HomeThunderbolt 5
Thunderbolt 5 bandwidth
Thunderbolt 5 / USB4 v2 is rated 80 Gbps and carries 77.37 Gbps of video per display, the limit of the DisplayPort stream it tunnels. At 8-bit without compression it carries 1080p up to 884 Hz, 1440p up to 609 Hz, 3440x1440 up to 491 Hz and 4K up to 323 Hz. That is 2.98 times the 25.92 Gbps of Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 40 Gbps.
Thunderbolt 5 / USB4 v2 carries DSC, so modes over its payload can still fit when both ends support it.
Highest refresh rate on Thunderbolt 5 / USB4 v2
| Resolution | 8-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit with DSC (theoretical maximum at 8 bpp) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p (1920x1080) | 884 Hz | 770 Hz | 1000+ Hz |
| 1440p (2560x1440) | 609 Hz | 516 Hz | 1000+ Hz |
| 3440x1440 (3440x1440) | 491 Hz | 412 Hz | 1000+ Hz |
| 4K (3840x2160) | 323 Hz | 267 Hz | 748 Hz |
| 5K (5120x2880) | 195 Hz | 159 Hz | 497 Hz |
| 8K (7680x4320) | 92 Hz | 74 Hz | 254 Hz |
Popular modes on Thunderbolt 5 / USB4 v2
| Mode | 8-bit | 10-bit |
|---|---|---|
| 4K 60Hz | Pass, 12.54 Gbps | Pass, 15.68 Gbps |
| 4K 120Hz | Pass, 25.82 Gbps | Pass, 32.27 Gbps |
| 4K 144Hz | Pass, 31.35 Gbps | Pass, 39.19 Gbps |
| 4K 160Hz | Pass, 35.10 Gbps | Pass, 43.88 Gbps |
| 4K 165Hz | Pass, 36.29 Gbps | Pass, 45.37 Gbps |
| 4K 240Hz | Pass, 54.84 Gbps | Pass, 68.56 Gbps |
| 1440p 144Hz | Pass, 14.08 Gbps | Pass, 17.60 Gbps |
| 1440p 165Hz | Pass, 16.30 Gbps | Pass, 20.37 Gbps |
| 1440p 240Hz | Pass, 24.62 Gbps | Pass, 30.77 Gbps |
| 1440p 360Hz | Pass, 39.37 Gbps | Pass, 49.21 Gbps |
| 1080p 360Hz | Pass, 22.38 Gbps | Pass, 27.97 Gbps |
| 8K 60Hz | Pass, 49.65 Gbps | Pass, 62.06 Gbps |
| 8K 120Hz | Needs DSC, about 1.4:1 | Needs DSC, about 1.7:1 |
Results use PC monitor timings (VESA CVT reduced blanking v2 as the headline), not the TV and console timings in CTA-861, so a TV or console may need more bandwidth than shown. RGB/4:4:4 color. DSC verdicts are at maximum compression (8 bpp), the lowest rate VESA's DSC standard allows for 4:4:4, and show the compression each mode needs.
Sources
- HDMI 2.1 FRL article (Allion Labs), retrieved 27 October 2026
- New HDMI 2.1 Technology, part 1 of 2 (Black Box, 2021), retrieved 27 October 2026
- VESA publishes DisplayPort Standard Version 1.4 (1 Mar 2016), retrieved 27 October 2026
- VESA publishes DisplayPort 2.0 video standard (26 Jun 2019), retrieved 27 October 2026
- VESA rolls out early certification program for HBR3 products (4 Jan 2017), retrieved 27 October 2026
- VESA readies DisplayPort UHBR device certification and begins certification of UHBR cables, retrieved 27 October 2026
- Premium HDMI Cable Certification Program (hdmi.org), retrieved 27 October 2026
- Ultra High Speed and Ultra96 HDMI Cables (hdmi.org), retrieved 27 October 2026
- Thunderbolt 5 Technology Brief (Intel, Sept 2023), retrieved 27 October 2026
- USB-IF announces USB 80Gbps specifications (18 Oct 2022), retrieved 27 October 2026
- VESA CVT Standard, Version 2.1, retrieved 27 October 2026
- VESA CVT v2.1 Generator Version 1 (spreadsheet; sheets CVTv2.1 and CVTv1.2a), retrieved 27 October 2026
- VESA Display Stream Compression (DSC) Standard, Version 1.2b (12 Aug 2021), retrieved 27 October 2026
- VESA DSC Source Device Guidelines r1.0, retrieved 27 October 2026
Data verified 27 October 2026 against these sources. See the methodology for how disagreements are resolved.