Thunderbolt 5 docking stations went mainstream at IFA, but where are the laptops that support them? Promises of 80Gbps bandwidth and 8K resolutions aren’t enough to convince notebook makers
Thunderbolt 5 (TB5), Intel’s latest leap forward in ultra-fast connectivity, delivers enhanced data transfer, data viewing, and device charging.
With a bandwidth of up to 80Gbps – and a boost option up to 120Gbps – it effectively doubles the speed of Thunderbolt 4. This extra power is perfect for handling dual 8K displays, transferring large video files, and running real-time applications like gaming and virtual reality.
A standout feature of Thunderbolt 5 is its ability to deliver 240W of power, which means laptops can charge faster and there’s enough juice to power even more demanding devices through a single cable. What’s more, it’s backwards compatible with Thunderbolt 3 and 4, so integrating it into your current setup should be a breeze. The extra bandwidth and power also future-proofs technologies like 16K displays and more powerful external GPUs.
Where are the laptops?
At IFA 2024, UGREEN unveiled its new Revodok Thunderbolt 5 docking station, one of the first devices to use this technology.
It comes equipped with three Thunderbolt 5 ports that offer up to 80Gbps of data transfer, and can increase to 120Gbps if necessary. It’s also versatile, supporting a single 8K display for Windows users and triple display configurations for Mac. With 13 ports including USB-C, USB-A, and HDMI, it’s built to meet users with serious connectivity needs.
The Revodok Docking Station really shows off what Thunderbolt 5 can do in terms of data transfer, display output, and power delivery. It’s a useful solution for professionals who manage a lot of data and use multiple displays and devices. We previously reviewed the UGREEN Revodok Max 208 8-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station , and you can read our four-star review here.
While it offers a glimpse into the future, like other TB5 docks (e.g. J5 Create), laptops with built-in Thunderbolt 5 ports are still a long way off. For users to take full advantage of Thunderbolt 5, we need to see wider adoption by laptop manufacturers. That will happen, but when is the big question.
In addition to the docking station, UGREEN also unveiled a number of other products at IFA, including the Nexode Power Bank, a 20,000mAh charger that can deliver up to 145W, and the NASync series, a new line of network storage for personal and business use. It also showed off its Uno Series chargers and power banks.