From PC World: Just a few weeks after USB4 version 2.0 was announced, Intel has returned fire with its own 80Gbps I/O standard, what it’s calling “the next generation of Thunderbolt” for docking stations and other devices.
What will likely be called Thunderbolt 5 has its own quirk: in certain situations, specifically transmitting high-definition video, the available channels can be re-allocated to allow from 80Gbps to up to 120Gbps of available bandwidth. But Intel isn’t revealing when the next-gen Thunderbolt technology will roll out, or what it will be officially called.
What we do know, however, is that several major I/O standards are aligning for the future. USB4v2, whose standard was finalized on Tuesday, will allow its own 80Gbps connections and forms the foundation for the next-gen Thunderbolt spec. DisplayPort, one of the video protocols that can run over Thunderbolt, also received a more restrictive DisplayPort 2.1 specification that will help better ensure interoperability with cables and components.
Historically, a desktop or laptop PC connected to various peripherals through separate cables. You’d use a HDMI or DisplayPort cable for a display or two, and a USB cable to storage devices, mice and keyboards. All of these required their own ports on a laptop or PC. Thunderbolt simplifies a PC’s design, eliminating all of these ports for a “one cable fits all” solution. To be fair, Thunderbolt essentially requires consumers to buy a separate Thunderbolt docking station to connect to various legacy devices. On the other hand, a variety of docks allow consumers to buy exactly what they need.
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