Thunderbolt
Is Thunderbolt 4 the same as USB-C?
No. USB-C is a physical connector for transmitting data, video and power. Confusion arises because the Thunderbolt and USB standards both use the USB-C connector but have different data, video and power capabilities which you can see in the table later on.
As ylou see if your USB-C cable or connection supports Thunderbolt you have a lightning symbol on it.
Comparison table
| Info | Thunderbolt 4 | Thunderbolt 3 | USB4 | USB 3.2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data Transfer | 40 Gbps | 40 Gbps | 20 / 40 Gbps | 20 Gbps |
| Screens | 2 x 4K 1 x 8K | 2 x 4 k 1 x 5k | 2 x 4K 1 x 8K | 1 x 4K |
| Power | 100 W | 100 W | 100 W | 100 W |
| Daisy-chaining | yes max 6 devices | yes max 6 devices | no | no |
| Cable length | 2 m | 0,5 m | 0,8 m | 1 m |
| Connectivity | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C |
Thunderbolt Specifications
| Version | Connectivity | Screen resolution | Data Rate | Power | Cable Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderbolt 1 | Mini DisplayPort | 2560 x 1600 | 2 x 10 Gbit/s | 10 W | 3 m |
| Thunderbolt 2 | Mini DisplayPort | 4K (single display) 2560 x 1444 (dual display) | 20 Gbit/s | 10 W | 3 m |
| Thunderbolt 3 | USB-C | 4K @ 120 Hz (single display) 5K @ 60 Hz (single display) 4K @ 60 Hz (dual display) | 40 Gbit/s | 100 W | 0,5 m if passive 2 m if actif |
| Thunderbolt 4 | USB-C | 8K @ 60 Hz (single display) 4K @ 60 Hz (dual display) | 40 Gbit/s | 100 W | 2 m |
