Intel earlier this week updated its desktop processor product stack with the introduction of the 14th Gen Core "Raptor Lake Refresh" processors. During our coverage of the processor, we erroneously mentioned that the processor supports the upcoming Thunderbolt 5 connectivity standard. Intel reached out to us for a correction, which revealed an interesting detail. Apparently, 14th Gen Core desktop processors do not support Thunderbolt 5, and this is not for a lack of available Thunderbolt 5 host controllers. Intel's first Thunderbolt 5 controllers, codenamed "Barlow Ridge," won't arrive before Q1 2024, but even when they do, they will not be compatible with "Raptor Lake Refresh" socketed desktop processors.

Intel announced the Thunderbolt 5 standard in September, around the same time, it provided a technical reveal of its upcoming Core "Meteor Lake" mobile processors. The new standard provides a generational doubling in bandwidth to 80 Gbps (per direction), but comes with an exotic new feature called Bandwidth Boost. With this feature enabled, users get 120 Gbps of bandwidth in a particular direction, and 40 Gbps on its opposite direction.