Apple bills Intel’s Thunderbolt as a revolutionary I/O technology that supports high-resolution displays and high-performance data devices through a single, compact port. With 10 Gbps of throughput in both directions Thunderbolt is up to 20 times faster than USB 2.0 and more than 12 times faster than FireWire 800. It isn’t hard to see that Thunderbolt will be a major competitor to previous communication protocols, but its real strength will be in its versatility and not just its outright speed.

Thunderbolt’s most versatile feature may be that it is not just about data transfer between storage devices. Thunderbolt I/O technology provides native support for Mini DisplayPort displays. It also supports DisplayPort, DVI, HDMI, and VGA displays through the use of existing adapters. And because Thunderbolt I/O technology allows you to daisy-chain up to six devices that means you could theoretically daisy-chain multiple displays from a single Thunderbolt port, or attach a display to the end of a previously established string of storage devices. The main limitation on how many displays and the resolution Thunderbolt provides is dependent on the computer’s graphics card.

Besides being compatible with older display technologies Thunderbolt is also compatible with other data transfer protocols as well.

Third-party vendors will sell adapters, available sometime this spring, that let you connect USB, FireWire 400, and FireWire 800 devices to Thunderbolt ports. Thunderbolt won't make these legacy devices any faster, however—they'll still be limited to the performance of their built-in components. For example, a FireWire 800 device still won't be able to transfer data faster than 800 Mbps.

In addition to data and video, Thunderbolt also carries 10 watts of power along with the potential of networking and audio connections. Adapters could be used to play music through speakers or provide Ethernet networking, while the 10 watts of power is enough to sufficiently charge an iPad. In the not so distant future we might see Thunderbolt replace USB as the universal connection, or at least be the catalyst that makes a one port laptop docking station possible.

Thunderbolt offers some amazing gains in speed, but most users aren’t complaining that FireWire 800 or USB 2.0 is too slow. Thunderbolt’s performance will become a requirement in the future when new devices begin taking advantage of its performance. Right now Thunderbolt’s greatest advantage is its versatile daisy-chain-able connector that will make connecting multiple displays and peripherals to even the most petite laptop a reality.