What’s the Difference Between Thunderbolt™ 4 and USB-C?

Up to five devices can share power, video, and high-bandwidth data transfers with Thunderbolt™ technology's best-in-class capabilities. Using a strong connectivity standard, gamers, creators, and workers can all enjoy a tidy desktop with several monitors and accessories.

Thunderbolt™ Technology: What Is It?

An Intel-developed connectivity standard called ThunderboltTM technology allows power, data, and video to be delivered over a single cable. To promote higher dependability and vendor and device compatibility, the Thunderbolt™ certification sets obligatory minimum specifications for cables, PCs, and accessories. When connecting accessories, Thunderbolt™-based solutions provide an excellent user experience for end customers.

Where to Find Devices Enabled by Thunderbolt™ 4

Many contemporary PCs come equipped with Thunderbolt™ 4, which works with Mac, Windows, Linux, and Chrome OS. All laptops with Intel® Core™ vPro® processors and all Intel® Evo™ laptops must include at least one Thunderbolt™ 4 port.

• Find Thunderbolt™ on Intel® Evo™ laptops
• Shop for Thunderbolt™ accessories

The Distinction In between USB-C and Thunderbolt™ 4

Although Thunderbolt™ 4 employs the USB-C connector type, which is distinguished by its oval form, it is not the same as USB-C.

Thunderbolt™ 4 Initiates Elevated Minimum Conditions

For Thunderbolt™ 4 certification, a consistent 40 Gbps bandwidth must be supported for power, data, and video. There is no guarantee of display quality and a fluctuating data speed range for USB cables, devices, and ports. The Thunderbolt™ logo provides a straightforward, reliable representation of the power of a device connection.

Easily identifiable by a simple lightning symbol, Thunderbolt™ 4 certification guarantees 40 Gbps bandwidth compared to the wide range of USB options.

Interoperability between USB and Thunderbolt™

The USB-C connector type is also used by several USB standards, such as USB 3.2 and USB4, and these cables and ports are compatible with Thunderbolt™ 4 devices. Only the lowest common data rate will be supported when devices with varying capabilities are connected. A Thunderbolt™ 4 port, for instance, can negotiate data, power, and video signal capabilities with a connected device at a USB 3.2 level when a USB 3.2 cable is plugged into it.

Advantages and Features of Thunderbolt™ 4

With a more adaptable and extensive set of features than USB-C, Thunderbolt™ 4 has clear advantages over that technology. With its cleaner workspaces and increased bandwidth to accommodate more accessories, Thunderbolt™ 4 technology can be advantageous for productivity, multimedia creation, and gaming applications.

Power, Transmission of Data, and Visual Display in The trifecta of power charging, data transfer, and bidirectional movement with visual display in one interface is supported by one Thunderbolt™ 4 connector and cables. For instance, if the laptop, display, and cable are all ThunderboltTM compatible, the laptop can simultaneously charge the monitor and provide a visual signal to it. The Thunderbolt™ 4 offers:

High bandwidth: 40 Gbps of dynamically allocated data and video capacity is perfect for large tasks or quick file transfers.

Rapid charging Maximum of 100W of electricity can be used to charge laptops, and up to 15W can be used for computer accessories.

Several options for displays: one 8K 60 Hz display or up to two 4K 60 Hz displays on a single connection1.

More Rapid Data Transfer

A 40 Gbps total bandwidth is needed by the Thunderbolt™ 4 standard, which dynamically divides it between data and video for any device connected to the same network. This standard guarantees connections always deliver peak file transfer speeds to support work, gaming, and content creation—a far cry from the unpredictable speeds of USB4.

Docks, Hubs, and Daisy Chains

Create a daisy chain by connecting several Thunderbolt™ devices together. The computer can send signals for power, data, and video down the chain to five more gadgets. To combine all accessories into a single connection, connect several devices to a Thunderbolt™ hub or dock that may be hooked into a Thunderbolt™ computer.

PCIe enclosures, storage, and external graphics

End customers can connect their computers to external GPUs, storage drives, and PCIe enclosures thanks to Thunderbolt™ 4's fast bandwidth. While PCIe connectivity is optional for USB 4 and not supported by USB 3, Thunderbolt™ 4 allows you to connect the widest range of devices.

Even on tiny and light notebooks, gamers can play at recommended visual settings and greater frame rates with external graphics. Rendering and exporting times can be greatly shortened by creators to increase output and productivity.

PCIe enclosures, storage, and external graphics

End customers can connect their computers to external GPUs, storage drives, and PCIe enclosures thanks to Thunderbolt™ 4's fast bandwidth. While PCIe connectivity is optional for USB 4 and not supported by USB 3, Thunderbolt™ 4 allows you to connect the widest range of devices.

• Even on tiny and light notebooks, gamers can play at recommended visual settings and greater frame rates with external graphics. Rendering and exporting times can be greatly shortened by creators to increase output and productivity.
• Gamers may now play large-file games straight from an external drive thanks to external storage, which frees up important PC storage space. For added peace of mind, creators may easily back up large video and photo files.
• There are even more options available when an external PCIe enclosure is connected, including video capture cards.

Lightning® Four Cables

With Thunderbolt™ 4 cables, customers have greater configuration options for their workstations and gaming centres, as they can connect to USB and DisplayPort devices up to two metres in length.

PC-to-PC Communication

Computers with Thunderbolt™ support can be connected to one another at speeds greater than a 10 GB Ethernet connection to create a secure connection. Fast and simple file sharing is made possible via this connection, especially with huge files.

Windows 11's support for OS drivers

Microsoft brought Thunderbolt™ drivers from the firmware level and integrated them into Windows 11 with its release. Snap layouts in Windows 11 will also function with multiple 4K screens connected via Thunderbolt™.

Thunderbolt™ for Creating, Gaming, and Productivity

Thunderbolt™ technology will assist workers who require everyday productivity as well as gamers and content creators. With unified connectivity and high bandwidth in a single connection, this standard contributes to a clutter-free desktop. End users can quickly transport large files, activate the best possible display settings, and add necessary peripherals using docks, hubs, and daisy chains.

Source: Intel!