The official Apple version of the Thunderbolt logo.
Thunderbolt is an I/O technology developed by Intel in collaboration with Apple Inc. It first introduced by Apple in its 2011 line of MacBook Pros as the official replacement for FireWire and was the standard above USB until USB4 integrated it.
Versions[]
Thunderbolt 1 / 2
- Thunderbolt 1 can reach transfer rates of up to 10Gbps through an interface that looks like and is backwards compatible with Mini DisplayPort. Thunderbolt also can deliver Gigabit Ethernet through an adapter.
- Thunderbolt 2 uses the same Mini DisplayPort connector as Thunderbolt 1, but can reach transfer rates of up to 20Gbps. The first Apple devices to support Thunderbolt 2 were the 2013 MacBook Pros with Retina display, released in October of that year.[1]
Thunderbolt 3 - 5
- Thunderbolt 3 uses the USB-C form factor and can reach transfer rates of up to 40Gbps. USB4 uses the same form factor and is basically the same as a USB-C port that supports Thunderbolt 3 signals. The first Apple device to support Thunderbolt 3 were the 2016 MacBook Pros, introduced in October of that year.[2]
- Thunderbolt 4 uses the same USB-C form factor as Thunderbolt 3, but specifies a minimum bandwidth of 32Gbps for PCIe link, total bandwidth of up to 40Gbps to support dual 4K displays at 60Hz, and protection against DMA attacks.[3][4] Macs released in October 2021 with Apple M1 Pro and M1 Max chips were the first Apple devices to support Thunderbolt 4.[5]
- Thunderbolt 5, announced in September 2023, continues to use the USB-C form factor since Thunderbolt 3, but specifies data transfer bandwidth of 64Gbps, and total bandwidth of 80Gps (with boost mode up to 120Gbps), at least doubling that of the previous version with support for up to three 4K displays at 144Hz, or an 8K display at 60Hz. Cables may be marked with a small number next to the Thunderbolt logo to indicate their version rating.[6][7][8] Macs released in November 2024 with Apple M4 Pro and M4 Max chips were the first Apple devices to support Thunderbolt 5.[9]
Pinouts[]
Thunderbolt 1 and 2[]
| Pin | ID | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | GND | Ground |
| 02 | HPD | Hot plug detect |
| 03 | HS0TX(P) | HighSpeed transmit 0 (positive) |
| 04 | HS0RX(P) | HighSpeed receive 0 (positive) |
| 05 | HS0TX(N) | HighSpeed transmit 0 (negative) |
| 06 | HS0RX(N) | HighSpeed receive 0 (negative) |
| 07 | GND | Ground |
| 08 | GND | Ground |
| 09 | LSR2P TX | LowSpeed transmit |
| 10 | GND | Ground (reserved) |
| 11 | LSP2R RX | LowSpeed receive |
| 12 | GND | Ground (reserved) |
| 13 | GND | Ground |
| 14 | GND | Ground |
| 15 | HS1TX(P) | HighSpeed transmit 1 (positive) |
| 16 | HS1RX(P) | HighSpeed receive 1 (positive) |
| 17 | HS1TX(N) | HighSpeed transmit 1 (negative) |
| 18 | HS1RX(N) | HighSpeed receive 1 (negative) |
| 19 | GND | Ground |
| 20 | DPPWR | Power |
Gallery[]
The Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter is backwards-compatible with Thunderbolt 1 and 2.
11 and 13-inch MacBook Airs with a Thunderbolt port
References[]
- ↑ MacBook Pro with Retina Display Updated with Latest Processors, Faster Graphics & Longer Battery Life, Apple Inc. 2013-10-22.
- ↑ Apple unveils groundbreaking new MacBook Pro, Apple Inc. 2016-10-27.
- ↑ Introducing Thunderbolt 4: Universal Cable Connectivity for Everyone, Intel. 2020-07-08.
- ↑ Intel Teases Thunderbolt 4, Light on Details. Retrieved on 16 May 2020.
- ↑ Apple Announces M1 Pro & M1 Max: Giant New Arm SoCs with All-Out Performance by Andrei Frumusanu, AnandTech. 2021-10-18.
- ↑ Intel Introduces Thunderbolt 5 Connectivity Standard, Intel Corporation. 2023-09-12.
- ↑ Thunderbolt 5 vs Thunderbolt 4: How do they compare? by Calvin Wankhede, Android Authority. 2024-03-17.
- ↑ Thunderbolt 5 vs Thunderbolt 4: Everything you need to know by Alex Wawro, Tom's Guide. 2024-10-29.
- ↑ Apple introduces M4 Pro and M4 Max, Apple Inc. 2024-10-30.
External links[]
- Introducing Thunderbolt. at Apple (archived 2011-02-26)
- MacBook Pro: Thunderbolt (archived 2011-02-27)
- iMac: Thunderbolt (archived 2011-05-11)
- Adapters for the Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, or USB-C port on your Mac at Apple Support (2024-08-01)
- Thunderbolt (interface) at Wikipedia
