What is the bandwidth of the thunderbolt 3 interface. Thunderbolt technology: how it works and what are the advantages. Advantages of use and characteristics

Thunderbolt is a technology that is used to connect peripherals. The technology was worked on by Intel and Apple, it forms a universal standard for connecting PCs with other peripherals. It is a kind of alternative to USB, but improved and more modern.

Thunderbolt - translates as "peal of thunder" and is combination of two interfaces Display Port and PCI Express. Up to six peripheral devices can be connected to one such port, thereby combining them into one chain.

Advantages of use and characteristics

The main advantage of the technology is that the need disappears in using a switch or hub if you need to connect a certain number of gadgets. Using just one dual-link port, you can use up to six devices simultaneously, while they do not lose in speed or performance. Now the technology has been developed to such a level that it allows reaching data transfer rates of up to 40 Gb / s. With even early versions of Thunderbolt being about twice as fast as USB, the technology is advancing rapidly.

Another feature of the technology is that it allows you to simultaneously receive and transmit data. Using the Thunderbolt connector, you can also connect displays with Mini DisplayPort or with a DisplayPort, VGA, DVI, HDMI adapter using adapters.

The advantages of Thunderbolt at high data transfer rates do not end yet, since this interface provides power to peripheral devices connected through this port. Thus allowing the user to save the need for multiple cables.

Version comparison

There are now two versions of the Thunderbolt interface - 2 and 3. The earlier version uses the Mini Display Port connector and does not have as much bandwidth, it is limited to 20 Gb / s, which still exceeds the USB bandwidth several times. Thunderbolt 3 is the latest development. The creators left the MDP connector and switched to the more popular USB Type C, while still by increasing throughput up to 40 Gbps

The entire top line of Apple (Mac and Mac book) are equipped with Thunderbolt 3 version.

Thunderbolt and Pci Express

The PCI Express architecture uses a high-speed bus to connect and exchange data between various computer components. With the help of this architecture, the data goes to the gadget "directly" without any interference, thereby ensuring the rapid interaction of the components. Thunderbolt in turn using the busPCI carries out direct connection to it, thereby providing itself with a greater bandwidth of information transfer.

Port Thunderbolt

Many are wondering which connector to connect the Thunderbolt cable to? In this matter, the developers did not dodge and Thunderbolt is connected to the usual MDP port, which is present on all Macintosh.

Thunderbolt and mini Displayport what is the difference

The Thunderbolt incorporates the features of PCI Express and mini DisplayPort technologies. Accordingly, it can be used to transmit video of the same quality as through MDP.

Unlike common video signal connectors such as VGA and DVI, Thunderbolt has the best picture quality, and most importantly, the ability to transmit power using a single cable. In turn, the USB interface, which provides power to peripheral devices, does not have the ability to transmit a video signal. good quality. The only thing that wins USB is low cost of production, which is why many manufacturers do not want to abandon it in favor of Taderbolt.

USB and FireWire compatible

Other developers are releasing adapters/adapters so that you can connect devices on FireWire 400, FireWire 800 and more common USB interfaces. Speed ​​limits appears due to the controllers installed on these devices.

If you connect devices on the FireWire 400 interface, the communication bandwidth will be limited to 400 Mbps. And if the connected gadget uses the USB 3.0 interface, then the speed limit will be 5 Gbps.

It follows from this that when any other device is connected through a special adapter, the bandwidth limit sets a different interface.

Is it possible to connect multiple devices

Up to six different devices can be connected to one Thunderbolt port. This will require that each device has two such ports. One for input, one for serial communication.

Unlike the older USB interface, which sags in data transfer speed when you connect a slow gadget, Thunderbolt technology is designed specifically to handle a large number of low-speed devices connected. without sacrificing speed main channel.

Let's face it: ports are boring.

USB, Firewire, eSATA and others: They are not exciting, but they are important. They decide what you can do with your device and how fast you can do it. Thus, when Apple introduced its latest laptops Macbook Pro with Thunderbolt 3 ports, you probably didn't think about it, but Apple has ditched all the ports on older machines, replacing them with the new Thunderbolt 3. So, what are they doing?

Well, if you want to connect anything to your MacBook Pro, you need to do it through the Thunderbolt 3 ports. You can't just connect your devices with existing cables and connectors. If you want to do anything with the new MacBook Pros, you'll need new USB Type-C cables and adapters. Why did Apple go for it?

The answer is simple: Thunderbolt 3 is the only port you need for all your device needs. Here's everything you need to know.

What is Thunderbolt 3?

Intel introduced the Thunderbolt platform in 2011, at the same time that USB 3.0 was in vogue, capable of transferring data at speeds up to 5 Gbps. Thunderbolt could offer twice the speed, plus it can transfer multiple types of data, not just serial data to storage devices. A port can, for example, provide a video feed to a display. You can use it as a bus, for example for hard drive computer.

Thunderbolt 3 is latest version Thunderbolt, it uses the same design as the familiar USB Type-C. Intel is using the new connection for a number of reasons. Early versions of Thunderbolt relied on a Mini DisplayProt connector, and Apple was the only major manufacturer to use Thunderbolt. Now that Thunderbolt uses a USB Type-C connector, it's showing up not only on the new MacBook Pros, but also on ultrabooks and laptops from other manufacturers.

Thunderbolt 3 first appeared with Intel's Skylake chips sweeping the market in 2015, which is why you see tons of devices showing off Thunderbolt 3 ports this year. Apple prefers Thunderbolt 3 because the port can do so much with just one cable. It supports DisplayPort, for example, so you can use a single cable to daisy-chain multiple 4K monitors at 60Hz.

Thunderbolt 3 provides connectivity up to 40 Gbps, doubling the speed of the previous generation, it also supports USB 3.1 at 10 Gb/s and DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 2.0. It also offers USB speeds up to 10Gbps, can connect two 4K displays, output video and audio simultaneously. In addition, Thunderbolt 3 is backward compatible with Thunderbolt 2.

What is USB Type-C?

Thunderbolt 3 is the first USB Type-C connector. USB Type-C is Last update USB connectors. This is an alternative to the Micro-USB connectors used by most Android tablets and even USB Type-A, which remains the most common USB on the market. Apple's 12-inch MacBook also comes with a single USB Type-C.

USB Type-C is well known for providing fast data transfers. By default, USB Type-C offers 7.5W and 15W transmission, while USB 3.0 provides 4.5W transmission. USB Type-C allows you to charge your devices up to 100W, which is enough to charge most laptops. This means you can use a single USB Type-C cable to transfer data while you charge it.

But the most interesting thing about USB Type-C is that the connector is reversible: you cannot insert it incorrectly. You can blindly stick it into the port on the device, and it will smoothly enter and work.

Why did Apple switch to Thunderbolt 3?

Apple chooses Thunderbolt 3 not only because of its USB Type-C connector, but also because of the features of Thunderbolt 3.

One Thunderbolt port can connect any display and billions of USB devices. The port carries four times the data and doubles the video bandwidth of any other cable, along with 100W of power. You can use it to connect your Mac to a monitor, transfer data between computers and hard drives, external devices, and power all with a single physical connection.

For years, Macs have used USB and Thunderbolt ports, and now they've come together. It's important to remember that Thunderbolt 3 uses a connector in the form of USB Type-C, but provides support for more a wide range various standards (HDMI, USB, DisplayPort), and it does all this faster, along with power delivery. You only need the right cable to connect.

Not all USB Type-C ports support Thunderbolt 3. And while smartphones and tablets can use the connector, the Thunderbolt platform is only available on devices with Intel processors. So while you can technically plug any USB Type-C device or cable into a Thunderbolt 3 port, it won't support Thunderbolt features. Also, a Thunderbolt 3 peripheral connected in USB Type-C will not support Thunderbolt features.

In addition to Apple's latest MacBook Pro laptops, many machines support Thunderbolt 3. ASUS Transformer 3 and Transformer 3 Pro, Alienware 13, Dell XPS 13, HP Elite X2 and Folio, HP Specter and Specter x360, Razer Blade Stealth, Lenovo ThinkPad Y900, and as well as several dozen others with Thunderbolt 3 ports.

Technology is constantly evolving. The technical capabilities of laptops are changing, appearance, communication connectors. Behind last years Apple technology received a Thunderbolt port. Every updated laptop has at least one such port. Although it was expected that the thunderbolt would replace Port USB 3.0, this has not yet happened. Some models of Apple laptops are equipped only with new ports, which is not convenient to use. What are the advantages of Thunderbolt?

The first name of this interface is Light Peak. This is an Intel development. in collaboration with Apple. For what and why is it needed? This standard is not just a new optical interface for external devices, it connects PCI Express and Display Port to a serial stream. This ensures a high data transfer rate. The interface supports high-precision time synchronization. This is the main requirement of peripheral audio and video hardware.

How it works?

Currently, video cards with a PCI (or PCIe) - Express interface are used. Integration into the controller system goes in two ways: direct connection to the PCI Express lines of the processor (Ivy Bridge or Sandy Bridge ). Or communication with the PCH chipset via the PCIe lane. Data from the Display Port and PCIe enter the controller separately, then move together along the cable and diverge at the output. The cost of the cable is high due to the fact that it is active. Each end of the cord is equipped with a low power transmitter chip. Transmitter chips amplify the transmitted signal.

The development company found that the cable gives high speed not only with fiber optic cable, but also with copper. The technology also supports "hot" connection, like the FireWire interface. Connect up to 6 devices in one daisy chain, including two monitors with Display Port . Devices must have two Thunderbolt ports for daisy chaining. A device with a single port is placed as a closing one, because it will not be possible to transmit a signal through it further.

The port has a physical alignment with the Mini Display Port, there will be no difficulties when connecting. The interface is equipped with two data lines, both of which transmit signals in both directions at speeds up to 10 Gbps. One line is applicable for transferring information between equipment, and the second is used for screen signals.

Every laptop that Apple has released lately comes with one or more Thunderbolt ports. The body of the gadget is equipped with them on both sides closer to the hinges. If the laptop has only one single port (or all), and it is the Thunderbolt standard , then you can not do without an additional adapter. An adapter may be needed to connect an external video card. Such a simple manipulation will improve the graphics capabilities of Apple Macbook Air 11″ Mid-2013. If you want to connect a TV to a laptop, then you can do this through the HDMI connector. If it is not there, the adapter will come to the rescue again.

Belkin Express Station

This is a device connected via a Thunderbolt port that allows you to connect up to eight pieces of equipment. Connection takes place via FireWire, USB, Ethernet connection and Thunderbolt daisy chain connection. With such a tool, you will not need additional adapters. The tool allows you to get a high speed of information transfer. Versatile in use. The design of the device is minimalist, stylistically suitable for all Apple gadgets. The Belkin Express Station quickly transmits large amounts of information in high quality.

Comparing USB 3.0 to Thunderbolt

Despite expectations, the USB standard has not been superseded. On the contrary, he is popular. But with the advent of the Thunderbolt interface, the technical capabilities have expanded, albeit at a high price. Time will tell how the struggle between these interfaces will develop, but for now let's compare their characteristics.

Main characteristics

The USB port provides high speed data transfer with no cable length limitation. Power is managed normally, consistent with previous standards. High speed is achieved by parallel auxiliary buses. This increases the transmission speed and allows information to be transmitted in full duplex (data is transmitted simultaneously in two directions).

The level of power supply is 1.5 times higher than that of version 2.0 (if the devices are optimized for the standard). If the connectors are not used, then they switch to power saving modes. This standard will cope with applications requiring high bandwidth.

Port Thunderbolt 2 transfers data at high speed. This is a two-way serial interface used to connect displays. Everything is like in HDMI, but there is still support for VGA and older video analogs. The technology provides "hot" connection without overloading the system. Monitors are connected through it, even 4K HD quality. The connector allows you to connect more than three devices in series (up to six) without losing the bandwidth of each. Provides 10 watts of power.

Given the main characteristics of each interface, it cannot be said that one is superior. Both show great promise for further use and development.

Speed ​​indicators

The speed indicators that will be indicated below are theoretical, or the maximum possible. In fact, they are lower. The highest USB 3.0 speed reaches 5 GB per second. This is ten times higher than version 2.0. Suitable for high throughput scenarios, even for storing information in a RAID array.

The Thunderbolt connector has four independent transmission lines. So for each connected device, the transfer rate will be 10 GB per second. The second generation is capable of transmitting information at a rate of 20 GB per second. This figure is 4 times higher than the speed level of USB 3.0. This speed capability is provided by two transmission lines in two directions at the same time. Therefore, we can safely say that this standard has an advantage over USB 3.0.

Price

USB 3.0 is ubiquitous because of its low cost. Manufacturers set this standard for Intel and AMD chipsets. This is a universal standard, so almost every device has a corresponding connector. This gives the consumer a wide choice of cables of all kinds. Their price range is affordable.

In the case of the Thunderbolt standard, things are different. A laptop that has such a connector is in the $1,000 price range. To use this connector, its presence alone is not enough, you need adapted peripherals. They aren't cheap either. Even buying adapters, you will have to spend a significant amount. This technology is more expensive due to the fact that the production is not mass. According to the price criterion, this standard loses.

Compatibility

3.0 and 2.0 USB compatible. If you are using a standard cable with an earlier port, the data transfer will be at the highest limit of the lower standard port. This connector is popular and used everywhere, so you will have no problems using it and supporting it with external devices.

Thunderbolt 3 is compatible with two previous generations: 1 and 2. Native cables can also be used for all generations. To obtain the highest transmission speed, it is necessary that all gadgets in the chain have support for the 3rd generation of the standard. You can connect a peripheral display with a Mini Display Port directly. However, the Mini Display Port cord cannot be used with an external Thunderbolt device.

Adapters are required to connect other standards such as VGA, DVI and HDMI. The cost of these adapters is high, and finding them is also not easy. Therefore, the USB 3.0 standard is the most convenient, due to its widespread use.

Conclusion

Thunderbolt technology looks far into the future. It is really capable of transmitting data at high speeds. The difficulty in use is largely due to the unavailability of other devices to work with the connector. The standard is not used as popularly as USB 3.0, so its production is not put on stream and the cost is high. Pairing with peripheral devices that do not have the required port is complicated by additional costs for the purchase of adapters. But, if we consider connecting and working with adapted devices, then the interface shows a high result and huge potential.

If we consider USB 3.0 as an affordable alternative, then the interface performs well. Today there is already version 3.1, which surpasses its predecessor in terms of performance. At the same time, there is a combination with almost all devices. This allows you not to spend money on additional accessories in the form of adapters. Also, the popularity of the standard ensures the mass production of both equipment with ports and various accessories at affordable prices.

Now USB 3.1 is considered to be a convenient standard in use. But looking to the future, the Thunderbolt 3 standard sets the bar high. Only over time we will find out which "input" will implement the largest number requirements.

Thunderbolt is an input/output interface found predominantly on Apple computers and laptops that promises incredible bandwidth and data transfer speeds. On the other hand, the universal standard USB 3.0, which represents a huge improvement over its predecessor, is compatible with previous versions, and is available in a wide range. In this article, I will describe the capabilities of both of these devices and try to conclude which one is better.

Do you know that?
Thunderbolt was originally designed to work with fiber optic cables and was formerly known as Light Peak.

Universal Serial Bus (USB) needs no introduction. Since the first appearance of USB ports and connectors on PCs in 1995, they have come a long way, and today they are ubiquitous. Every computer and laptop comes with a range of USB ports. Devices such as USB hubs that allow users to access even more ports have become widespread. USB ports are present even on non-traditional electronic devices such as TVs, DVD players and stereos. Now that all kinds of electronic devices, including mobile phones and cameras, also use a mini or micro USB interface for charging or data transfer, the name of this technology "universal" is more than appropriate.

On the other hand, "Thunderbolt" is a term whose popularity is largely limited to Apple products. Although this technology, which was invented and developed by Intel, is not as widely used as the USB interface, this fact in no way reflects its ability or performance. In fact, no amount of praise can do justice to the unrivaled bandwidth and data transfer speed of the Thunderbolt interface.

It may come as a surprise that the latest standard, Thunderbolt 2.0, with such huge potential, is not as lucky as its competitor, USB 3.0.

Thunderbolt vs. USB 3.0

Main technical characteristics

♦ USB 3.0 interface, belongs to the category of increased data transfer rate, which has no cable length restrictions, improved power management, and is also compatible with previous standards.

♦ The USB 3.0 interface achieves "Super Speed" with additional parallel data buses. This accessory not only increases system throughput, but it also provides full duplex data transmission (ie, data can be transmitted in both directions at the same time). Both of these factors contribute to USB 3.0 achieving data transfer rates much higher than those of USB 2.0.

♦ Energy efficiency is a highlight, USB 3.0 has the ability to deliver one and a half times more power than its predecessors for optimized devices (such as those using USB charging ports). In addition, ports can switch to a power-saving mode when not in use.

♦ Compared to USB 2.0, this standard is better suited for any application that requires high bandwidth, from high-capacity storage to DVI video transmission.

Thunderbolt

♦ Thunderbolt combines PCI Express, high speed, two-way serial data connection and DisplayPort which is used to connect to a display device (the technology is the same as HDMI, except that it is compatible with VGA and similar older video formats ) in single system port / connector.

♦ This means that it supports high-speed data transfer between devices, has the ability to function as an Ethernet link (with an adapter, of course), is hot-pluggable (the ability to plug and unplug equipment without rebooting the system), and can also be used to connect display devices , such as monitors, including those with 4K HD resolution.

♦ Due to its high bandwidth, one port can be used to connect up to six high-speed compatible hardware devices, and none of them will suffer throughput loss.

♦ On top of all that, it has the ability to deliver up to 10W of power.

Winner: In terms of features and specs, USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt seem to be very promising, and I have no choice but to call it a draw.

Speed

**Note: The speeds mentioned in this section are theoretical or maximum values. The actual data rate may be much less.

♦ USB 3.0 has a maximum speed of almost 5 Gb/s, which means that the bandwidth of the channel is 675 MB per second, about ten times faster than its predecessor, USB 2.0.

♦ This capability makes it ideal for scenarios that require higher bandwidth, including RAID storage devices, previously unimaginable.

Thunderbolt

♦ Unlike USB 3.0, which limits data transfer to only one channel, Thunderbolt has four independent channels, meaning that if more than one device is connected, each will be given a maximum transfer rate of 10 Gb/s.

♦ On already released (and available in a number of recent Mac/MacBook devices) Thunderbolt 2, this technology has the ability to offer a maximum speed of 20 Gb/s, which is four times faster than USB 3.0 and 2 times faster than USB 3.1. This phenomenal speed is achieved by combining two bidirectional data lanes of the same bandwidth of a single Thunderbolt channel into a single channel with double the bandwidth.

Winner: I have no doubt who is superior in this regard; Thunderbolt is the clear winner in terms of speed.

Price

**Note: the prices indicated in this section are relative and subject to change.

♦ Most big factor The popularity of USB 3.0 is its low cost. Also, USB ports are already installed by manufacturers on every Intel and AMD chipset.

♦ As a universal standard, virtually every device comes with a USB connector, so cables of all sorts, including mini and micro USB connectors, are readily available at low prices.

♦ Any universal USB 3.0 compliant external hard drive with 1 TB capacity starts at USD 60 ($4,000 at the time of this writing).

Thunderbolt

♦ The cost of incorporating just one Thunderbolt port into any circuit board is USD 60.

♦ Computers that are equipped with Thunderbolt ports are quite expensive. Most of Apple's recent desktop devices that come with these ports fall in the $1,000 to $4,000 price range.

♦ In fact, to use these Thunderbolt ports, you need to purchase compatible peripherals in addition to the computer itself. And they aren't cheap either. A 27-inch Apple Thunderbolt monitor, for example, costs $999.

♦ What is a port without cables, connectors, and adapters? When a 2m cable costs $39 and a Gigabit Ethernet adapter costs $29, it becomes clear that investing in Thunderbolt can be very costly.

Winner: Taking advantage of its almost impossible to replicate versatility, USB 3.0 is the clear winner in this category.

Compatibility

USB 3.0 interface

♦ USB 3.0 and its predecessor USB 2.0, fully compatible interfaces. This means that in the event of a mismatch between the port and the standard cable, data transmission takes place according to the lower standard.

♦ In general, the USB interface is present in almost every electronic device that exists today. In addition, USB 3.0 has expanded the applicability of USB on a large scale. Thanks to its design that improves its energy efficiency, the USB platform can now be used to connect high-power devices such as monitor displays, as well as in areas that require high data transfer rates, such as video and audio interfaces and Blu-ray recording.

Thunderbolt

♦ Thunderbolt technology and Thunderbolt 2 are compatible with each other in the same manner that USB 3.0 is compatible with all its previous versions. Thunderbolt cables are also interchangeable. The computer, interface, and peripheral (and all devices on the daisy chain) must support Thunderbolt 2.0 for maximum speed to be achieved.

♦ Any monitor that supports the mini DisplayPort standard can be directly connected to a computer equipped with a Thunderbolt port. However, a mini-DisplayPort cable cannot be used with a Thunderbolt peripheral.

♦ Since Thunderbolt technology is not as widespread, it is limited to computers and peripherals that support this protocol. To connect other monitors that support other standards such as VGA, DVI, HDMI, and so on, to the Thunderbolt port, Thunderbolt port adapters for the appropriate format are required.

♦ Appropriate adapters are not always easy to find, let alone costly, and if you want to connect an Xbox or PlayStation to an Apple Thunderbolt monitor, for example, you will need completely different third-party adapters.

Winner: With its unrivaled ubiquity, USB 3.0 wins by a huge margin.

My verdict

Before publishing my conclusion, I would like to draw attention to the following facts.

Thunderbolt, in terms of speed, technology, design, and published endurance test results, is a far superior and futuristic I/O standard that truly deserves the "Best Interface" title. It was so ahead of its time that many "compatible" devices available today aren't even capable of taking full advantage of Thunderbolt and Thunderbolt 2.0 ports. However, in terms of audience reach, Thunderbolt falls short of USB. Outside of specific peripherals, Thunderbolt can only be used to connect a limited number of alternative interface standards, even when using adapters. The cost factor is of course interrelated, which is why the Thunderbolt has only limited use, although its potential is enormous.

While USB 3.0 can't match Thunderbolt's speed levels, it does offer a very noticeable improvement over the previously ubiquitous standard! USB 3.1 already has excellent speeds, not to mention its cross-compatibility with a number of other standard interfaces via adapters, and hence consumers are in no hurry to switch to other standards even though they might work better.

I believe that even though the maximum data transfer rate that USB 3.0 offers is not a huge number, it is enough to greatly increase the range of its application, and with additional features such as energy saving, and of course its popularity. , USB 3.0 is the best interface currently. As for Thunderbolt, only time will tell if it's worth the investment.

I hope you enjoyed my comparison between these two of the world's largest communication interface devices and that you were able to decide which one is best for you. If you have something to add to my comparison, write in the comments.

In this article, we will look at two types of ports called Thunderbolt Displayport and Thunderbolt Mini Displayport.

Thunderbolt 3 is a kind of technology, it provides input and output data between your device and a personal computer at a very decent speed, which can reach forty gigabits per second. This technology makes it possible to use data transfer, transfer video files and charge your gadget through a single connector. The technology is equipped with a chic transfer rate, an order of magnitude faster than Thunderbolt 2, in the second generation the transfer rate is up to twenty gigabits, under conditions if you use a cable compatible with the third generation, the speed can reach forty gigabits.

The third thunderbolt also supports usb connectors that can operate at speeds up to ten gigabits per second. This technology is supported by MacBooks that were released at the end of 2016, namely the fifteen- and thirteen-inch MacBook Pros. On thirteen inch models there are two variations, the first of which contains two ports, while the second one is equipped with four ports.

The second generation has the same connector as the first generation, but this is not the same thing, the difference is that the second generation can transfer data at speeds up to twenty gigabits, has a close relationship with the previous generation, so you can easily connect from the second to the first, respectively, you can also use the cable in the opposite case, from the first to the second.

Ports was used on MacBooks in 2013-2015 and has been installed on many Apple gadgets

Optimization

In order for the technology to work at its maximum potential, you need to follow some recommendations, which will be given below:

Adapters and cables

The company has made several adapters and cables for more convenient use of the port. If you use an Apple Thunderbolt cable, you can connect all your peripherals to your personal computer, also with this cable you can connect some of the iMac models and use the external display mode, you can also connect Apple computers using the external disk mode.

If you use a Gigabit Ethernet adapter, you can connect to your computer all devices that work on Gigabit Ethernet technology

There is also such an adapter, which is called FireWire, it will allow you to use devices that work on FireWire technology on your computer.

TV connection

Also, using this port, you can connect your computer to an ultra-high-definition TV, you can connect in several ways, the first of them is to connect via a standard hdmi, which is on all TVs, an hdmi cable, the second option for connecting a computer will be, connecting via an adapter, which we discussed above.

To computers that have a second generation port, you can connect all TVs with a 4K matrix, if you use the third generation of the connector, then you can safely connect to TVs with Ultra HD technology.

Also, using this port, you have the ability to connect one or more monitors to your computer.