Intel Thunderbolt technology celebrates its 10th anniversary, making connectivity easier

In 2011, computers had too many input/output (I/O) ports, including USB for data, Ethernet for networking, and DisplayPort, HDMI, and VGA for video. Although computers had more than enough ports, they still couldn’t keep up with user demand.

Is there a solution? Intel introduced Thunderbolt™ technology, which aims to integrate data, video transmission and power supply into a small connector. Thunderbolt allows users to quickly and freely transfer data between connected smart devices (such as PCs, docking stations, monitors, SSDs, external hard drives and cameras) through this interface. At the time, Thunderbolt claimed to be able to transfer a full-length HD movie in less than 30 seconds and back up a year's worth of MP3 music in just over 10 minutes.

Today, Thunderbolt™ 4 has a total bandwidth that is 4 times higher than the original version. It can support two 4K displays and charge the laptop at the same time. It has evolved into a smaller Type C interface to support thinner and lighter laptops and single-cable docking solutions. Thunderbolt has developed into an industry standard integrated into Intel CPUs, and its protocol specifications have been contributed to the USB4 standard. It is now a required technology for the Intel Evo platform and Intel® vPro® platform, supported by all major computer operating systems, and will be used for the first time on upcoming Chrome devices.

“Whether you’re working or learning from home, creating content or playing games, the simplicity, reliability and performance of Thunderbolt are critical,” said Jason Ziller, general manager of Intel’s Client Connectivity Group. “With Thunderbolt, you can do it all with just one port.”

Thunderbolt is one of the pioneering technologies successfully put into commercial use by Intel Labs, which has been focusing on researching future computing technologies.

If a company is using the Thunderbolt name or logo, it means that the company's products have passed certification tests, including electrical specifications and functional testing, to ensure that their devices work properly. More than 1,000 different categories of computers and accessories have received Thunderbolt certification, indicating that the technology has been widely adopted throughout the industry.

“Intel hopes to continue working with the industry to drive Thunderbolt innovation and adoption,” Ziller said. “We’ve seen 8K and 16K displays and extended SSD transfer rates double or more every year, and Thunderbolt will be able to keep up with the high-speed transfer requirements of displays in the future.”