Intel’s Thunderbolt 4.2 promises up to three times the capability of predecessor

By Fionna Agomuoh October 19, 2022

Intel has shared details about its next generation of Thunderbolt, which might be another step toward a more universal port that works with several different products.

The brand recently previewed Thunderbolt 4.2, as it’s called, detailing its specifications and confirming that the port can “deliver up to three times the capability of Thunderbolt 4,” according to The Verge.

Two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 support can be seen on the left-hand side of the MSI Prestige 14. — Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

The new Thunderbolt standard offers speeds up to 80 gigabits per second both ways and compatibility with existing Thunderbolt 4 cables up to one meter long, with the addition of a special mode that allows for 120Gbps speeds up and 40Gbps down when supporting several high-end monitors on a single cable.

These specs are very similar to those of the recently announced USB 4 version 2.0 standard that was unveiled by the USB Promoter Group last month, The Verge noted.

However, the new Thunderbolt standard has additional features, not only USB 4 version 2.0 specs but also support for DisplayPort 2.1 and twice faster PCIe throughput. Intel is doing its best to essentially future-proof the standard.

“Many portions of the USB4 v2 specification are optional leading to variability in implementation, Thunderbolt defines a higher bar and delivers the most complete solution,” Intel’s client computing group general manager, Jason Ziller told The Verge in an email.

Similarly, the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) announced its latest DisplayPort 2.1 specification earlier this week but announced its DisplayPort UHBR (Ultra-high Bit Rate) support back in March as an effort to bring standardization to the video port capabilities. With the Ultra-High Bit Rate (UHBR) certification, the cables will be labeled according to their transfer rates of “DP40” for 10 gigabits per second per lane or “DP80” for 20 gigabits per second per lane. The 40 and 80 represent the maximum bandwidth of the cables using all four lanes of the DisplayPort. Notably, many DisplayPort dongles use USB-style ports for their connectors.

Intel plans to share more details about the official branding of its new Thunderbolt standard in 2023.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Computing Writer

Fionna Agomuoh is a technology journalist with over a decade of experience writing about various consumer electronics topics…

Computing

Gigabyte just confirmed AMD’s Ryzen 9000 CPUs

Pads on the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D.

Gigabyte spoiled AMD's surprise a bit by confirming the company's next-gen CPUs. In a press release announcing a new BIOS for X670, B650, and A620 motherboards, Gigabyte not only confirmed that support has been added for next-gen AMD CPUs, but specifically referred to them as "AMD Ryzen 9000 series processors."

We've already seen MSI and Asus add support for next-gen AMD CPUs through BIOS updates, but neither of them called the CPUs Ryzen 9000. They didn't put out a dedicated press release for the updates, either. It should go without saying, but we don't often see a press release for new BIOS versions, suggesting Gigabyte wanted to make a splash with its support.

Deals

ExpressVPN Deals: Save 49% when you sign up today

VPNs have become pretty important in the modern world, whether it's a matter of unlocking geo-blocked content or providing an extra layer of security to your connection when you're out in public. Luckily, one of the best VPNs on the market has a sale right now that will save you 49% on the regular pricing. You also get a 30-day money-back guarantee to test it out, which is great because there isn't any Express VPN free trial you can take advantage of. That said, if the deal below doesn't quite tickle your fancy, or Express VPN is not the VPN that fits your needs, you can check out some of these other great VPN deals as well.

Today's Best ExpressVPN Deal

Computing

Save $100 on this Netgear mesh Wi-Fi system at Crutchfield

netgear orbi ax6000 tri band wi fi system deal crutchfield april 2024 lifestyle

If you want every corner of your home to have access to a stable internet connection, you're going to want to buy a mesh Wi-Fi system. There are lots of options out there among all the router deals online, but here's one that we recommend -- the Netgear Orbi AX6000 tri-band Wi-Fi system, which Crutchfield is selling at $100 off. Instead of $900, you'll just have to pay $800 for this mesh Wi-Fi system, but only if you hurry. The discount is expected to last for a few more days, but we're not sure if stocks will still be available by the end of the sale.

Why you should buy the Netgear Orbi AX6000 tri-band Wi-Fi system
The Netgear Orbi AX6000 tri-band Wi-Fi system includes a router module and two satellites to create a mesh network that supports Wi-Fi 6 and will provide coverage across 7,500 square feet. The router and the satellites will use a single network name for a seamless connection as you move around -- horizontally or vertically -- and MU-MIMO technology will allow for simultaneous streaming across multiple devices, so even if everyone in the family is connected to the mesh Wi-Fi system at the same time, nobody will experience any lag or buffering while watching streaming shows.