 processor nonetheless assist Thunderbolt 4.
The usual is constructed on USB4 V2, DisplayPort 2.1, and PCI Specific Gen 4 and is absolutely appropriate with earlier Thunderbolt variations. The elevated efficiency is achieved utilizing a brand new signaling expertise known as “PAM-3” which ought to allow in the present day’s printed circuit boards and passive cables (as much as 1 meter) to realize this efficiency.
Intel
In comparison with Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 5 presents three major advantages. First, it ensures double the bandwidth (80 Gbps) and might assist as much as 120 Gbps in a lift mode. Second, it helps a higher variety of higher-resolution shows with greater refresh charges. And third, it mandates assist for greater energy supply—no less than 140W (TB4 required 100W energy supply) with assist for as much as 240W (TB4 might assist a max of 140W).
Apple contains Thunderbolt 4 connectors on many Mac computer systems and the iPad Professional. The M4 Mac mini (with M4 Professional processor) and M4 MacBook Professional (with M4 Professional processor) are the primary Macs to assist Thunderbolt 5. Home windows laptops with Thunderbolt 5 began delivery just some months earlier, in the summertime of 2024.
Apple sells a 1-meter Thunderbolt 5 cable for $69/£69.