Intel Officially Announces Next-Generation 20Gbps ‘Thunderbolt 2’ Protocol

Intel put a name on its next-generation Thunderbolt protocol on Tuesday, bestowing the unsurprising “Thunderbolt 2” on the new standard which doubles the throughput of its ancestor, while maintaining backward compatibility.

AppleInsider:

Previously referred to by its codename “Falcon Ridge,” Thunderbolt 2 will boast a bandwidth of 20Gbps, which Intel said is good enough for the simultaneous transfer and display of 4K “Ultra HD” video.

Intel is using a new controller chip that combines the first-generation Thunderbolt’s 10Gbps uni-directional channels into a single 20Gbps bi-directional channel. Thunderbolt 2 will also include support for DisplayPort 1.2, allowing streaming of video to one 4K monitor, or dual QHD displays.

Thunderbolt 2 will not require new cables or accessory hardware, retaining complete backward compatibility with existing Thunderbolt products.

Intel hasn’t announced a specific date for Thunderbolt 2’s release, but said it should be in production by the end of 2013, with a ramp-up into 2014.

 

Chris Hauk

Chris is a Senior Editor at Mactrast. He lives somewhere in the deep Southern part of America, and yes, he has to pump in both sunshine and the Internet.