The OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub includes three ports that move data up to twice as fast as Thunderbolt 4 and USB4. That’s professional-level connectivity, opening the possibility of portable SSDs running at 6000MBps or up to three 8K displays at 60Hz .
After an announcement in autumn 2024, the hub is now ready to buy.
Thunderbolt 5 arrives…
Thunderbolt is an industry standard for transferring data at high speed over cables, while also being useful for external monitors. Thunderbolt 4 tops out at 40 gigabits per second. The latest iteration takes data transfers to 80 Gbps. And a new Bandwidth Boost provides up to 120 Gbps.
Intel launched Thunderbolt 5 in autumn 2023, but it takes a while for an ecosystem to build. Most importantly, computers that support the standard need to hit the market. For Apple users, that’s any Mac with the new M4 Pro or M4 Max processor. At this point, the list includes the Mac mini and MacBook Pro that debuted in autumn 2024.
…as does the OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub
Photo: OWC
Buyers of these computers can take advantage of the new OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub, which turns a single connection into three Thunderbolt 5 ports and one USB-A port.
The hub is backward compatible, so it can be used with devices that support Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, USB-C, or USB4… just not at full speed, of course. And it delivers up to 140 watts to charge notebook computers.
“The bi-directional bandwidth design of the OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub enables users to send and receive data simultaneously — making it ideal for connecting high-res displays, SSDs, and more without compromising speed,” said Larry O’Connor, Founder and CEO, Other World Computing (OWC). “With three additional Thunderbolt 5 ports, users gain the flexibility to power multiple displays or create complex daisy chains with ease.
Now available
After a November preview, the OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub is ready to buy, and is being shown off at CES 2025 this week. The cost is $189.99.
Buy it from: OWC
This is not the first Thunderbolt 5 dock. In September, rival accessory-maker Kensington introduced one with a wide range of ports.
Those needing high-speed storage can consider OWC’s Envoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 SSD.
