After reading this article, it’s clear that Thunderbolt Share has the potential to revolutionize how we work with multiple devices. As someone who juggles several laptops daily for testing and writing, I can see myself benefiting immensely from this technology. The ability to control one device from another, transfer files seamlessly, and sync folders automatically would save me countless hours and headaches.
On May 15, 2024, Intel introduced Thunderbolt Share, promising lightning-quick file transfers and seamless connectivity between PCs for users owning an Intel laptop equipped with Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 5 technology.
A couple of weeks after the 2024 Tech Tour in Taipei, Windows Central Senior Editor, Ben Wilson, was provided by Intel with a personal demonstration of their latest Thunderbolt Share technology. Upon experiencing it, Ben expressed his admiration for its promising capabilities.
During the Tech Tour, I didn’t have the opportunity to get my hands on Thunderbolt Share as it wasn’t publicly accessible yet. This technology demands specific licensing, and it took approximately four months from its announcement for Razer to unveil their Blade 18 as the first certified laptop in the market.
Instead of focusing on laptops without Share certification but having Thunderbolt 4 or 5, let’s consider situations where docking stations can help fill in the gaps. Kensington has provided me with its latest SD5768T EQ Thunderbolt 4 dock featuring Intel’s Thunderbolt Share certification for testing. Although a comprehensive review of the docking hardware will be posted soon, I was intrigued to explore the functionality and potential benefits of Thunderbolt Share.
Making sense of Thunderbolt Share’s compatibility
As a researcher focusing on Thunderbolt technology, I am sharing the requirements for using Thunderbolt Share. This innovative tool is compatible only with laptops equipped with Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 5 connectivity. To ensure seamless operation, these devices should run on Windows 11. Moreover, it’s essential that the laptops have at least Intel Graphics Driver version 0.101.4826 or a later update to support Thunderbolt Share. If you regularly keep your system updated with the latest Windows releases, satisfying this requirement should be straightforward.
One final requirement is where most laptops fail the compatibility check. Thunderbolt Share only works if at least one device in the link has Share certification. As I mentioned, the Razer Blade 18 was the world’s first Thunderbolt 5 laptop to pick up certification in September 2024, and I haven’t spotted any news surrounding other laptops receiving certification (please correct me if you find other hardware with certification).
In my situation, neither of the devices I’m using for testing possesses Thunderbolt Share certification, which posed a challenge when it came to testing the software. However, Intel has expanded certification opportunities to docking station manufacturers. Recently, Kensington provided me with a Thunderbolt Share certified dock. Now, I can link any two laptops featuring Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 5, using this dock as an intermediary.
After some brief testing, Thunderbolt Share is now a staple in my office
Connecting my pair of Thunderbolt 4 laptops, one being an HP Spectre x360 16 and the other a Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon, to the Kensington SD5768T EQ dock, I simply needed to install the Thunderbolt Share software on both devices. It’s a compact file that takes barely any time at all to set up.
After the software has been successfully launched on both computers, an immediate connection is established. Upon startup, you will find a window displaying four primary choices.
- Control Other Computer
- Drag & Drop Files
- Sync Files
- Transfer Data to New Computer
Remotely View and Control Another Computer provides an immediate window on your screen, displaying the controlled device’s desktop as if it were right in front of you. The incredibly low latency ensures a seamless, more fluid experience than anticipated.
At the upper part of the interface, you can find options to temporarily halt the control session, mute input, and even transfer clipboard data from one computer to another. Additionally, there are adjustable size and color settings available, which modify the appearance within the controlling PC’s Thunderbolt Share window, but do not affect the controlled PC’s original settings.
Drag & Drop Files features an independent twin file browser interface for seamless organization. Upon clicking, it displays a divided view of the files on both computers, enabling swift transfer and personalization of files and folders between the two devices.
For me, regularly transferring screenshots and data between testing computers and my primary workstation, this functionality will prove incredibly useful and eliminate the necessity of additional equipment such as flash drives or external hard drives.
Synchronizing Files allows you to select particular directories across two computers, ensuring that the same content is automatically updated on both systems. This feature offers benefits such as data redundancy and enhanced collaboration by making it simpler to work together.
Moving Data to a New Computer refers to a process that’s less extensive than completely copying an entire drive. It caters to individuals who purchase a new laptop and wish to migrate their data from the old PC onto the fresh hardware. The procedure involves designating the newly acquired computer as the recipient for the data, picking the specific files and folders to be transferred, and then allowing the process to run automatically.
The immense bandwidth of Thunderbolt 4, at 40GBps, ensures a seamless, lag-free experience, suggesting that an upgrade to Thunderbolt 5 and its 80GBps bandwidth could truly take performance to new heights.
Transferring hundreds of images from one computer to another in a flash (a matter of seconds) is made possible by Thunderbolt 4. Even though I was concerned about accidentally overwriting the files on my personal computer with those from my work computer, I don’t foresee the process of setting up a new laptop using your old data taking an excessive amount of time.
In essence, operating one computer as though it were the other, within a window, is so seamless that it might easily deceive someone into believing the application was running on the local machine, especially when in full-screen mode.
What I want for the future of Thunderbolt Share
Thunderbolt Share performs exceptionally as promised, providing a seamless experience. It swiftly connects two computers (provided they both have the necessary Share software installed), offering a high-speed, low-lag connection without any unnecessary distractions interfering with your work.
It’s evident that the leading three tools are invaluable assets for both professionals, those who juggle multiple tasks at once, and team workers. On the other hand, the fourth one – Transfer Data Easily to a New Computer – should ideally become a widely adopted method for seamlessly moving your old data over to your new device without unnecessary complications.
Regarding my preferences for the future, compatibility stands out as my top priority. Currently, I’m utilizing a Kensington SD5768T EQ Thunderbolt 4 docking station to connect two non-certified laptops. The cost of this additional hardware is approximately $300. While it functions well, it’s not an affordable option if one only values Thunderbolt Share capabilities.
It seems Intel hasn’t been clear about the specific certifications required from laptop and dock makers, and these certifications appear to be delayed. However, as we’ve seen with the Blade 18, certification can suddenly occur for products already available, so I look forward to seeing more manufacturers investing in Intel compatibility.
Instead of keeping a docking station permanently on my office desk, what would truly captivate me is the flexibility to use Share’s capabilities anywhere I go, effortlessly, across all my latest-generation Intel laptops, requiring only a single cable connection.
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2024-12-14 18:39