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Thunderbolt 5
Thunderbolt 5 had a low-key launch, but it will be key tech for Apple products
As well as being faster, Thunderbolt 5 adds support for more monitors, higher refresh rates, and charging power.
YOU WILL LEARN
How the forthcoming Thunderbolt 5 offers improved performance and features
Key fact
Thunderbolt and USB cables now look almost identical, as they both use the same USB-C connector. However,
Thunderbolt 4 introduced a new logo, showing the zig-zag Thunderbolt symbol with the number
‘4’ beneath it, so that you could tell the difference between
Thunderbolt and USB devices. Thunderbolt 5 will have a similar logo, with the Thunderbolt logo and the number ‘5’.
The timing of Intel’s announcement of Thunderbolt 5 was surely no T coincidence – 12 September, the same day that Apple launched the new iPhone 15, and finally brought USB-C to the iPhone range as well. There’s an irony there, though, as Intel’s announcement was obviously overshadowed by Apple’s iPhone extravaganza, even though it’s always been Apple that championed the use of the Thunderbolt interface technology, long before it was adopted by the manufacturers of Windows PCs.