Practical Advantages of Thunderbolt 4 - StarTech.com IT Pro Community
<main> <article class="userContent"> <p>Thunderbolt 4 technology was first announced in January 2020, and the market has seen an increasing stream of new Thunderbolt 4-enabled devices. New technology can be exciting, but it’s not always clear how new features will provide a practical advantage in your specific environment. Here are three unique features of Thunderbolt 4 you may want to consider when deciding on new technology purchases for your home office or office.</p><h2 data-id="dual-external-displays">Dual External Displays</h2><div class="embedExternal embedImage display-small float-right"> <div class="embedExternal-content"> <a class="embedImage-link" href="https://community.startech.com/home/leaving?allowTrusted=1&target=https%3A%2F%2Fus.v-cdn.net%2F6035386%2Fuploads%2FPHSMSZVXS1UF%2Fimage.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener ugc" target="_blank"> <img class="embedImage-img" src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6035386/uploads/PHSMSZVXS1UF/image.png" alt="image.png" height="340" width="262" loading="lazy" data-display-size="small" data-float="right"></img></a> </div> </div> <p>When equipped with Thunderbolt 4, your laptop is guaranteed to support a minimum of two external 4K displays when using a Thunderbolt docking station. This was not always the case in the past where some Thunderbolt 3 Hosts required a dock with alternative technologies like DisplayLink or MST (multi-stream-transport) to achieve dual external displays. When peak productivity matters most, pair a Thunderbolt 4 laptop with a Thunderbolt 4 docking station and rest easy knowing your setup will work as expected with dual external 4K displays.</p><h2 data-id="hub-ports">Hub Ports</h2><div class="embedExternal embedImage display-small float-right"> <div class="embedExternal-content"> <a class="embedImage-link" href="https://community.startech.com/home/leaving?allowTrusted=1&target=https%3A%2F%2Fus.v-cdn.net%2F6035386%2Fuploads%2FB9JMC78V1WEA%2Fimage.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener ugc" target="_blank"> <img class="embedImage-img" src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6035386/uploads/B9JMC78V1WEA/image.png" alt="image.png" height="395" width="351" loading="lazy" data-display-size="small" data-float="right"></img></a> </div> </div> <p>Do you have multiple Thunderbolt devices you need to connect at the same time? Thunderbolt 4 now supports accessories with up to three additional Thunderbolt 4 ports, enabling multiple devices to be connected to a single dock or hub. Previously, devices needed to be daisy-chained 1:1 and not all Thunderbolt 3 devices included a second port for this purpose. This added flexibility is ideal when a user has multiple high-performance Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 devices that need to be connected to a single host computer.</p><h2 data-id="universal-cables">Universal Cables</h2><div class="embedExternal embedImage display-small float-right"> <div class="embedExternal-content"> <a class="embedImage-link" href="https://community.startech.com/home/leaving?allowTrusted=1&target=https%3A%2F%2Fus.v-cdn.net%2F6035386%2Fuploads%2FDADKT393YFYD%2Fimage.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener ugc" target="_blank"> <img class="embedImage-img" src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6035386/uploads/DADKT393YFYD/image.png" alt="image.png" height="302" width="237" loading="lazy" data-display-size="small" data-float="right"></img></a> </div> </div> <p>Gone is the day of wondering what cable is needed to support the full functionality of your Thunderbolt peripheral. Thunderbolt 4 introduces universal 40Gbps Thunderbolt cables with support for 100W Power Delivery and USB-C displays, with lengths up to 2M. Look for the Thunderbolt 4 symbol on cables to ensure broad compatibility with Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, USB4, and USB-C.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>StarTech.com is actively developing Thunderbolt 4 connectivity accessories like the <a href="https://community.startech.com/home/leaving?allowTrusted=1&target=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.startech.com%2Ftb4cdock" rel="nofollow noreferrer ugc">TB4CDOCK </a>to help you take advantage of these features and more, enhancing productivity and workstation flexibility.</p><p>Want to join the conversation about Thunderbolt 4? Please <a href="https://community.startech.com/discussion/63/new-article-practical-advantages-of-thunderbolt-4/" rel="nofollow noreferrer ugc">visit our discussion forum</a> and share your questions or experiences surrounding this new technology!</p> </article> </main>
