The next generation of Thunderbolt cables, Thunderbolt 5, is expected in PCs and accessories sometime next year.

Thunderbolt 5 is an evolution of USB4 version 2 and can send data at 120 Gbit/s while receiving data at 40 Gbit/s. This mode is called Intel Bandwith Boost and is activated automatically when, for example, a particularly high-resolution display is connected. By default, Thunderbolt 5, just like its predecessor, delivers 80 Gbps on and off simultaneously.

This Boost mode allows you to connect two 6K screens (or three 4K screens) via Thunderbolt 5, while the limit with Thunderbolt 4 is two 4K screens. Intel’s new standard also increases the maximum charging power from 140 watts to 240 watts.

Intel emphasizes that almost all specifications are mandatory for manufacturers to get started with Thunderbolt 5. This is to avoid confusion about when a particular port or cable supports something or not.

Cables and eGPUs

With the new standard, Intel sees a lot of potential in external AI accelerators via Thunderbolt 5, for example for video editing, audio effects and local AI inferencing. Intel also hopes that external GPUs (eGPUs) will finally take off thanks to the new standard.

Finally the cables. Intel will put all current Thunderbolt 4 cables through a testing program to determine whether they are Thunderbolt 5 compatible. If so, they receive a new label that manufacturers can use. Passive cables can be up to two meters long. If you want to travel a longer distance, you have to wait longer. The active cables require a USB redriver change, which is not yet possible today. Intel does not set a deadline for this.