Thunderbolt 4 technology increases minimum performance requirements, expands end-to-end solution capabilities, and is USB4 specification compliant. Specific improvements on Thunderbolt 4 (over Thunderbolt 3) include the following:
Thunderbolt 4 technology raises the minimum required PCIe bandwidth (up to 32Gbps) to enable high-speed data transfers.
Docks and monitors can have more Thunderbolt ports (up to 4) to simplify the modern workspace.
For thin and light notebooks that require less than 100W to charge, at least one computer port is required to support charging.
Laptops with Thunderbolt 4 ports connected to Thunderbolt docks wake up with a touch of the keyboard or mouse even when the lid is closed.
Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (Intel VT-d) based security helps prevent peripheral devices from unauthorized access to system memory.
Laptop Thunderbolt ports have more power (15W) available to run accessories.
Universal Thunderbolt cables offer 40 Gbps and are up to 2 m to make cable selection fast and easy.