A Closer Look at Type C and Thunderbolt Connectors

by Ginard Guaki · Published January 17, 2023 · Updated January 17, 2023

When it comes to connecting devices, there are many options out there. The most common are USB-A and USB-C connectors, but how do they compare to Thunderbolt ports? Let’s take a closer look at Type C versus Thunderbolt connectors to see which one is best for your needs.

Type C Connector
The Type C connector is the current standard in USB technology, having replaced the older Type A and B connectors. It is smaller than its predecessors and can transfer data faster than either of them. It also supports power delivery of up to 100W, making it ideal for charging laptops or powering external hard drives. The Type C connector is often used on newer smartphones and tablets as well as some desktop computers.

Thunderbolt Connector
The Thunderbolt connector was developed by Intel in 2011 as a high-speed connection option for Mac computers. It uses both DisplayPort and PCI Express technology to provide a fast connection between two devices, allowing for speeds up to 40 Gbps. This makes it ideal for use with high-speed peripherals like external hard drives or RAID systems. Thunderbolt connectors also support power delivery of up to 100W, making them suitable for charging laptops or powering external hard drives as well.

Comparison
When comparing these two types of connections, the main difference lies in their speed capabilities. While both types of connections offer up to 100W of power delivery, the Thunderbolt connector offers much higher speeds—up to 40 Gbps—which makes it ideal for transferring large files or streaming video content from an external drive. However, if you don’t need those higher speeds then the Type C connector may be all you need since it’s more widely available on today’s devices anyway. One notable difference to identify the connector is that the thunderbolt has a marking of a thunderbolt in its connector.

Whether you’re looking for faster data transfers or just want a reliable way to connect your devices together, either the Type C or Thunderbolt connector could be right for you depending on your needs. Both offer up to 100W of power delivery so they are suitable for charging laptops or powering external hard drives but only the Thunderbolt option offers ultra-fast data transfer speeds up to 40 Gbps which is great for streaming video content from an external drive or transferring large files quickly and easily. Ultimately, it comes down to what your specific needs are and which type of connector would best serve those needs; fortunately both options are widely available so finding one shouldn’t be difficult!