Intel Client Computing Group Executive Vice President & GM Gregory Bryant has recently published and deleted an image that appears to show the specifications of a next-generation Thunderbolt technology. The photo was taken at an Intel R&D facility in Israel and shows a poster highlighting "80G PHY Technology" which signifies that Intel is working on an 80 Gbps physical layer. This speed represents a doubling of the existing Thunderbolt 3/4 which runs at 40 Gbps while still working over a USB-C connection. These speeds can be achieved with novel PAM-3 Pulse Amplitude Modulation technology which allows for 50% more bits to be sent per cycle compared to the NRZ technology currently used while limiting the increased complexity that would be introduced with PAM-4. Intel appears to have a working test chip manufactured on the N6 node at TSMC which is showing promising results however we don't expect this technology to reach consumer devices for some time.

When Intel launched its Tiger Lake processors for laptops, the company has foreseen a smooth integration by OEMs and plenty of design wins. While that has turned out to be true, there seems to be a big problem lurking in the OEM component supply chain. In the new Tiger Lake systems, the CPU carries support for Thunderbolt 4 and USB 4 technologies. However, these protocols can not work on their own, as they require external power delivery controllers (PDC) to function. These PDCs are used to regulate and control all of the power circulating in the USB specification, and they come in a form of a separate chip. This chip is later integrated into PCBs of various systems implementing these technologies.

Today, we have a report coming from Igor's LAB, in which we are told that the availability of these chips could be very bad. Intel's OEMs are using Texas Instruments (TI) 994AD PDC, however, as the supply of these chips becomes scarce, OEMs are turning to TI 993AC/994AC chips. Intel advises OEMs, carrying these chips in their systems, to only communicate benefits of Thunderbolt 4 and exclude USB 4 mentions, or to communicate benefits of Thunderbolt 4 and reference USB 4 "compatibility." This means that every OEM using the alternative chips will get Intel's Thunderbolt 4 certifications, as the company plans to temporarily issue certifications with these chips included, while the supply chain regulates. TI's 993AC/994AC are assumed to not have the power and regulation capability of the USB 4 as the 994AD PDC can.

At its Flash Perspective event today, Western Digital unveiled the new SanDisk Professional brand of premium storage solutions for content creators and professionals. From producing the latest blockbuster film to capturing the moment at a destination wedding to managing business-critical content, the powerful SanDisk Professional portfolio is designed to deliver scalable, high-performance, reliable solutions across industries globally.

Professional content is in constant motion. Content that's captured or created needs to be saved, transferred, off-loaded, shared and archived. SanDisk Professional offers a range of purpose-built tools to harmonize every step of that process. "As a professional photographer and filmmaker, my livelihood depends on how I get the job done. There is no room for error. I need the most advanced, reliable and trusted equipment out in the field," said Lucas Gilman, adventure photographer and filmmaker. "For years I've relied on SanDisk and G-Technology solutions because they enable me to focus on the moment with confidence that my creativity won't be interrupted, and without concern about whether or not they can keep up with my technical needs."

MAINGEAR—an award-winning PC system integrator of custom gaming desktops, notebooks, and workstations—today launched the MAINGEAR ELEMENT Lite, a 15" ultra-premium notebook designed in collaboration with Intel. Featuring Intel Iris Xe Graphics and up to an 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, the MAINGEAR ELEMENT Lite pairs next-generation hardware with a sleek and minimal machined aluminium alloy chassis for maximum power, speed, and portability. The new MAINGEAR ELEMENT Lite is the perfect Windows laptop for work and play on the go.

Custom designed and engineered in collaboration with Intel, this uncompromising notebook PC comes equipped with up to an Intel Core i7-1165G7 Processor running at 2.8 GHz with a Max Turbo Frequency of 4.7 GHz on 4 cores / 8 threads. Integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics make multimedia viewing, content creation, and even light gaming a breeze. ELEMENT Lite systems can be equipped with 16 GB of DDR4 memory and up to 2 TB of user-replaceable PCI-E Gen4 M.2 NVMe SSD storage. MAINGEAR optimized the ELEMENT Lite to pack exceptional performance and cooling into its frame without sacrificing on battery life or upgradeability. It weighs in at just 3.64 lbs (1.65 kg) and is 14.9 mm thin—making it the thinnest notebook that MAINGEAR has ever offered.

HP introduced its latest gaming hardware and software designed for today's gamers with the powerful OMEN 16 and OMEN 17, bright and customizable OMEN 25i Gaming Monitor, and community gaming with OMEN OASIS Beta feature in OMEN Gaming Hub. The company also debuted Victus by HP, its next-generation mainstream-level gaming PC portfolio, with a 16-inch laptop.

Gaming continues to be an outlet for entertainment and connecting with friends. Two out of three people are spending more time watching videos and gaming than they did prior to the pandemic, with one in four gaming three to four hours more and almost one in five gaming six to ten hours more a week6. HP's next-generation gaming portfolio is designed for both veteran gamers and enthusiast explorers to be entertained, connected, and empowered to progress in their favorite games.

EliteMini TL50 is an ultra-compact and high-performance mini PC specially designed for home and office use. Equipped with Intel 11th generation CPU and Intel Iris Xe graphics. Intel Wi-Fi 6 & triple output, upgrade-friendly & windows 10 pro pre-installed.

TL50 comes with Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor (Tiger Lake), 4 cores/8 threads, backed up by Intel Iris Xe graphics, with 8M Cache, max turbo frequency up to 4.20 GHz. It is 20% faster than its predecessor with more cache memory, DDR4-3200 memory and PCIe 4.0 support. Not only ordinary work but also a little heavy games and video editing can be done comfortably.

XMG introduces an additional configuration variant to the high-end NEO range of gaming laptops with Intel's new Tiger Lake H45 processors. The eight-core CPUs from the 11th Core generation not only offer higher performance compared to their predecessors, but also boast the advantages of a completely updated platform. These includes support for PCI Express 4.0 and Thunderbolt 4 - features that the AMD version of the XMG NEO cannot offer. In addition, the models utilising the new Intel processor also benefit from a slight performance increase on the graphics card side. The GPU in the XMG NEO 15 and NEO 17 (M21) now operates with a TGP of up to 165 instead of 150 watts.

Apple today introduced an all-new iMac featuring a much more compact and remarkably thin design, enabled by the M1 chip. The new iMac offers powerful performance in a design that's just 11.5 millimeters thin, with a striking side profile that practically disappears. Available in an array of vibrant colors to match a user's personal style and brighten any space, iMac features a 24-inch 4.5K Retina display with 11.3 million pixels, 500 nits of brightness, and over a billion colors, delivering a brilliant and vivid viewing experience.

The new iMac also includes a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, studio-quality mics, and a six-speaker sound system—the best camera and audio ever in a Mac. Also, Touch ID comes to iMac for the first time, making it easier than ever to securely log in, make purchases with Apple Pay, or switch user profiles with the touch of a finger. Combining the power and performance of M1 and macOS Big Sur, apps launch with blazing speed, everyday tasks feel incredibly fast and fluid, and demanding workloads like editing 4K video and working with huge images are faster than ever. The new iMac joins the incredible family of Mac models powered by M1, including MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini, marking another step forward in Apple's transition to Apple silicon. iMac is the most personal, powerful, capable, and fun it has ever been, and customers can order it beginning Friday, April 30. iMac will be available in the second half of May.

Sonnet Technologies today announced the SF3 Series - SxS PRO X Card Reader, the latest model in its family of professional media readers and the upgraded replacement for its popular original model in the lineup. The SF3 Series - SxS PRO X Card Reader features dual card slots and a dual-port 40Gbps Thunderbolt interface. Developed to support the requirements for shooting stable 4K video at high bit rates, SxS PRO X is the latest SxS memory card created by Sony for use as onboard recording media in some of their latest pro digital video cameras and camcorders.

Compatible with Mac and Windows computers, the SF3 Series - SxS PRO X Card Reader ingests footage from all SxS media at up to their maximum supported speeds. Designed for demanding workflows, SF3 Series card readers are built with rugged aluminium enclosures and dual 40 Gbps Thunderbolt ports, enabling users to stack and connect up to six readers in a daisy chain to their computers through a single cable and ingest footage from four, six, or more cards simultaneously.

Google and the broader Chrome ecosystem continue to deliver innovative, cloud-first PC experiences with Chromebooks powered by Intel—from use in classrooms to go-anywhere connectivity for work and gaming.

"This past year has reminded us that the PC is an integral part of our lives," said Chris Walker, Intel corporate vice president and general manager of Mobile Client Platforms. "Intel and Google share a vision for delivering the computing experiences that matter most to people. Together, we have enabled the incredible growth and evolution of the Chrome ecosystem over the last decade to reach amazing levels of capability and performance. We're excited to build on this collaboration as we continue to drive innovation forward." Since the first device was introduced in 2011, an entire ecosystem has evolved and more than 100 million Chromebooks have made their way into the world for students and educators, general consumers and businesses. Over those 10 years, Intel has worked closely with Google and original equipment manufacturers (OEM) to enable more than 100 Intel-based Chromebook designs and drive new areas of innovation.

ASUS today rolled out the ThunderboltEX 4, an add-on card designed to give your PC full Thunderbolt 4 connectivity. The only catch here is that you'll need an ASUS motherboard with a Thunderbolt readiness header (which provides timing and other low-level system commands to the card). Also needed is a USB 2.0 header, of which you're likely to have plenty. The card features a PCI-Express 3.0 x4 host interface, and can be installed on any PCIe slot, x4 or larger. A 6-pin PCIe power input is also needed, as Thunderbolt 4 is capable of up to 100 W of power delivery per port, enabling single-cable RAID enclosures and monitors.

The ASUS ThunderboltEX 4 card puts out two Thunderbolt 4 ports in the USB type-C physical format, each with 40 Gbps of bi-directional bandwidth. The card provides DisplayPort passthrough for each port. You connect your graphics card to the ThunderboltEX 4 using the included DisplayPort to mini-DisplayPort cables. The card supports DisplayPort 1.4 passthrough, so you can scale all the way up to 8K resolution on the connected monitors, if your graphics card is game. Under the hood, the card features an Intel JHL8540 "Maple Ridge" Thunderbolt 4 controller. The company didn't reveal pricing.

In 2011, computers were clogged with too many input/output (I/O) ports. There were USB ports for data; Ethernet ports for internet; and DisplayPort, HDMI and VGA ports for video. Despite being large enough to accommodate multiple ports, the computers still couldn't keep up with users' needs.

The solution? Intel launched Thunderbolt technology, which consolidated data, video and power on a single, small connector. Thunderbolt allowed users to move data quickly and confidently among connected smart devices - like PCs, docks, monitors, solid state drives, external hard drives and cameras - using that single connector. At the time, Thunderbolt boasted the ability to transfer a full-length, high-definition movie in less than 30 seconds and back up a full year of continuous MP3 music playback in just over 10 minutes.

At the beginning of 2021, MSI, a would-leading motherboards brand, had announed the latest Intel 500 series platforms will launch soon. Through few weeks of waiting, on January 27th, MSI Intel 500 series motherboards are officially launched.

As MSI official announcement mentioned, all of MSI 500 series motherboards with 11th Gen Intel Core processors support PCIe 4.0, and all of Z590 Wi-Fi motherboards have at least one 2.5G LAN and the latest Wi-Fi 6E solution which extends to 6 GHz spectrum providing remarkble user experience when streaming, gaming and even working from home.

Intel has today quietly launched its newest generation of Next Unit of Computing (NUC) devices with some nice upgrades over the prior generation. Codenamed the "Phantom Canyon", the latest NUC generation brings a major improvement for the "enthusiast" crowd, meant mostly at gamers who would like to use a small form-factor machine and have decent framerates. This is where the Enthusiast NUC 11 comes in. With its 28 Watt Intel Core i7-1165G7 Tiger Lake CPU, which features four cores and eight threads clocked at the maximum of 4.70 GHz, this Enthusiast NUC 11 mini-PC is rocking the latest technologies inside it.

To pair with the CPU, Intel has decided to put a discrete GPU, besides the Integrated Xe model, to power the frames needed. The dGPU in question is NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 2060 model with 6 GB of GDDR6 VRAM, based on the last generation "Turing" architecture. For I/O, Intel has equipped these machines with quite a lot of ports. There is Intel AX201 Wi-Fi 6 plus Bluetooth 5 module, a quad-mic array with beam-forming, far-field capabilities, and support for Alexa. There is a 2.5 Gb Ethernet port, along with two Thunderbolt 4.0 ports for internet connectivity and other purposes (TB ports support fast charging). When it comes to display output, the Enthusiast NUC 11 has HDMI 2.0b and a mini DisplayPort 1.4 port. You can run four monitors in total when using the Thunderbolt ports. On the front side, there is also an SD card reader, and the PC has six USB 3.1 Gen2 ports in total. You can find out more about the Enthusiast NUC 11 mini-PCs here.

On a momentous day for the Mac, Apple today introduced a new MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini powered by the revolutionary M1, the first in a family of chips designed by Apple specifically for the Mac. By far the most powerful chip Apple has ever made, M1 transforms the Mac experience. With its industry-leading performance per watt, together with macOS Big Sur, M1 delivers up to 3.5x faster CPU, up to 6x faster GPU, up to 15x faster machine learning (ML) capabilities, and battery life up to 2x longer than before. And with M1 and Big Sur, users get access to the biggest collection of apps ever for Mac. With amazing performance and remarkable new features, the new lineup of M1-powered Macs are an incredible value, and all are available to order today.

"The introduction of three new Macs featuring Apple's breakthrough M1 chip represents a bold change that was years in the making, and marks a truly historic day for the Mac and for Apple," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "M1 is by far the most powerful chip we've ever created, and combined with Big Sur, delivers mind-blowing performance, extraordinary battery life, and access to more software and apps than ever before. We can't wait for our customers to experience this new generation of Mac, and we have no doubt it will help them continue to change the world."

Apple today announced M1, the most powerful chip it has ever created and the first chip designed specifically for the Mac. M1 is optimized for Mac systems in which small size and power efficiency are critically important. As a system on a chip (SoC), M1 combines numerous powerful technologies into a single chip, and features a unified memory architecture for dramatically improved performance and efficiency. M1 is the first personal computer chip built using cutting-edge 5-nanometer process technology and is packed with an astounding 16 billion transistors, the most Apple has ever put into a chip.

It features the world's fastest CPU core in low-power silicon, the world's best CPU performance per watt, the world's fastest integrated graphics in a personal computer, and breakthrough machine learning performance with the Apple Neural Engine. As a result, M1 delivers up to 3.5x faster CPU performance, up to 6x faster GPU performance, and up to 15x faster machine learning, all while enabling battery life up to 2x longer than previous-generation Macs. With its profound increase in performance and efficiency, M1 delivers the biggest leap ever for the Mac.

TerraMaster, a professional brand that specializes in providing innovative storage products including network-attached storage (NAS) devices, launches the D8 Thunderbolt 3 8-bay professional-grade RAID storage. Designed for professional creators, the TerraMaster D8 Thunderbolt 3 offers large storage capacity support of up to 128 TB along with fast read and write speeds delivered by Thunderbolt 3 technology.

The TerraMaster D8 Thunderbolt 3 via its 40 Gbps Thunderbolt 3 interface can deliver speeds of up to 1600 MB/s. It is the perfect storage solution for non-linear editing applications such as 4K video editing, allowing professional creators to enjoy rapid video workflows. The D8 Thunderbolt 3 also offers high scalability allowing creators to daisy-chain more than five devices in a single Thunderbolt 3 connection. Creators can daisy-chain up to two 4K monitors to create a smart working space with large displays for professional video editing and productivity.

Today, HP Inc. unveiled the HP Spectre x360 14, offering the viewability of a 15-inch device with the mobility of a 13.5-inch form factor for the ultimate browsing, reading, editing, and viewing experience. Also announced today is HP's expanded 11th Gen Intel Core Processor Spectre and ENVY line up, packed with incredible performance gains and increased battery life for the perfect work-at-home lifestyle.

The PC has become more essential than ever, with many doing more from home like work, school, and doctor's visits, for the foreseeable future. But the home is a place often filled with roommates and family members also working or learning, requiring work and personal devices to be as flexible as the user's environment. Less than one-third of users have an office where the door can be closed, making living rooms, bedrooms, and kitchens the open office floorplan of 2020. HP is creating devices like the new HP Spectre x360 14 to be adaptive and smart, with the use of intelligent features - like performance management and new AI-based audio capabilities - to anticipate needs before the user does.

For years, MacBooks have been the de facto standard for digital DJ setups. Apple's recent product iterations, however, have left much to be desired in terms of professional connectivity - using industry standard DJ equipment with a MacBook requires the purchase of expensive and impractical adapters or hubs. XMG responds to the DJ community's growing demand for a functional, reliable alternative by releasing the DJ 15 - the first ever laptop designed, optimised and tested specifically to meet the needs of professional DJs. Weighing in at a mere 1.6 kg, this machine features a 15" non-glare Full HD IPS display and a wide array of standard ports. An entirely bloatware-free Windows 10 Pro installation, perfectly tuned to the DJ 15's hardware components, ensures ultra-low, stable DPC latency out of the box, even running off battery with WiFi and Bluetooth activated. On top of that, XMG offers unique and highly specialised support - by DJs, for DJs.

Lenovo is very excited to unveil the latest addition to our premium X1 portfolio, ThinkPad X1 Nano. The lightest ThinkPad ever at just 1.99 pounds (907 g) breaks new ground for performance and functionality in an incredibly featherweight package. Lenovo's first ThinkPad based on Intel Evo platform and powered by 11th Gen Intel Core processors, the X1 Nano delivers supreme speed and intelligence while maintaining outstanding battery life. Stunning visuals are delivered through a narrow bezel 13-inch 2K display with a 16:10 aspect ratio, and four speakers and four 360-degree microphones enhance the audio-visual capabilities. For a truly immersive user experience, the X1 Nano supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. State of the art connectivity is provided by WiFi 65 and optional 5G will deliver higher bandwidth capability and drive new levels of always on always connected efficiency and collaboration in a new hybrid working world.

Lenovo today is also delighted to announce that the world's first foldable PC, ThinkPad X1 Fold, is available to order and will ship in a few weeks. A pinnacle of engineering innovation, the X1 Fold offers a revolutionary mix of portability and versatility that defines a new computing category enabled by Intel Core processors with Intel Hybrid Technology and made possible by Intel's Project Athena innovation program. Blending familiar functionality that we all know from smartphones, tablets and laptops into a single foldable PC device that will forever reshape the way you work, play, create and connect. With optional 5G, you can trust that your connection speed is more secure and optimized where available and that you are better protected with ThinkShield security features. Find out more how ThinkPad X1 Fold is pioneering a new category: A Game Changing Category

CORSAIR, a world leader in high-performance gaming peripherals and enthusiast components, today announced the launch of its first-ever Thunderbolt 3 dock, the CORSAIR TBT100. Combining iconic industrial design, aluminium construction, intuitive operation, and smart power delivery, the TBT100 puts the power of Thunderbolt 3 within reach, with a huge array of ports and connections that make it the heart of your workstation setup.

The TBT100 fits right in with any working environment thanks to its stylish aluminium housing and slim profile. Its small size belies the massive 40 Gbps bandwidth and power delivery of Thunderbolt 3, enabling the TBT100 to connect a full range of devices, all at once. Equipped with two high-speed USB Type-C 10 Gbps ports and two USB 5 Gbps ports to transfer both data and power to your USB devices, the TBT100 can connect up to four USB devices at full power. For dual-monitor setups, the TBT100 includes two HDMI 2.0 ports, able to drive two displays at up to 4K 60Hz in vibrant HDR, as well as a combination 3.5 mm in/out jack for your audio. A gigabit Ethernet port connects to your local network at blazing-fast speeds, while a built-in UHS-II SD card reader provides convenient access to portable storage. There's even a Kensington Security Slot to keep envious colleagues from borrowing your dock.

Intel today launches its 11th Gen Core "Tiger Lake" mobile processors that introduce several new technologies on the backs of new IP. As described in the Architecture Day, "Tiger Lake" is built on the 10 nm SuperFin process, and combines new "Willow Cove" CPU cores with the first commercial debut of the Xe Gen12 graphics architecture that Intel is betting big on, to make a stab at the consumer graphics and scalar compute markets. Join us in this live-blog.Update 16:00 UTC: GB (Gregory Bryant, EVP Client), leads the event from the comfort of his home.Update 16:04 UTC: Here it is, the "world's best processor for thin and light laptops. You'll notice that like most Intel U-segment chips, this is an MCM of the processor and PCH die. Intel bases its "world's best" claims on a per-segment basis.

A lot is riding for Intel on its 11th Gen Core "Tiger Lake" system-on-chip (SoC), which will launch exclusively on mobile platforms, hoping to dominate the 7 W thru 15 W ultraportable form-factors in 2020, while eventually scaling up to the 25 W thru 45 W H-segment form-factors in 2021, with a variant that is rumored to double core-counts. The chip is built on Intel's new 10 nm SuperFin silicon fabrication node that enables a double digit percentage energy efficiency growth over 10 nm, allowing Intel to significantly dial up clock speeds without impacting the power envelope. The CPU and iGPU make up the two key components of the "Tiger Lake" SoC.

The CPU component on the "Tiger Lake" processors that launch in a few weeks from now features four "Willow Cove" CPU cores. Coupled with HyperThreading, this ends up being a 4-core/8-thread setup, although much of Intel's innovation is in giving these cores significant IPC increases over the "Skylake" core powering "Comet Lake" processors, and compared to the "Sunny Cove" cores powering "Ice Lake" a minor IPC (although major net performance increase from clock speeds). The "Willow Cove" CPU core appears to be a derivative of the "Sunny Cove" core, designed to take advantage of the 10 nm SuperFin node, along with three key innovations.

TerraMaster, a professional brand that specializes in providing innovative storage products including network-attached storage (NAS) devices and direct attached storage (DAS) devices, launches the all-new TD2 Thunderbolt3 Plus, a 2-bay 7-in-1 Thunderbolt 3 Dock with RAID. Building from the success of the TD2 Thunderbolt3, the TD2 Thunderbolt3 Plus use high-speed Thunderbolt3 40 Gbps interface, now with a 7-in-1 docker function that allows users to connect multiple devices in a single Thunderbolt 3 cable.

The TerraMaster TD2 Thunderbolt3 Plus offers speeds of up to 800 MB/s, 50% faster than its predecessor. It also now comes with a DisplayPort that can support up a single 8K display or dual 4K display. Hence, the device can support a maximum of three displays. The TD2 Thunderbolt3 Plus also comes with more connectivity compared to the older model which includes a Gigabit LAN port, and two USB 3.1 Host ports aside from the two high-speed Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports. The TerraMaster TD2 Thunderbolt3 Plus retains the silver aluminium chassis with smart fan for aesthetics and cooling.

Since Apple has announced its transition from Intel to its custom Apple Silicon processors, there has been quite a lot of speculations on what the new processors will bring. Just a few days ago, Intel announced the latest advancement of its Thunderbolt port in the form of Thunderbolt 4, which further advances the Thunderbolt standard with a heap of new features. Since Apple has decided to do away from Intel silicon, there has been a question whatever Apple will offer Thunderbolt 4 support on its Macs. And it seems like we don't have to wonder any further. In the statement below, which Apple spokesman gave to The Verge, the answer is loud and clear.

Apple spokesman for The VergeOver a decade ago, Apple partnered with Intel to design and develop Thunderbolt, and today our customers enjoy the speed and flexibility it brings to every Mac. We remain committed to the future of Thunderbolt and will support it in Macs with Apple silicon.