Intel announced Thunderbolt 5 on September 12, 2023, the next-generation version of the connection standard that will be used on all Mac and iPad Pro models, with significant improvements in connection speed and bandwidth.
Thunderbolt 5 offers 80 Gbps of bidirectional bandwidth, and with bandwidth enhancements, it can deliver up to 120 Gbps for video-intensive applications. This greatly improves display support, allowing for more and higher-resolution displays with higher refresh rates. Thunderbolt 4 tops out at 40 Gbps, so Thunderbolt 5 is at least a two-fold improvement in bandwidth.
The latest standard also doubles the PCI Express data throughput and bandwidth of Thunderbolt networks. It also uses a new signaling technology called PAM-3 to improve performance with printed circuit boards, connectors, and passive cables.
Thunderbolt 5 is still built on industry standards like USB4 V2, DisplayPort 2.1, and PCI Express Gen 4, making it compatible with older Thunderbolt and USB. Computers and accessories using Intel's Thunderbolt 5 controllers are expected to begin to become available in 2024, and there's a good chance that Thunderbolt 5 will appear in future Apple devices.