Thunderbolt is like a supercharged USB interface developed by Intel that first arrived in 2011. With each generation, it has pushed the boundaries of speed and capabilities for connecting peripherals to your computer.
The latest iteration – Thunderbolt 4 offers nearly double the throughput of its predecessor, Thunderbolt 3. It also brings a few other useful enhancements.
But should you upgrade from Thunderbolt 3 or is it still good enough? Let‘s dig deeper into what has changed and whether it matters:
Overview of Thunderbolt and the Need for Speed
The USB interfaces most computers come with have evolved rapidly but still fall short when you need to transfer tons of data quickly or connect bandwidth-hungry devices.
For example, editing 8K video in real-time requires throughput exceeding 40 Gbps which only the latest USB 3.2 can match. Connecting high resolution displays at smooth frame rates takes up quite a bit of bandwidth too.
Thunderbolt aims to eliminate such bottlenecks. It started at 10 Gbps, went up to 20 Gbps, and with Thunderbolt 3 hit a giant leap to 40 Gbps throughput. The latest Thunderbolt 4 takes speeds even higher in areas that impact real-life usage.
But first…
Thunderbolt 3 vs 4 – Spec Comparison
Here is a detailed spec-by-spec comparison between Thunderbolt 3 and 4:
| Specification | Thunderbolt 3 | Thunderbolt 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum Bandwidth | 40 Gbps | 40 Gbps |
| Display Support | One 4K display @60 Hz | Two 4K displays or one 8K display |
| PCIe Data Transfer Rate | 16 Gbps | 32 Gbps |
| USB3.2 Data Transfer Rate | 10 Gbps | 10 Gbps |
| Power Delivery | Up to 100 watts | Up to 100 watts |
| Wake from Sleep Support | Not mandatory | Mandatory |
Do you see the key difference in terms of actual performance?
It‘s the PCIe transfer rate that has jumped from 16 Gbps to 32 Gbps. That shows up in better real-world throughput when using high-speed storage or accessories that leverage PCIe rather than USB.
Why the Faster PCIe Speed Matters
That doubling of PCIe data transfer rate has significant practical implications:
Blazing Fast External SSD Storage
Higher throughput PCIe lanes allow next-gen external SSDs to reach peak speeds beyond what Thunderbolt 3 can handle.
For example, the Samsung X5 can reach up to 2,800 MBps read and 2,300 MBps write speeds when used with a Thunderbolt 4 system. Such performance was unheard of over Thunderbolt 3!
Smooth 8K Video Editing
Higher bandwidth opens up the opportunity for buttery smooth 8K or multi-stream 4K+ video editing via Thunderbolt 4 ports. The footage is accessed from ultra fast external SSD storage.
Video professionals can build portable workflows without compromise in performance since the interface is no longer the bottleneck.
Thunderbolt 4 enables smooth 8K video editing on laptops (Image: Tecdust)
External GPU Gaming
With Thunderbolt 3 eGPU setups, the interface bottlenecked performance in practice. But faster 32 Gbps changes that for Thunderbolt 4 allowing full utilization of the GPU without interface limitations.
For example, the RTX 3080 can deliver up to a 75% increase in frames per second over Thunderbolt 3 when using Thunderbolt 4 interfaces like those on laptops with 12th Gen Intel Core i9 processors.
This means you can enjoy desktop-class triple AAA gaming using an external Thunderbolt 4 GPU docked to a laptop. The superfast PCIe speeds make it possible without compromise.
"If you‘re looking for maximum performance from an external GPU, a Thunderbolt 4 connection paired with something like NVIDIA‘s flagship RTX 3090 is the solution." – PCGamesN
What Does the Future Hold for Thunderbolt?
Intel has shared that they are working on Thunderbolt 5 aiming to deliver 80 Gbps bandwidth. Other planned improvements include better thermal management for sustained performance and capability to detect various USB tunneling protocols.
Backward compatibility will remain a core focus so your Thunderbolt 4 accessories should work without issues on the next generation too once available.
The first systems featuring Thunderbolt 5 will likely ship next year giving another speed boost to upcoming professional workflows. Though Thunderbolt 4 itself has plenty of headroom for the next few years at least.
I hope this detailed face-off has helped you understand exactly what has improved between Thunderbolt generations. While the generational leaps seem minor on paper, real-world usage tells a different story.
For those shopping for a new system today, Thunderbolt 4 seems to make sense. But even Thunderbolt 3 owners need not fret too much since most accessories and use cases won‘t yet run into any bottlenecks.
Let me know if you still have any other questions!
