Tag Archives: Thunderbolt

Computers, News

Intel Introduces Thunderbolt Share Technology

Leave a comment

For users juggling multiple PCs, the dream of seamless file sharing, screen control, and peripheral access might seem far-fetched. However, Intel‘s latest announcement, Thunderbolt Share, aims to bridge this gap. Let’s delve into this technology and explore its potential benefits and limitations.

Screenshot 2024 05 18 at 00 36 41 Thunderbolt™ Technology A Universe of Possibilities
Source: Intel

Thunderbolt Share builds upon the robust foundation of Intel’s Thunderbolt technology. Renowned for its high bandwidth and versatility, Thunderbolt allows for blazing-fast data transfer, high-resolution display connectivity, and device charging through a single cable. Thunderbolt Share leverages this existing infrastructure to establish a direct connection between two Thunderbolt-equipped PCs.

Imagine being able to control your work PC from your laptop at home. With Thunderbolt Share, this vision becomes a reality. Users can access and manage files on both PCs, synchronize folders, and even drag and drop content seamlessly. Additionally, the technology allows for shared screen control, enabling users to work on one PC while viewing the display on another.

image 6
Source: Intel

While the potential of Thunderbolt Share is enticing, it’s important to acknowledge current limitations. This technology is primarily compatible with PCs equipped with Thunderbolt 4 or 5 ports, potentially excluding older devices. Additionally, not all manufacturers may offer Thunderbolt Share functionality on their PCs, even if they have Thunderbolt ports as it looks to be an add-on feature OEMs will need to pay for. Users should check for specific compatibility details with their PC models.

Interestingly, while initially announced as a Windows-focused solution, Macworld reports that Apple has integrated similar functionality into macOS Sonoma. This integration allows M-series Macs with Thunderbolt ports to connect directly and utilize features like file sharing and screen control between devices, mirroring some of the core functionalities of Thunderbolt Share. Whether this integration represents a shift in strategy for Intel’s technology or a coincidence remains to be seen.

Accessories, Computers, Mobile, News

The Next Thunderbolt is Here Supporting DisplayPort 2.1 Specifications, but it is Confusing

Leave a comment

The invention of USB Type-C is a significant one. It brought the USB invention to the modern world. It ushered in a new era of standard connectivity. It is also a rather important aspect in the world of high wattage fast charging devices. It also allowed a single USB port to turn into so much more than just one port. It is a charging port, data port, DisplayPort, and even an HDMI port. Intel calls their own proprietary technology for a multipurpose USB Type-C the Thunderbolt technology.

Thunderbolt technically did not start out as a USB technology though. Thunderbolt needed its own proprietary port to work on its own. That never really caught on. The USB Type-C 3.1 standards brought in an entirely new possibility with Thunderbolt. In its current standard, with the latest available Intel processor, Thunderbolt is in its fourth generation; hence, Thunderbolt 4.

Thunderbolt 4 brings about DisplayPort 1.4 capabilities alongside HDMI 2.0, up to 40Gbps data transfer speeds, and even 10 Gigabit networking. You can even charge laptops that require less than 100W charge speeds. All that, and you still have USB 3.0 capabilities with a USB dongle.

Thunderbolt 4 is impressive, but to keep up with the times, it needs an update. It needs to keep up with HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 2.0 standards. Intel does one better with USB4 v2. We are guessing that the next generation Thunderbolt would be named Thunderbolt 5 and still go along with USB Type-C port, but Intel might have a different idea when the first laptops arrive with USB4 v2 standards.

Instead of keeping up to DisplayPort 2.0, the new USB4 v2 standard is capable of DisplayPort 2.1 port standards. That also means that it can transfer up to 80 Gigabits every second in either direction. One way, up to 120 Gigabits of data can be transferred every second for the best type of display experience you can find on any device.

Like Thunderbolt 4, the new Thunderbolt standard can also support PCIe data throughput. That means you can plug in your GPU externally and make use of more powerful GPUs to run with your thin-and-light laptop. In this case, USB4 v2 is now capable of the lates PCIe 5.0 standards for twice the throughput from the previous Thunderbolt 4.

Intel says that the USB4 v2 standards will also be compatible with previous versions of Thunderbolt, USB, and DisplayPort. While it might simply mean that it will still be able to work with devices in the previous generation, it could also mean that Intel is sticking with USB Type-C as its main connection method. Even if they decided not to stick with USB Type-C, they might be able to get manufacturers and accessory makers play ball with their new designs.