Intel has announced a new feature for Thunderbolt designed to make life easier for folks with both a laptop and a desktop (or just two different PCs they use frequently). Thunderbolt Share allows two PCs to be "networked" together via Thunderbolt to share files, their screens, and connected devices. Intel says this feature is now available to PC OEMs, who can license the technology for their prebuilt PCs, so DIY PC builders can't partake in the fun.
Thunderbolt Share lets two PCs be connected in several ways. Both can be connected with a physical Thunderbolt cable via a licensed Thunderbolt dock or with both PCs connected to a Thunderbolt display. For example, you'd have a laptop with a Thunderbolt 4 or 5 cable going from the laptop to a desktop PC, and then the PC connected to a monitor. You can then operate both computers on the same display with a mouse and keyboard, share files between them, and so forth. The connection between the computers is established via a new app that has to be downloaded onto both computers, but only one PC has to have a license for Thunderbolt Share.
Once the connection is established, you can perform various activities to share resources between the two PCs using a high-bandwidth connection. For example, you can drag and drop files between the two computers directly in File Explorer or sync folders between them, such as Documents, Pictures, etc. You can also use the feature as a KVM of sorts, as it lets you control the other computer. That allows you to see the display of the second PC and control it with the attached mouse and keyboard. Intel says you can also plug an external drive into the second PC and access it from the first one, reducing the amount of "sneakernet" in your household.
One caveat is that this feature is only supported by the newest versions of Thunderbolt, 4 and 5. Version 5 was just announced last year and isn't prominent in the marketplace, though version 4 is, at least for laptops, which brings us to the other caveat: Thunderbolt isn't something you find on many desktop computers. Intel has stated that its upcoming Arrow Lake desktop chips will support Thunderbolt 5, so perhaps it's about to become more common. Finally, Intel says it's only being licensed to OEMs, and they can choose whether they want to offer it as a "value add" to their prebuilt computers, so DIY PC builders will not have access to it.
Intel says Thunderbolt Share will be available in prebuilt PCs and accessories in the second half of 2024. Companies such as Lenovo, Acer, MSI, Razer, Kensington, Belkin, Promise, Plugable, OWC, and others will begin offering compatible products later this year.