Introduction

In 2023, Intel released the Thunderbolt 5 specification with a maximum transmission speed of up to 120Gbps. After a year, ChargerLAB learned that ACASIS had launched the first Thunderbolt 5 SSD enclosure TB501, which is now on the market.

It uses an Intel JHL9480 main control chip, supports Thunderbolt 5 protocol, and is backward compatible with Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 standards, providing a theoretical bandwidth of up to 120Gbps. TB501 supports the installation of M.2 2280 NVMe solid-state drives with a maximum capacity of up to 8TB, meeting users' needs for large-capacity and high-speed storage. In actual tests, the sequential read speed of TB501 is about 6200MB/s, and the sequential write speed is about 5900MB/s.

To ensure stable operation under high load, TB501 adopts an active heat dissipation design and a built-in turbo fan. It is equipped with a fin-patterned all-aluminum alloy heat-conducting shell and grille holes on both sides to enhance heat dissipation capacity further. The body is equipped with a Thunderbolt 5 interface and comes with a 0.5-meter C to C Thunderbolt 5 data cable for easy connection and use.

Intel JHL9480

Intel JHL9480 is a Thunderbolt 5 controller chip for the device side, codenamed Barlow Ridge. Released in the third quarter of 2024, the chip is designed to provide high-speed data transfer and versatile connectivity for high-performance peripherals.

Chip image source: ACASIS Thunderbolt 5 SSD Enclosure

JHL9480 supports four PCI Express (PCIe) channels, configured as x4 Gen 4, with ACS, FBP, PTM, P2P, and other functions, and supports 128/256B load. In terms of the display port, it provides 2 DP Sinks and 3 DP Sources, supports DP 2.1 tunnel and retiming functions, supports x1/x2/x4 modes, and the rate ranges from 1.62Gbps to 20Gbps. It has SST, MST, DSC 1.2, FEC, LTTPR, Panel Replay, and other features. The chip adopts FC-CSP packaging and provides two packaging forms: Tray and T&R.

Thunderbolt 5

On September 12, 2023, Intel released the Thunderbolt 5 specification with a maximum transmission speed of up to 120Gbps. The first batch of products supporting Thunderbolt 5 will be unveiled at the 2024 CES, and Apple has also recently launched the MacBook Pro and Mac mini that support the Thunderbolt 5 interface.

Thunderbolt 5 offers exceptional compatibility, supporting USB4 v2, Thunderbolt 4, and Thunderbolt 3 devices while also being backward compatible with USB3 and DP2.1. This reduces the cost of upgrading equipment. More importantly, it supports up to 240W power delivery, enabling future gaming laptops to be powered in reverse through compatible displays, significantly simplifying desktop connectivity requirements. Thunderbolt 5 will be widely applied to devices such as laptops and docking stations, delivering faster transfer speeds, superior display performance, and a more convenient user experience.

Summary of ChargerLAB

The launch of ACASIS TB501 marks the successful transformation of Thunderbolt 5 technology from specification to implementation. With an ultra-high theoretical bandwidth of 120Gbps and near-top actual performance, TB501 can meet the stringent demands of professional users for storage speed and stability.