Thunderbolt has become an increasingly common feature in laptops over the last few years. Since the introduction of Thunderbolt 3, which uses the familiar USB Type-C connector, many more laptops have adopted this feature. And with Thunderbolt 4, the experience has been standardized so all Thunderbolt laptops offer the best speeds promised in Thunderbolt 3.
Thunderbolt is a proprietary connection interface developed by Intel and is popular due to its very high data rates compared to normal USB. With Thunderbolt 4, it becomes possible to connect lots of USB peripherals at their full speed, use external displays, Thunderbolt docking stations, or even connect external GPUs using enclosures like the Razer Core X. It's an interface that makes laptops far more versatile. Because of that, most premium laptops now have it.
As such, we've rounded up the best laptops with Thunderbolt 4 ports in case you're looking to expand your setup now or in the future. Because this is Intel proprietary technology, most of these have Intel processors, but there are a few exceptions.
Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Pro
A solid everyday laptop
The Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Pro is a fantastic laptop with a premium design, stunning display, and two Thunderbolt 4 ports for all the peripherals you need.
- Stunning AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate
- Premium aluminum design
- A few extra ports in addition to Thunderbolt 4
- The starting model is a bit too expensive
- No Windows Hello facial recognition
Samsung has made some fantastic Windows laptops, and for 2023, there's the new Galaxy Book 3 Pro series. Coming with new displays, a new design, and more powerful specs, this is a great laptop.
The Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Pro is powered by 13th-generation Intel Core processors, specifically a Core i7-1360P, with 12 cores, 16 threads, and boost speeds up to 5GHz. You'll get fantastic performance for all kinds of day-to-day tasks with this processor. Not only that, but the laptop comes with 16GB of RAM and up to a 1TB SSD, so you have enough memory for multitasking.
Whether you choose the 14-inch or 16-inch model, you get a beautiful Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel on this laptop with a super-sharp 2880x1800 resolution, making for a phenomenal viewing experience. It has a 16:10 aspect ratio, so it's great for productivity, too, and the 120Hz refresh rate makes everything appear much smoother on screen. And of course, there are the usual benefits of OLED, like true blacks, vibrant colors, and fast pixel response times. The webcam above that display supports 1080p resolution, but there's no Windows Hello facial recognition, and you have to use a fingerprint reader instead.
In design, the Galaxy Book 3 Pro series is made of aluminum, which means the laptops feel a lot more rigid and more premium in exchange for being heavier. The 14-inch Galaxy Book 3 Pro weighs 2.58 pounds, while the 16-inch variant goes up to 3.4 pounds. These are still quite portable for their size, though, and at 11.3mm and 12.5mm of thickness for each size, respectively, they don't feel bulky at all.
Of course, the laptop supports Thunderbolt 4, with two ports available, but you also get a USB Type-A port, HDMI, a headphone jack, and a microSD card reader, so connectivity is great overall.
HP Spectre x360 13.5 (2023)
With more ways than one to use it
The HP Spectre x360 is a fantastic convertible with a tall 3:2 display and a premium design. It's also running on the latest Intel hardware.
- A 3:2 display
- The 5MP webcam is one of the best on any laptop
- Nocturne Blue color helps it stand out
- Previous models had a bolder design
If you want a premium laptop that you can also use as a tablet, the HP Spectre x360 13.5 is one of the very best options right now. It's a fantastic combination of versatility and portability with a beautiful design that stands out from the crowd.
The HP Spectre x360 13.5 is powered by 13th-generation Intel processors, specifically going up to an Intel Core i7-1355U. That's a 15W processor with 10 cores and 12 threads, plus boost speeds up to 5.0GHz, which already delivers plenty of performance. Like other recent Intel processors, Iris Xe Graphics is also built-in for handling some light GPU workloads.
The display is easily one of the highlights of the Spectre x360 13.5. HP is using a 3:2 aspect ratio for the display, something we see a lot in Microsoft's Surface devices, and it's even taller than 16:10. The base configuration is a Full HD+ (1920x1280) panel, which is already good for multitasking and opening windows side by side. HP has been putting some of the best webcams on its laptops, and the Spectre x360 13.5 has a 5MP sensor that supports 1080p video, along with features like auto framing and lighting correction. It supports Windows Hello facial recognition, too.
In terms of design, this HP device uses a Nocturne Blue color and combines dark blue surfaces with a lighter shade of blue for the edges. It also uses a cut-off corner design near the hinge, giving it more of a unique identity while also making a Thunderbolt port more reachable from either side (or the back) of the laptop. The other ports include an additional Thunderbolt connection, USB Type-A, a headphone jack, and a microSD card reader.
Razer Blade 16
With power for the players
The Razer Blade 16 is one of the most powerful laptops on the market, featuring a 24-core CPU and an Nvidia GPU that can use up to a whopping 175W of power. It only has one Thunderbolt 4 port, however.
- Incredible performance with 13th-gen Intel HX processors and RTX 40 series graphics
- Great display options for gamers and content creators
- Lots of ports in addition to Thunderbolt
- 1080p webcam with Windows Hello is very rare for gaming laptops
- Very expensive
- Only one Thunderbolt 4 port
If you just want a great gaming laptop while still having Thunderbolt 4 for other peripherals, the Razer Blade 16 is for you. This laptop sports a 13th-generation Intel Core i9-13950HX, a 55W processor with an incredible 24 cores and 32 threads. It also comes with up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU that uses a massive 175W of power for peak loads. This machine can run all the games you want at very high settings, and Razer even includes a CPU overclocking tool to get even more performance. You also get up to 32GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD, though you can upgrade these things later.
The Blade 16 is also Razer's first laptop to feature a 16-inch display with a 16:10 aspect ratio which means it's not only great for gaming but for productivity, too. The base model has an excellent IPS panel with Quad HD+ (2560x1600) resolution and a 240Hz refresh rate. If you do care more about content creation, the top-tier configurations include a dual-mode mini-LED display, which can switch between 4K resolution at 60Hz or Full HD resolution at 240Hz.
The Razer Blade 16 is a bit bulkier than its predecessors. Still, it measures under 22mm thick and weighs 5.4 pounds, which is not the worst we've seen for laptops with this kind of power. The laptop also looks sleek with its flat all-black chassis, accented only by the green Razer logo on the lid and the RGB keyboard.
Regarding Thunderbolt 4 connectivity, the Razer Blade 16 only has one port, with the other USB Type-C port using a standard USB connection with 100W Power Delivery. However, you get a lot more here, such as three USB Type-A ports, HDMI 2.1, a headphone jack, and a full-size SD card reader.
Dell XPS 17 (2023)
Big but powerful
The Dell XPS 17 is one of Dell's most powerful non-gaming laptops thanks to the 13th-generation Intel CPUs under the hood and RTX 40-series graphics. It also has four Thunderbolt 4 ports onboard, making it quite unique.
- Big 17-inch screen
- Lots of power under the hood
- Ha sa full-size SD card reader
- Great speakers
- Still has 720p webcam
- Can get pricey
If it's a 17-inch laptop with Thunderbolt that you need, then look no further than the Dell XPS 17. We recently reviewed the XPS 17 and dubbed it the best 17-inch laptop on the market. There are a lot of reasons why, too. Not only does this laptop sport four Thunderbolt 4 ports, but it's plenty powerful with the latest 13th-generation Intel H-series CPU under the hood, and the power of Nvidia's RTX 40-series graphics, too.
In specs, you can find the XPS 17 with up to an Intel Core i9-13900H CPU. This CPU runs at 45W of power and has 14 cores, with 6 performance, and 8 efficient cores. It also has a boost of up to 5.40 GHz. As for RAM and storage, you can go to as much as 64GB of RAM, and 8TB of storage. Specs like those mean you never have to worry about this laptop slowing down. We found that the laptop has lots of power for creators, and enjoyed the performance for editing videos, photos, and writing articles. Just the battery life was poor because it was such a powerful machine.
In design, the XPS 17 isn't different from last year's model. It's like other XPS laptops since it's made of a single block of aluminum. It's heavy, though, since it weighs in at either 5.1 or 5.37 pounds. All that weight is due to the components inside and the large 17-inch display which comes in either 1920x1200 or 3840x2400 resolution. That makes it a great device for use away from a monitor. There's so much space to multitask.
This laptop has four Thunderbolt 4 ports and a full-size SD card reader along with a headphone jack. There's no USB-A or HDMI, but you do get a dongle in the box to add those ports.
Surface Pro 9 (Wi-Fi)
Sleek and portable
The Surface Pro 9 is a top-tier Windows tablet with great performance and a fantastic display, and it now has color options to choose from.
- Sharp display with a 3:2 aspect ratio and 120Hz refresh rate
- New color options make it much more unique
- More portable than a typical laptop
- Great cameras compared to most laptops
- Almost no ports aside from Thunderbolt
- Has last-gen Intel CPUs
It took Microsoft a long time to embrace Thunderbolt, but it finally happened with the Surface Pro 8. Now, we have the Surface Pro 9, which is a great tablet with Thunderbolt.
The Surface Pro 9 comes packing 12th-generation Intel Core processors, which are no longer the latest and greatest from Intel. You can go up to a Core i7-1255U for consumer models, and that's a 15W processor with 10 cores, 12 threads, and boost speeds up to 4.7GHz, which already gets you plenty of performance for day-to-day tasks. What's more, it can be configured with up to 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD.
One of the best things about the Surface Pro 9 continues to be its display. It's a 13-inch panel in the signature 3:2 aspect ratio, with a resolution of 2880x1920 pixels. That's a very sharp screen, and on top of that, it has a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, making everything on the screen appear much smoother. Webcams are also great on the Surface Pro family, and here, you get a 5MP front-facing camera with support for 1080p video, along with Windows Hello facial recognition. What's more, since this is a tablet, there's also a 10MP camera on the back that can record 4K video.
The design of the Surface Pro 9 makes it fairly portable, coming in at 1.94 pounds and measuring just 9.4mm in thickness. You also can get it in either Forest or Green — both of which are beautiful in their own right — in addition to the existing Graphite and Platinum models. The Surface Pro 9 has Thunderbolt 4 ports, along with a Surface Connect port for charging, but that's about it. It's worth noting that the 5G model of the Surface Pro 9 doesn't support Thunderbolt.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11
For professional users
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is one of the most popular business laptops in the world and for good reason. It has high-end specs, lots of configuration options, and plenty of ports, including Thunderbolt 4.
- Lots of configuration options for all the specs
- Plenty of ports in addition to Thunderbolt 4
- Optional OLED display looks great
- The ThinkPad design is iconic, but it feels outdated
Looking for a business laptop with Thunderbolt 4 ports? You'll want to consider the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11. It's a really great laptop.
Starting with the internals, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon carries 13th-generation Intel Core processors from both the P-series, and the U-series. You can choose up to an Intel Core i7-1370P, which is a 14-core, 20-thread processor capable of boosting up to 5.20GHz and featuring Iris Xe graphics. That gives you plenty of performance for day-to-day use, and you can add up to 64GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD for storage to round it out.
The display is a 16:10 aspect ratio panel, which is great for reading, browsing the web, and writing. The base configuration is a Full HD+ (1920 x 1200) display, and you can upgrade it to add a touchscreen or a Privacy Guard to hide the contents of your screen from potential snooping. There's also a 2.2K IPS display if you just need a little extra sharpness or a 2.8K OLED panel, which is incredibly sharp and has the benefits of OLED, including true blacks and vivid colors. You even can get Ultra HD+ (3840 x 2400) panel, complete with HDR support.
Some users may find the old-school design of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon a bit boring, but it’s a perfect fit for working environments where you don't want anything too flashy. Plus, it's modern where it matters -- it starts at just 2.48 pounds in weight and measures 15.36mm in thickness, so it's easy to carry anywhere.
Ports and connectivity are also a highlight for the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, with two Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB Type-A ports, HDMI, and a combo audio jack. Many business laptops also offer cellular connectivity, and the ThinkPad X1 Carbon is no exception. You can also choose between 4G LTE or 5G support.
Apple MacBook Pro (2023)
For video and photo editors
The 2023 MacBook Pro models deliver even more performance than their predecessors, while still being incredibly efficient thanks to Apple Silicon. Plus, they have fantastic displays and a premium design.
- Apple M2 Pro and M2 Max chips deliver outstanding performance without sacrificing battery life
- The Mini-LED display is sharp, smooth, and bright
- Three Thunderbolt 4 ports, with some extras also available
- Very expensive, especially with upgrades
- There's a notch,
The MacBook Pro is unique compared to other devices in terms of its specs The 14-inch and 16-inch models are essentially identical, but we'll focus on the larger one because of that bigger screen. It's powered by the Apple M2 Pro or M2 Max, featuring up to 12 CPU cores and 39 GPU cores that deliver outstanding performance while being incredibly efficient. The battery life on these laptops compared to competitors in the Windows space is great, too. On top of that, you can configure the MacBook Pro with up to a massive 96GB of unified memory (RAM), which is built into the chip itself, meaning it can be used by both the GPU and CPU at will. Finally, up to 8TB of SSD storage round out a very powerful machine, albeit an expensive one.
The display on the MacBook Pro 16-inch is equally phenomenal. It's a 16.2-inch panel. The total resolution is 3024 x 1964, which makes for an incredibly sharp screen at this size, and seeing as this is the only configuration available, you're always going to get a fantastic experience. The only blemish on it is the notch at the top, which houses the front-facing 1080p webcam.
With these powerful specs and being an all-aluminum laptop, the MacBook Pro is a bit heavy, starting at 4.7 pounds. Still, it's fairly thin, measuring 16.8mm, and it looks slick with its balanced design, which means it has the same thickness all throughout the chassis.
As for ports, the MacBook Pro 16-inch includes three Thunderbolt 4 connections, but there's a bit of a caveat here. Because it's based on Apple Silicon, you can't use the Thunderbolt port to connect an external GPU but you have the same bandwidth you'd expect for other high-speed Thunderbolt peripherals like storage. Aside from the Thunderbolt ports, the MacBook Pro comes with an HDMI port, a headphone jack with support for high-impedance headphones, a full-size SD card reader, and a MagSafe charging connector.
Acer Aspire 5 (2023, Intel)
Affordable but speedy
Not all laptops with Thunderbolt have to be expensive. There's the new Acer Aspire 5 which is a budget-friendly laptop with 13th-generation Intel CPUs, and a great 16:10 aspect ratio screen.
- Features 13th-generation intel CPUs
- Backlit keyboard
- 16:10 aspect ratio screen
- Mainly made of plastic
- Only can be found at some retailers
Thunderbolt 4 is something of a premium feature in most laptops, so you're usually going to be looking at some hefty prices if you want it. The Acer Aspire 5 bucks that trend and is one of the most affordable laptops you can get with Thunderbolt 4 support, though obviously, it's not going to match the most premium laptops out there in every way.
In terms of performance, the Acer Aspire 5 comes with 13th-generation Intel Core processors, specifically the Core i5-1335U - there are more powerful versions, but we're focusing on what can be considered a budget choice here. That's still a 10-core, 12-thread processor capable of boosting up to 4.6GHz on its performance cores, so you're already getting a great experience for productivity tasks, even at this lower price.
The display will help get your job done. It's a 15.6-inch panel with a 1920x1200 resolution. Above that, there's an FHD webcam, which is more acceptable for everyday video calls. Windows Hello facial recognition is not supported, which is also fairly typical for cheap laptops like this.
The rest of the design is fairly basic, being a standard clamshell laptop. It doesn't look overly unique, but that's to be expected with a budget-oriented machine. At 17.78mm of thickness and 3.9 pounds, it's not the slimmest device out there, but considering it's a 15-inch laptop, it's still fairly portable and certainly a machine you can take almost anywhere.
Of course, the highlight here is that the laptop has a Thunderbolt 4 port, and it's indeed just one. Still, you can use a dock to increase the number of ports your laptop has, connect multiple displays, or even an external GPU. Otherwise, you get a wide range of ports, including three USB Type-A connections, HDMI, RJ45 Ethernet, and a headphone jack. This is actually a very good setup, even if you don't rely on Thunderbolt that much.
Best Thunderbolt 4 laptops in 2023: Final thoughts
That's it for the best laptops you can buy with Thunderbolt 4 support. There are definitely a lot of choices here, and thus there's something for everyone. If you're looking for the absolute best laptop with Thunderbolt 4, though, it's Galaxy Book 3 Pro. It has two Thunderbolt 4 ports and has a stunning AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It's also super-premium, made of aluminum, and has extra ports you might need like HDMI, USB-A, and a microSD card reader.
Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Pro
A solid everyday laptop
The Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Pro is a fantastic laptop with a premium design, stunning display, and two Thunderbolt 4 ports for all the peripherals you need.
As we mentioned at the start, most of the laptops here are running Intel processors, so there are plenty of other options. You can go for the Spectre x360 should you want a more compact 2-in-1 with Thunderbolt, or even consider the Razer Blade 16 and XPS 17 for a bigger and more powerful laptop with Thunderbolt. But if you're more of an AMD fan and you don't care about Thunderbolt, check out the best AMD Ryzen laptops you can buy today.