Thunderbolt 3

Thunderbolt 3 replaces Thunderbolt 2 as an input/output (I/O) interface for connecting peripheral devices to a computer, supporting high-resolution displays and high-performance data devices through a single, compact port.

Thunderbolt 3 was developed by Intel and brought to market with technical collaboration from Apple at the end of 2015.

Unlike previous versions, Thunderbolt 3 uses a USB Type-C connector and DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 2.0 and USB 3.1 Gen-2 protocols, supporting a top speed of 40 Gbps.

Compared to Thunderbolt 2, Thunderbolt 3 doubles the bandwidth to 40 Gbps, halves power consumption, and simultaneously drives two external 4K displays at 60Hz (or a single external 4K display at 120Hz, or a 5K display at 60Hz when using Apple's implementation for the late-2016 MacBook Pros) instead of just the single display Thunderbolt 2 can drive.

With its use of a compatible USB Type-C connector, Thunderbolt 3 also supports Thunderbolt 2, USB Type-A, USB Type-B, Lightening, DisplayPort, DVI, HDMI, and VGA connections through the use of adapters.

In January 2018, Intel announced a product refresh which enhanced robustness and added support for DisplayPort 1.4.