Intel Unveils Thunder Bolt Technology: 10 GBps File Transfers

The need for high speed transfer of data has spurred many technologies like eSATA and USB 3.0 but Intel’s newest offering might just one up the others.

Codenamed Light Peak, Intel has launched it under the title Thunder Bolt. The reason to be excited about this particular technology is that it features two bi-directional channels with transfer speeds up to 10Gbps each.

It allows external devices to connect directly to the PCI-e interface on computers, which allows for the incredibly fast transfer speeds. The interface also provides power so users don’t have to worry about connecting extra power adapters to external hard drives. Thunderbolt is compatible with existing DisplayPort displays and adaptors.

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According to Intel, Thunderbolt’s speeds will allow users to transfer a full high-definition movie (between 10 gigabytes and 20 gigabytes in size) in less than 30 seconds.

Intel also says that the interface is backward compatible with other standards; it depends only on the cable used. Using the appropriate adapter to the port Thunderbolt can connect any accessories designed to work with USB 2.0, FireWire, or eSATA.

Apple is the first company to have adopted the new technology. Their updated line of Mac Book Pros has Thunderbolt connectivity. LaCie have also released a hard drive compatible with Thunderbolt. Other manufacturers like Western Digital have entered contracts to use it and are expected to adopt it later this year or by early 2012 at most.


  • kamaal hai bai,

    means not to stay vacant, all the work just in a blink of an eye.

    click click click.

  • USB 3.0 is also theoretically capable of 5Gbps (4.8Gbps actually).
    Is widely adopted.
    Is backward compatible with USB 2.0
    Is currently available on motherboards costing around 10,000 rupees.
    .
    Thunderbolt is 10Gbps.
    Proprietary and controllers manufactured by Intel.
    Uses a cable that only Apple provides from an Unknown manufacturer.
    Chip would likely be expensive than USB 3.0 ones (USB 3.0 controllers cost around $2).
    .
    .
    Let’s see who will win!

  • nice,recently i got many rumors about this news and i was also going to write in ma blog but just saw this in porpakistani .thanks propakistani
    it will be a gr8 advancement in technology !

  • I am quite opptimistic that ThunderBolt will supersede USB 3.0 because in first version Thunderbolt is proving 10 GBPS but as per Intel and Apple, it will support upto 100 GBPS. Secondly, thunderbolt also supports 10 Watts of Power and it will reduce number of cables use to operate different devices in time.

    I am owing Lastest MacBook Pro and currently no other device is supporting Thunderbolt but since APPLE launched it so soon will find all kind of devices with thunderbolt plugins. Its area of plugin on notebook is smaller than USB port so I’m sure, it will be successful.

    • In the long run probably, in the short-term USB 3.0 is the winner and Who knows they improve this standard further as they have changed the connector for full-duplex communication.
      .
      “…but since APPLE launched it so soon will find all kind of devices with thunderbolt plugins…”
      .
      Apple also backed FireWire, it lost. FireWire was also high speed compared to others at that time. It’s not just about Apple and Intel, it’s about making it cheap, easily & cheaply license-able (as it is proprietary, Intel) & finding more and more partners.


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