Thunderbolt 3 Laptops – The complete list of 2021

Recently, Thunderbolt 3 has become a standard port for laptops. In the meantime, more and more expansion device will support this port. A diverse variety of devices, ranging from docking station with most simple expansion function to the external graphics card which can greatly improve laptop performance, all support Thunderbolt 3.

In the future, it will be widely applied. Therefore, it is necessary for the user to buy a laptop with Thunderbolt 3 port when replacing a new one. At present, a small number of high-end laptops provide TB 3 port on the market. In the following form, we will list current Thunderbolt 3 laptops in the market.

This port only has been applied to high-end lightweight laptops and motherboard instead of most of the device owing to its cost and other reasons. Besides, only a small number of external devices support Thunderbolt 3, and it has not been widely applied to products. However, a policy from Intel may make it gradually become popular. Intel has announced that they will directly integrate Thunderbolt 3 control unit in CPU in the future and provide this technology to cooperative partners for free, and in the meantime, they will cooperate with Microsoft to make operating system directly support TB 3 and achieve hot plug.

In this way, it will be less difficult for laptop products to integrate TB 3, and it will be common to be found in products, such as lightweight laptops in the future. TB 3 has high transfer speed, which makes it easier for lightweight laptops to use an external graphics card. In addition, once it has been widely used, it will be possible for a port to replace multi ports. For example, only a Thunderbolt 3 can achieve all the functions that several USB ports and HDMI ports have in the near future. Therefore, the price will be lower as its number of docking station increases in the future.

12.5-13.3 inch ultrabooks

Please click the laptop mode to see the teardown guide of the laptop.

14.0-17.3 inch laptops

Owing to the development of broadband, it can support two 4K displays or a 5K display, and successfully transfer a 4K video within 30 seconds. In the meantime, it can utilize new USB Type-C port to achieve such a high transfer speed instead of MimDisplay port. Undoubtedly this will greatly benefit both device manufacturer and host computer manufacturer.

The transfer speeds up to 40 Gbps. Source

Compared with first and second generation products, the port owns better performance. It adopts the technology which has made a big breakthrough, and its compatibility and adaptability have been greatly improved. To provide maximum speed, it owns bandwidth reaching 40Gb/s, which is eight times faster than the USB 3.0 port and four times faster than USB 3.1 port.

In addition, the port also provides a device with more power, supporting 100W power supply and proving device with a maximum charging power reaching up to 15W. Intel also offers the same alternate mode which makes ThunderBolt’ signal passes PCIe. It also fully supports USB 3.1 since control unit of USB 3.1 10Gbps has been integrated into the Thunderbolt control unit.

Generally speaking, a Thunderbolt 3 can handle many tasks which require many ports. That’s why an increasing number of laptops which pursue perfect lightweight feature only provides a USB Type-C which supports TB 3. After all, lightweight laptops’ lightweight and thickness also depend on expansion port except drive, keyboard, and motherboard.

As a computer protocol, Thunderbolt can be regarded as a transfer technology instead of the port of laptops. Thunderbolt 3 technology is achieved mostly depending on the USB Type-C port. Differing from other hardware which adopts USB Type-C port, the plug and port of USB Type-C which supports TB 3 are printed with the symbol- a small flash, which represents TB 3.