Term of the Moment
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Redirected from: Thunderbolt I/O
Definition: Thunderbolt
A peripheral interface from Intel introduced in 2011. First used on a MacBook Pro laptop, Thunderbolt provides simultaneous transfer of DisplayPort graphics for the monitor and PCI Express data for storage and other devices.
USB-C Data, Charging and Interface
Starting with Thunderbolt 3 in 2015, USB data transfer and charging are supported, and USB-C plugs and sockets replaced Mini DisplayPort (mDP). See table below.
Thunderbolt 5 (TB5)
Introduced in 2024, TB5 provides bi-directional transfer for a total of 80 Gbps. Following are the Thunderbolt generations, and each is backward compatible with the previous one. See Thunderbolt Display and Thunderbolt Bridge.
Mini DisplayPort and USB Type C
Thunderbolt on a Desktop Mac
USB-C Data, Charging and Interface
Starting with Thunderbolt 3 in 2015, USB data transfer and charging are supported, and USB-C plugs and sockets replaced Mini DisplayPort (mDP). See table below.
Thunderbolt 5 (TB5)
Introduced in 2024, TB5 provides bi-directional transfer for a total of 80 Gbps. Following are the Thunderbolt generations, and each is backward compatible with the previous one. See Thunderbolt Display and Thunderbolt Bridge.
Data
TB Rate ---Interfaces--- Port
Gen (GBps) DP PCIe USB Type
5 (2024) 80 v2.1 v3 x4 4 USB-C
4 (2020) 40 v1.4 v3 x4 4 USB-C
3 (2015) 40 v1.2 v3 x4 3.1 USB-C
2 (2013) 20 v1.2 v2 x4 --- mDP
1 (2011) 10 v1.1a v2 x4 --- mDP
TB1 and TB2 used the Mini DisplayPort (mDP) plug and socket; however, TB3 switched to USB-C. Four TB4 ports (bottom) are showing on a 2024 Mac mini with the M2 Pro chip. (Bottom image courtesy of Apple Inc.)
Before Thunderbolt supported USB Type C, this 2nd-generation Mac Pro had six TB 2 ports. The black cable delivered DisplayPort signals to the monitor, and the orange cable transferred data between an external drive over PCI Express. See Mac Pro.