How long does it take to transfer an 80GB 8K movie when you connect a 4TB solid-state drive to your computer? Thunderbolt 3 takes about 40 seconds, Thunderbolt 4 takes about 30 seconds, and the upcoming Thunderbolt 5 will theoretically take only about 16 seconds.
01 Interface Evolution: From Dedicated to Universal
The development of the Thunderbolt interface is a history of technological evolution from niche professional use to mass adoption. This technology, jointly developed by Intel and Apple, initially used the Mini DisplayPort physical form factor and went through the accumulation of Thunderbolt 1 and 2 generations.
The major breakthrough of Thunderbolt 3 was the adoption of the then-emerging USB-C interface. This seemingly simple change actually completed the "democratization" of Thunderbolt technology, allowing it to be compatible with the increasingly popular USB-C ecosystem.
Thunderbolt 4, released in 2020, was more about standardizing specifications and enhancing functionality than simply increasing speed. It established minimum performance standards, enhanced security, and expanded compatibility, ensuring that the "Thunderbolt 4" logo represents a consistent high-quality experience.
The upcoming Thunderbolt 5 represents another leap in performance, doubling the bandwidth compared to Thunderbolt 4, further widening the gap with other interface technologies and consolidating Thunderbolt's leading position in the high-end connectivity field.
02 Core Parameter Comparison: The Practical Significance Behind the Numbers
The differences between Thunderbolt 3, 4, and 5 are first reflected in the most intuitive bandwidth parameters. Thunderbolt 3 provides a total bandwidth of 40Gbps, but video and data share this resource; Thunderbolt 4 maintains the same total bandwidth but improves actual usability through optimized allocation.
Thunderbolt 5 brings a leap in bandwidth, expected to provide up to 80Gbps of bidirectional bandwidth, and even up to 120Gbps of unidirectional bandwidth in some modes, designed for ultra-high-resolution displays and high-speed storage.
Video support capabilities are a core concern for professional users. Thunderbolt 3 can support a single 8K display or two 4K displays; Thunderbolt 4 improves multi-display support; Thunderbolt 5 pushes this capability to new heights, expected to support multiple 8K displays or a single 16K display. Power delivery capability is also an important consideration for everyday use. Thunderbolt 3 and 4 both support up to 100W of power delivery, sufficient to meet the charging needs of most laptops; Thunderbolt 5 is expected to further enhance power delivery capabilities, potentially reaching even higher power levels.
03 Comparison with USB Standards: Clear Technological Layering
One of the best ways to understand Thunderbolt interface performance is to compare it with the widely adopted USB standard. When Thunderbolt 3 was launched, its performance far exceeded that of the contemporary USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps), achieving four times the transmission speed.
When Thunderbolt 4 was released, the USB4 standard was just starting out. Interestingly, USB4 actually adopted the technological foundation of Thunderbolt 3, meaning that Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 are closely related at the underlying technology level, but Thunderbolt 4 provides a stricter minimum performance guarantee.
From a technological perspective, the following correspondence can be established:
Thunderbolt 3 ≈ Technological predecessor of the USB4 40Gbps version
Thunderbolt 4 = Enhanced USB4, providing stricter performance guarantees
Thunderbolt 5 = Next-generation high-performance standard, significantly surpassing current USB4
This correspondence helps consumers understand that Thunderbolt interfaces consistently remain at the forefront of consumer-grade connectivity technology, offering performance and functional completeness that surpasses contemporary USB standards.
04 Practical Application Scenarios: How Different Users Should Choose
When faced with different generations of Thunderbolt interfaces, users should base their choices on actual needs rather than simply pursuing the latest model. Content creators and professionals, such as video editors and 3D animators, have the highest demands for transmission speed and multi-monitor support.
For these users, if they primarily work with 4K/8K video footage or large design files, Thunderbolt 5 will be the best choice, as its ultra-high bandwidth can significantly shorten file transfer and project rendering times. Current Thunderbolt 4 users whose workflow is already sufficiently smooth do not need to rush to upgrade.
Business and professional users, such as financial analysts and software developers, typically need to connect multiple monitors and high-performance peripherals. Thunderbolt 4 currently fully meets these needs, providing stable multi-monitor support and sufficient bandwidth for docking station connections.
For this group, if their Thunderbolt 3 devices are still working properly, the urgency to upgrade to Thunderbolt 4 is not high, unless they need the enhanced security features of Thunderbolt 4 or more stable multi-monitor support. You can wait until Thunderbolt 5 matures before considering an upgrade.
The main needs of average users and students are connecting external monitors, transferring documents, and handling everyday files. Thunderbolt 3 is already perfectly sufficient for these tasks, providing much faster transfer speeds than standard USB interfaces.
