M4 Pro and M4 Max MacBook Pro Models Likely to Feature Thunderbolt 5

Apple dropped a surprise today with the announcement of the new redesigned Mac mini when it revealed that the M4 Pro model comes with three Thunderbolt 5 ports, making it the first Mac to support the next-generation connectivity standard.

thunderbolt 5
The newest specification of Thunderbolt offers 80 Gb/s of bi-directional bandwidth, and with Bandwidth Boost it will provide up to 120 Gb/s, enabling triple the maximum bandwidth of Thunderbolt 4 for an optimal display experience.

Given that the current 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M3 Pro and M3 Max chips only support the older protocol, you can almost consider it a given that Apple's upcoming MacBook Pro models with M4 Pro and M4 Max will support Thunderbolt 5.

Thunderbolt 5 is fully compatible with USB4, and supports advanced protocols such as PCIe 4.0, allowing faster data access speeds for storage devices and peripherals. In addition, the new standard features support for native DisplayPort 2.1 output over USB‑C. Thanks to Thunderbolt 5, the Mac mini with M4 Pro can also support up to three 6K external displays at 60Hz, so expect similar enhancements to come to the new high-end MacBook Pro models.

Apple is expected to announce the new M4 MacBook Pro models on Wednesday. The entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro will be equipped with an M4 chip, while the higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch models will offer M4 Pro and M4 Max chips.

Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: MacBook Pro

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iphone 17 air dummy unbox therapy

iPhone 17 Air's Extreme Thinness Demoed in New Video

Tuesday April 22, 2025 10:22 am PDT by
Apple plans to release an all-new super thin iPhone this year, debuting it alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. We've seen pictures of dummy models, cases, and renders with the design, but Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy today showed off newer dummy models that give us a better idea of just how thin the "iPhone 17 Air" will be. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be ...
ipad air windows 11 arm

M2 iPad Air Runs Windows 11 ARM via Emulation, Thanks to EU Rules

Tuesday April 22, 2025 5:01 am PDT by
A developer has demonstrated Windows 11 ARM running on an M2 iPad Air using emulation, which has become much easier since the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulations came into effect. As spotted by Windows Latest, NTDev shared an instance of the emulation on social media and posted a video on YouTube (embedded below) demonstrating it in action. The achievement relies on new EU regulatory...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
iOS 18

iOS 18.5 Includes Only a Few Changes So Far

Monday April 21, 2025 11:00 am PDT by
Apple seeded the third beta of iOS 18.5 to developers today, and so far the software update includes only a few minor changes. The changes are in the Mail and Settings apps. In the Mail app, you can now easily turn off contact photos directly within the app, by tapping on the circle with three dots in the top-right corner. In the Settings app, AppleCare+ coverage information is more...
iphone 17 pro majin bu sky blue

iPhone 17 Pro Allegedly Coming in Sky Blue Color Used for MacBook Air

Tuesday April 22, 2025 4:08 am PDT by
Apple will unveil the iPhone 17 Pro in a new Sky Blue color, the same color that debuted on the latest M4 MacBook Air models Apple released in March. That's according to the leaker Majin Bu. Concept mockup from Majin Bu Writing on his website, Bu claims that "sources close to the supply chain confirm that several iPhone 17 Pro prototypes have been made in various colors, with Sky Blue...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...

Top Rated Comments

northernmunky Avatar
25 weeks ago
I dont think 'likely' is the right word, its part of the M4 chip design, so its a 100% cert that it will.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
adamw Avatar
25 weeks ago
OWC has available for Pre-Order the first Thunderbolt 5 external portable SSD drives with over 6,000MB/second speeds now: https://www.owc.com/solutions/envoy-ultra



Attachment Image
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple Knowledge Navigator Avatar
25 weeks ago
Pro Motion displays incoming? Don't tease me boy.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
adamw Avatar
25 weeks ago
Yes! Up to 120 Gbs speeds with Thunderbolt 5! I need external Thunderbolt 5 SSD drives that fly fast!



Attachment Image
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Chiromac81 Avatar
25 weeks ago
No wifi 7 on the new mini??
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
atonaldenim Avatar
25 weeks ago
yes! yesterday I posted “wake me up when we get Thunderbolt 5”… I am awake!!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)