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May 01 2020
Hardware

Thunderbolt 3 Vs. USB-C: What’s the Difference?

The connectors may look similar, but subtle variations mean an agency must choose carefully.
Zeus Karravala
by

Zeus Kerravala is the founder and principal analyst for ZK Research, and has covered communications and networking trends for more than 17 years.

USB and Thunderbolt connectors evolved along parallel lines for years. The most recent versions, Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C, converged and now use the same universal port. Here are the five big questions agency IT administrators need to think through when it comes to the differences between the two. 

What Is Thunderbolt 3?

This interface provides fast data throughput, high video bandwidth and power over a single cable.

What Is USB-C?

The wide range of USB connection options has been a point of frustration. USB-C was designed to end the madness with a single, small interface that can be used to connect anything

What’s the Difference Between Tunberolt 3 and USB-C?

Thunderbolt 3 operates at 40 gigabits per second, while USB-C functions at 10Gbps. Thunderbolt 3 supports daisy-chaining of connected devices, but USB-C does not.

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What Are the Benefits of Each?

USB-C’s reversible interface means it plugs in automatically (no more flipping it over); power delivery is bidirectional (a charging laptop can charge other devices). Thunderbolt 3 offers users desktoplike performance on laptops, which is difficult with USB.

Are Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C Connectors Interchangeable?

Not always. Thunderbolt 3 is backward compatible with USB-C, but data will transfer at the USB-C speed. Thunderbolt 3 supports daisy-chaining of connected devices, but with USB-C, each peripheral requires its own port.

What Are Some Examples of Thunderbolt 3 Devices?

The increased speed of Thunderbolt 3 enables a number of unique devices to be connected that won’t work over USB-C. These are the top five use cases for Thunderbolt 3:

  • External graphics with a graphic processing unit inside: Most people think of GPUs as a way to improve gaming, but they also play an important role in imaging, filmmaking, video rendering, virtual reality and 3D modeling.
  • 5K monitors: These monitors are ideal for graphics-heavy applications as they provide a resolution of 5120x2880 and a 178-degree viewing angle. This can be useful for applications such as medical imaging.
  • High-speed, peer-to-peer networks: Thunderbolt 3 supports Ethernet, so the port can be used to connect the computer to an Ethernet switch at 10 gigabits per second. It also can be used to connect two computers to each other over a high-speed, peer-to-peer network. This can speed up copying large volumes of files from one computer to another, as one might do when upgrading to a new computer.
  • External storage systems: Thunderbolt 3’s 40Gbps data transfer rate makes the interface ideal for high-performance external storage systems, significantly speeding the process backing up a computer or server.
  • Thunderbolt docking stations: It will be years before all peripherals have consolidated down to the USB-C interface. A Thunderbolt docking station can connect a single cable to the computer but provide a wide range of port types in the dock, including an Ethernet jack, HDMI port, USB ports, audio jacks and more. This is simpler than having to use cable adapters and hoping there is an empty port on the computer.
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