Thunderbolt™ 4
July 8, 2020

A decade of Thunderbolt innovation
2010

Combined highspeed video anddata onto a single
connector (10Gb/s)

2013

Speedincrease(20Gb/s)

2015

Combined highspeed video anddata with power
onto a USB-C
connector (40Gb/s)

2017

NativeWindows
support forThunderbolt

2019

Thunderbolt
protocolspecification
contributed byIntel to be used
in USB4_____________________

Ice Lake withintegrated
Thunderbolt 3

2020
Tiger Lake with integrated
Thunderbolt 4 NEW_________________________________________

Thunderbolt 4 offers themost complete versionof USB-C NEW_________________________________________

Thunderbolt 4 certification
includes USB4 testing NEW

Thunderbolt momentum▪ Hundreds of millions of Thunderbolt 3 computers and accessories shipped– Windows computers with Thunderbolt 3 starting at $6791– Intel NUC with Thunderbolt 3 starting at $3992▪ High demand for Tiger Lake-based consumer and commercial products▪ Thunderbolt required for code name Project Athena Intel innovation program▪ Broad OS platform support – Windows, MacOS, and Linux▪ Dock market growing ~10% a year with Thunderbolt docks growing at ~20%3▪ Thunderbolt dock mix expected to grow from ~25-40% over next few years3
1July 6, 2020 - Acer 14" Swift 3 Laptop at https://www.bhphotovideo.com

2July 6, 2020 - Intel NUC BOXNUC8i3BEK1 Barebone System [$329] + Intel 660p Series M.2 2280 512GB PCIe NVMe 3.0 [$69] at https://www.newegg.com
3March 2020 - Based on Intel internal research and projections

Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 products▪ Thunderbolt is a high-speed protocol that can dynamically adjust data andvideo bandwidth depending on the device and/or application. It’s now thebasis of the USB4 protocol specification.
▪ Thunderbolt 4 and USB 4 products will use the same underlying protocol
specification to improve compatibility for USB-C based products.

Improved
Compatibility

Thunderbolt 4 will offer the most complete
version of USB-C with a required superset ofcapabilities not required by USB4

What’s new in Thunderbolt™ 4Same industry leading 40Gb/s performance and more
Double the minimum video and data requirements of Thunderbolt 3▪ Video: Support for two 4K displays or one 8K display▪ Data: PCIe at 32 Gb/s for storage speeds up to 3,000 MB/s

Expanded End-to-End Solution Capabilities▪ Accessories with four Thunderbolt ports▪ Universal 40Gb/s cables up to 2 meters in length▪ Required PC charging on at least one computer port1▪ Required PC wake from sleep when computer is connected to a Thunderbolt dock
▪ Required Intel VT-d based direct memory access (DMA) protection

USB4 Specification Compliant
1For thin and light notebooks that require less than 100W to charge

How Thunderbolt 4 is different than Thunderbolt 3Thunderbolt™ 4
INCREASES MINIMUM PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTSEXPANDS END-TO-END SOLUTION CAPABILITIES
USB4 SPECIFICATION COMPLIANTThunderbolt™ 3
USB 2.0

USB 3.2

USB4

compatible

DisplayPort

PCIe

Mandatory Certification for All Shipping Computers, Accessories and Cables to Offer a Consistent User
Experience Across a Wide Range of Product Types and Manufacturers

Thunderbolt is Always 40Gb/s
Consistent performance keeps you fast

40 Gb/s
Optional
40Gb/s

20 Gb/s

20Gb/sUSB 3.2

USB4 40
USB4 2010Gb/s
5 Gb/sUSB 2.0

USB 3.2

USB 3.2

Thunderbolt™ 4Thunderbolt™ 3

Computer port simplification

One Thunderbolt 4 universal computer port
can replace these other ports for hassle-freeconnectivity to any of your favorite accessories

55

USB 3.2
5Gb/s

1010

USB 3.2
10Gb/sJust look for theThunderbolt™

2020

USB 3.2
20Gb/sUSB3/DP
10Gb/sUSB4 20
20Gb/sUSB4 40
40Gb/sThunderbolt™ 4

Cable simplification

Just look for theThunderbolt™

One Thunderbolt 4 universal cable
can replace these other cables to makecable selection fast and easy1020

USB 2.054

USB 3.25Gbs/s

USB 3.2
10Gb/sUSB 3.220Gb/s

USB3/DP

USB4 20

USB4 40Thunderbolt™ 4

Brand simplification

Thunderbolt brand continues to be simple

NameLogo

Icon

Port

Cable

Thunderbolt™ 44

Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/OCommitted to continuously improving security over the Thunderbolt port

Thunderbolt™ 4 computer
ports will be required tosupport Intel VT-d based
DMA protection solutions

Thunderbolt 4

Truly universal cable connectivity solution for work and play

Truly UniversalMost complete and future
proof version of USB-C

Effortless Connectivity
More ways to connect
accessories than ever before

Secure & ManageableIntel VT-d based DMA
protection

1For thin and light notebooks that require less than 100W to charge

Always Fast
40Gb/s for connecting topowerful Thunderbolt docks,
monitors, fast storage and more
Unrivaled
Simplicity

Maximum
Performance

Maximum
Performance
Reliable

Connectivity

Notebook Charging
Required on at least one
computer port1

Mandatory Certification
Consistent user experience across awide range of product types andmanufacturers

How Thunderbolt 4 is different than other solutions

Based on minimum solution requirements so people know what they are getting
Unrivaled
Simplicity

Thunderbolt™ 4Thunderbolt™ 3

One universal computer port●

●Universal 40Gb/s cables up to 2 meters in length●

Accessories with four Thunderbolt ports
Maximum
Performance

USB3/DP●

Minimum PC speed requirements

40Gb/s40Gb/s

20Gb/s

10Gb/sMinimum PC video requirements

Two 4K displays

One 4K display

One display(No Minimum)

One display(No Minimum)

Minimum PC data requirements

PCIe 32 Gb/s
USB 3.2 - 10Gb/s

PCIe 16 Gb/s
USB 3.2 - 10Gb/s

USB 3.2 - 10Gb/s

USB 3.2 - 5Gb/s

15W

15W

7.5W

4.5W

Thunderbolt Networking●●

Mandatory certification for all shipping computers,accessories and cables●●

Cable testing and cable quality audits forThunderbolt cable manufacturers●●

Required Intel VT-d based DMA protection●
CompliantCompatible

Required PC charging on at least one computer port1●

Required PC wake from sleep when computer isconnected to a Thunderbolt dock●

Minimum PC port power for accessories
ReliableConnectivity

USB4

USB4 Specification

1For thin and light notebooks that require less than 100W to charge

CompliantCompatible

Thunderbolt family of accessories

Thunderbolt 4 computers and cables are a fully compatible extension
to existing Thunderbolt 3 accessories and cables
THUNDERBOLT 4

Two Port Docks

Two Port Monitors

Portable Storage, Enclosures

Four Port Compact Docks NEW

Power Supply Docks

Adapters

Desktop Storage

Four Port Docks NEW

External Graphics

Multi-Port Monitors NEW4K
Audio Interfaces

Video Interfaces

Thunderbolt 4 modern docks

Thunderbolt 4 docks offer up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports
to simplify connectivity and redefine the modern workspaceThunderbolt™ 4 Compact Dock

Thunderbolt™ 4 Dock

Thunderbolt accessory configurations

More Thunderbolt ports and more ways to connect than ever before
More Thunderbolt Computer Ports

Multi-port Accessory Architecture NEW
orNotebook
Charging1
Notebook

Thunderbolt,
USB or DP
accessory

Notebook

Thunderbolt,
USB or DP
accessory

Thunderbolt 4
modern dockDaisy Chain Accessory Architecture

Notebook

LowestLatency
Audio
Interface

1For thin and light notebooks that require less than 100W to charge

HighestBandwidthVideo
CaptureDesktop
Storage

MonitorsThunderbolt,
USB or DP
accessoryThunderbolt 4 cable innovation

World’s first universal cable line-up from top to bottom

40.8m

40.2m

NEW

4Targeting~5-50m[Future]42.0m

Thunderbolt Developer Update▪ Intel’s upcoming mobile PC processors, code-named “Tiger Lake,”
will be the first to integrate Thunderbolt 4.
▪ Intel® 8000 series Thunderbolt 4 controllers coming later this year:– JHL8540 and JHL8340 host controllers for computer makers– JHL8440 device controller for accessory makers▪ Thunderbolt 4 developer kits and certification testing arenow available.
▪ The first Thunderbolt 4 computers and accessories are expected tobe available later this year, including laptops based on Intel’sinnovation program code-named “Project Athena.”

1For thin and light notebooks that require less than 100W to charge

Summary▪ Intel introduces Thunderbolt 4 and new Thunderbolt controllers, compatible withhundreds of millions of Thunderbolt 3 PCs and accessories already available.
▪ Thunderbolt 4 builds on Thunderbolt 3 by increasing minimum performancerequirements, expanding solution capabilities and adding USB4 compliance.
▪ For the first time….
– Thunderbolt 4 docks offer up to four Thunderbolt ports for the modern workspace.
– Longer Thunderbolt 4 universal cables up to 2 meters for fast and easy cable selection.

▪ Upcoming “Tiger Lake” mobile processors will be the first to integrate Thunderbolt 4. The
first Thunderbolt 4 computers and accessories are expected to be available later this year.

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