Intel has issued a correction regarding the support for Thunderbolt 5 in its new Raptor Lake Refresh range of desktop processors. In the initial release statement, Intel mentioned that the 14th-gen processors would include support for upcoming Thunderbolt 5 wired connectivity. However, the company has now clarified that this assertion was incorrect.
According to Intel, while some processors in the Intel Core 14th Gen processor family will support Thunderbolt 5, the desktop processors specifically will not. This correction came after it was flagged by Tom’s Hardware.
While Thunderbolt 5 connectivity may not be the main focus when it comes to Intel’s Raptor Lake Refresh processors, it is still a significant blunder for the company to get a fundamental fact wrong in its launch announcement. The attention has primarily been on the performance improvement over previous generations, power consumption, and pricing.
With the clarification, it raises the question of which 14th-gen processors will support Thunderbolt 5. Intel seems to be referring to the other family of chips launching alongside Raptor Lake Refresh, known as Meteor Lake, which are laptop (mobile) processors. This aligns with the prevalence of Thunderbolt ports in notebooks rather than desktops.
It’s important to note that Thunderbolt 5 was recently announced, and devices supporting the standard won’t be available until 2024. Thunderbolt 5 is highly anticipated due to its blazing-fast speed. However, Raptor Lake Refresh PC owners will have to do without Thunderbolt 5 support.
Overall, while the lack of Thunderbolt 5 support may not be a significant issue for many users, Intel’s launch blunder highlights the importance of accurate information and clear communication in product announcements.
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