June 2, 2015. – Intel has introduced Thunderbolt™ 3, the industry’s fastest universal peripheral interface that can be used with any docking station, display, storage or other peripheral, including billions of USB-enabled devices.
Intel Thunderbolt™ 3 Interface
Users have long wanted to take full advantage of the high speeds of desktop PCs in mobile devices. Thunderbolt technology is designed to provide the fastest data and video transfer speeds and power capabilities in a single interface. Thunderbolt 3 combines the benefits of Thunderbolt and USB-C connectivity in a single, compact solution.
Thunderbolt 3 delivers up to 40Gbps/ That’s twice the speed of Thuderbolt 2, USB 3.1 10Gbps and DisplayPort 1.2. For the first time, Thunderbolt enabled devices, displays and billions of USB devices can be connected through a single connector. One cable can deliver up to 4 times the data transfer rate and 2 times the video transfer rate of other solutions while still maintaining power efficiency. New development ideal for 4K video, single-cable docking stations with charging functionality, external graphics solutions and 10 Gigabit networks. Thunderbolt 3 brings all the benefits of USB-C.
Faster speed. Better image quality. More features.
How end users benefit? 40Gbps, the highest interface speeds available today. 4K movie can be copied in less than 30 seconds. User can connect 2 4K video screens, which will have 16 million more pixels than HDTVs.
4K video support
Connect two 4K 60Hz displays that deliver the highest resolution, contrast and color depth for photos, videos, and more.
Best single-cable solution for docking stations
Now with Thunderbolt 3 speeds, 2 x 60GHz 4K displays, and up to 100W of fast charging for mobile PCs from a single cable. It is the most advanced and flexible solution for USB-C connectivity.
External graphics solutions
PC gamers can connect their external graphics solutions to their mobile PCs with auto-configuration support so they can play the latest games at the recommended or higher graphics settings.
Thunderbolt™ in Networked Environments
New technology establishes a 10-Gigabit peer-to-peer connection for transferring files between computers or allowing small groups of devices to work together.
Solutions built to Thunderbolt and Thunderbolt 2 specifications will support Thunderbolt 3 with a dedicated adapter. Intel Thunderbolt 3 products are expected to ship before the end of this year. Mass usage of this new design is expected in 2016.
Specifications
Thunderbolt™, USB, DisplayPort and USB-C
USB-C connector and cables compact size and versatility .
Thunderbolt™ 3 is twice as fast as Thunderbolt 2.
Bidirectional, dual protocol PCI Express and DisplayPort .
4 PCI Express 3 channels.
8 DisplayPort 1 channels.2 HBR2 and MST .
Dual 4K video streams and dual monitors 4096 x 2160, 30 bits per pixel, 60 Hz
USB 3.1 10 Gbps – Compatible with existing devices and USB
DisplayPort 1.2 – Compatible with Existing Devices and DisplayPort.
Connects to DVI, HDMI, and VGA screens with adapter.
Power based on USB :
– Up to 100 watts when charging systems
– 15 watts for bus-powered devices.
Thunderbolt™ network connections
– 10-Gigabit computer connection
– Connecting up to 6 devices
– Lowest latency for audio recording PCI Express .
How does Intel’s Thunderbolt™ 3 interface compare to other high-speed interfaces for peripherals in terms of performance and compatibility?
Is Thunderbolt™ 3 compatible with all gadgets? Can it be used with devices other than computers? What are the advantages of using Thunderbolt™ 3 over other interfaces? Can it support fast data transfer for heavy-duty peripherals like external hard drives or graphics cards?