Sotnikow/stock.adobe.com
At first glance, it seems like we could happily say goodbye to all our old cables and switch to a single type of cable — the one with USB-C connectors on both ends. Finally, this handy cable fits into both USB-C and Thunderbolt ports, which are now commonly found on all modern desktops, laptops, smartphones, tablets and various other devices.
Can we have one cabal to rule them all? Oh, if only it were!
If there’s one thing that’s made people more confused over the past few years, it’s the fact that Thunderbolt and USB-C ports and cables look the same, but there are some key differences.
Let’s clear up the confusion!
A lot of the confusion stems from the fact that USB-C, or more accurately, USB Type-C refers to a 24-pin connector. This connector is used by various interface protocols, including USB, Thunderbolt, PCIe, HDMI, DisplayPort, and others.
Before that there were USB Type-A connectors, where the “A” indicated the host connector, and USB Type-B connectors, where the “B” indicated the device or peripheral connector.
USB Type-C connectors are designed to have the flexibility to act as a host or device connector.
While the design of this connector dates back to 2012, and the first smartphones to use it were released in 2015 (Le 1 and Le Max), you didn’t really start seeing it much until 2017.
Note that you may find cables for older devices that have a USB-C connector on one end and either a Type-A or Type-B connector.
The USB-C connector is oval, and symmetrical, so it can be inserted into the port either way, making it much more convenient than previous USB connectors.
So it’s not Thunderbolt vs. USB-C, but Thunderbolt vs. USB. It’s a small, but subtle difference that adds to the confusion.
Thunderbolt is a protocol designed to connect devices to computers, initially released in 2011. Nowadays, we are mainly focused on Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4. Both of these modern protocols use the USB-C connector.
The Thunderbolt 3 protocol, introduced by Intel, is a major update to Thunderbolt technology, offering advances in speed, flexibility and connectivity.
- It is extremely fast.: Thunderbolt 3 can transfer your files and videos at blazing speeds of up to 40 Gbps. It’s twice the speed of its predecessor and 8 times faster than USB 3.0!
- USB-C connector: The cool, reversible USB-C connector means no more fumbling around trying to plug in your devices. Plus, it’s a single port for charging, data and video, so one port can do it all.
- Dual 4K displays: Imagine having two 4K monitors displaying crystal clear visuals at 60 Hz, or even one mega 5K display.
- Connect the devices.: You can connect up to six devices with just one Thunderbolt 3 port. It’s like a highly efficient train of gadgets, all talking to each other.
- Power up: No need to carry around a bunch of chargers. Thunderbolt 3 can power your laptop and gadgets, delivering up to 100 watts in total.
- External graphics and storage: Connect external graphics cards and ultra-fast storage devices directly to your laptop for gaming or video editing with Thunderbolt 3. It’s like giving your laptop a turbo boost.
- Backward compatible: Have old USB devices? No problem. Thunderbolt 3 plays nice with them too, making sure you can still use all your favorite gadgets.
- High speed networking: Share files at lightning speed between computers with a 10 Gb Ethernet connection over Thunderbolt. Say goodbye to slow network transfers.
- be safe: Thunderbolt 3 has built-in security to protect your devices from unauthorized access.
- Choose your cable.: Whether you need a longer cable for convenience (up to 2 meters with active cables) or just a shorter cable for maximum speed at a lower cost (with passive cables), Thunderbolt 3 has you covered. What is it.
Thunderbolt 4 introduces several important upgrades:
- More screen real estate: Thunderbolt 4 supports dual 4K displays or single 8K displays, offering a more immersive visual experience than Thunderbolt 3’s capabilities.
- More power: It can provide up to 100W of power charging from a single port, catering to more demanding devices and ensuring faster charging times.
- Even faster data transfer: With PCIe data transfer speeds of up to 32 Gbps, Thunderbolt 4 doubles the data throughput of Thunderbolt 3, making file transfers and data access significantly faster.
- Advanced features: The ability to wake the computer from sleep using an external keyboard or mouse connected via the Thunderbolt 4 port adds convenience for users.
- More security: Thunderbolt 4 includes direct memory access (DMA) protection, increasing protection against potential threats by preventing unauthorized access to memory.
On the horizon is Thunderbolt 5, which dramatically improves on Thunderbolt 4:
- USB4 2.0 supports the 80 Gbit/s specification.
- Doubles the total bandwidth of Thunderbolt 4 to 80 Gbit/s.
- PCI Express doubles data throughput to 64 Gbit/s.
- Support for DisplayPort 2.1
- Up to 240W charging power downstream
- Backwards compatible with previous versions of Thunderbolt, USB, and DisplayPort.
The USB protocol is now nearly 30 years old, and has seen numerous updates over the decades. Today we’re only concerned with USB 3.2 and USB4, both of which use the USB-C connector, although USB 3.2 can also use the older Type-A connector.
Since its release in 2019, USB 4 has been the protocol of choice because it brings several improvements to the table, partly based on the Thunderbolt 3 protocol itself.
- High performance: USB4 offers data transfer speeds of up to 40 Gbps, doubling the maximum throughput of USB 3.2. This is achieved through two-lane operation using a USB Type-C connector and cable.
- Compatible with Thunderbolt 3: One of the most important aspects of USB4 is its compatibility with Thunderbolt 3 devices and cables, thanks to the underlying technology shared between USB4 and Thunderbolt 3.
- Multiple protocol support: USB4 supports multiple data and display protocols simultaneously. This means it can handle data transfer (such as files and storage), display protocols (such as DisplayPort and HDMI), and power delivery via a USB Type-C connection. This multi-function capability simplifies the user experience and reduces the need for multiple cables and adapters.
- Backward compatibility: USB4 is backward compatible with USB 3.2, USB 2.0, and Thunderbolt 3, meaning devices and cables that support these standards can connect to USB4 ports regardless of their respective speeds and capabilities.
- USB Power Delivery (USB PD) integration: Like its predecessors, USB4 supports USB Power Delivery (USB PD), which allows up to 100W of power negotiation between devices, for fast charging and powering larger devices such as laptops via a USB connection. Provides the ability to
Does this feel familiar? It should be, because in terms of functionality, USB4 and Thunderbolt 3 or 4 are quite similar, and for good reason. In terms of functionality, USB4 and Thunderbolt technologies have much in common, both offering high data transfer rates, the ability to carry multiple types of data and video signals over a single cable, and support for high-power charging.
The real difference is in the certification process as Thunderbolt hardware requires mandatory certification from Intel to ensure a device makes the grade and can carry the official Thunderbolt branding.
All devices bearing the Thunderbolt logo have undergone rigorous testing to ensure compatibility, performance and reliability.
Anchor
In contrast, USB4, while incorporating most of the capabilities of Thunderbolt 3, does not require the same level of certification to use the standard. This means that while USB4 devices may offer the same performance and features as Thunderbolt devices, the lack of certification means that users are not guaranteed the same level of compatibility, performance, and reliability.
This certification process means that Thunderbolt hardware has a higher value than similar USB4 products.
There are Thunderbolt 3 cables, Thunderbolt 4 cables, USB 3.2 cables, USB 4 cables, and then a sea of cheap crappy cables that are everywhere.
If you have Thunderbolt hardware, you need Thunderbolt cables. I recommend getting Thunderbolt 4 cables, as they will be backwards compatible with Thunderbolt 3 hardware as well as anything that uses USB-C ports.
Yes, they’re a bit pricey, but think of it as an investment in the peace of mind knowing you’ve got the right tool for the job.
If you don’t care much about compatibility, performance and reliability, buying a decent quality USB-C cable should be enough.
Looking for a decent Thunderbolt cable? I like Anker’s Thunderbolt 4 cable, which is available in 2.3 feet And 6 feet The offer
Thunderbolt is, by and large, aimed at professionals who demand the best from their hardware and are willing to pay whatever it takes to get the best possible compatibility, performance, and reliability. These are people who will be running multiple displays, doing a lot of video and photo editing, and transferring large files to and from external drives.
Everyone else will be fine with USB 3.2 or USB4 hardware, which will be cheaper and more ubiquitous.
Credit : www.zdnet.com