USB-C vs. Thunderbolt: What's the Difference? GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Computers, Laptops & Tablets > Accessories & Hardware 148 148 people found this article helpful
USB-C vs. Thunderbolt: What's the Difference?
Learn to distinguish between ports, performance, and more
By Robert Earl Wells III Updated on January 9, 2021 Reviewed by Ryan Perian Reviewed by Ryan Perian Western Governors University Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email In This Article
Expand Jump to a Section Overall Findings Speed Support Compatibility Final Verdict Thunderbolt and USB are two of the most commonly used connector cables. Although the ports look the same, there are significant differences between USB-C vs. Thunderbolt, so you should know which one you need support for before purchasing a new device. USB-C vs Thunderbolt Overall Findings
USB-C Faster than traditional USB connections. Outputs HD video and audio with adapters. Widely available on PCs and Macs. Thunderbolt Faster than USB-C. Outputs HD video and video via DisplayPort. Not as widely supported on Windows devices. USB and Thunderbolt (not to be confused with Lightning) are both protocols for transferring data and video. They have traditionally used different types of ports and cables; however, with the advent of USB-C, Thunderbolt and USB cables can utilize the same 24-pin oval port. The latest USB protocol, USB 4, is only available via USB-C. Because Thunderbolt and USB-C cables and ports look alike, it can be difficult to tell them apart. Look for the Thunderbolt logo to identify Thunderbolt-compatible hardware. Intel Speed USB-C Is Catching up to Thunderbolt
USB-C USB 4 supports speeds up to 40Gbps. USB 3 supports speeds up to 10Gbps. Power and charge devices at 100 watts. Thunderbolt Thunderbolt 3 and 4 support speeds up to 40Gbps. Thunderbolt 2 supports speeds up to 20Gbps. Power and charge devices at 100 watts. While USB 4 is capable of transfer speeds up to 40Gbps, older USB standards top out at about 10Gbps. Thunderbolt 3 and 4 both support 40Gbps transfer speeds, but Thunderbolt 4 boasts PCIe bandwidth speeds up to 32Gbps, which is double what previous iterations offered. Transfers via Thunderbolt will always be faster than USB-C connections, but the differences between the protocols are starting to shrink. Support USB-C Is Universally Supported
USB-C Available on all new PCs. Cheaper to manufactuer. Not cross-compatible with Thunderbolt (although they use the same ports). Thunderbolt Available on all Apple computers and some PCs. Cost increases with each port. Supports USB as a fallback. All Macs today support both Thunderbolt and USB-C. While most Windows computers now come with USB-C ports, not all PCs support Thunderbolt because Intel requires manufacturers to purchase a license. Thunderbolt connections also require extra hardware that raises the cost of devices. All ports that support the latest versions of Thunderbolt (Thunderbolt 3 and 4) also support USB-C cables, but not all USB-C ports support Thunderbolt. When you plug a Thunderbolt cable into a USB-C port, it uses the USB protocol to transfer data. On devices with multiple ports, some may only support USB-C while others support both USB-C and Thunderbolt. Compatibility Thunderbolt Is More Versatile
USB-C Supports 4K displays with audio using a workaround. USB 4 and USB 3 use the same USB-C port. Connect to USB 2 devices with an adapter. Thunderbolt Supports up to two 4K video displays or one 8K display. Thunderbolt 4 and Thunder 3 use the same USB-C port. Connect to older Thunderbolt devices with an adapter. USB-C now supports HDMI video output, but only Thunderbolt currently supports DisplayPort. An adapter is required to transfer audio via USB-C, but Thunderbolt natively supports video and audio. However, Thunderbolt requires an adapter for HDMI. Thunderbolt can also support DVI and VGA displays through the use of adapters. USB-C is backward compatible with USB 2 and later, and Thunderbolt is backward compatible with all other versions of Thunderbolt, although adapters may be required. You can daisy chain up to six Thunderbolt and USB cables to each other, but you can't mix and match. Final Verdict
It will take a couple of years for all manufacturers to adopt the latest standards for Thunderbolt and USB. That means consumers will have to pay close attention to the versions of USB-C a device can support. For example, a USB-C port that supports USB 3 will have much slower transfer speeds than Thunderbolt 3 or 4. However, if the USB-C port includes support for USB 4, then the performance difference will be much less noticeable. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire Why USB-C iPhones Could Help Make Your Life Easier USB-C vs. Lightning: What's the Difference? USB-C vs. USB 3: What's the Difference? How to Connect Your USB-C Mac to Older Peripherals USB4: Everything You Need to Know USB-C vs. Micro USB: What's the Difference? How to Choose an External Hard Drive USB (Universal Serial Bus): Everything You Need to Know 2021 iPad Pro: News, Price, Release Date, and Specs The 6 Best Uses for Thunderbolt 3 How to Set Up Dual Monitors on a Mac How to Fix It When Mac Is Not Detecting an External Display The 8 Best Thunderbolt 3 and 2 Docks of 2022 USB-C: Everything You Need to Know How to Connect USB Devices to an iPad What is a USB Port and How Can You Use It? Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies