Thunderbolt Share: Using Multiple PCs to Handle Demanding Workflows

The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence has significantly increased demand for developers who can create new AI-powered programs and applications. But processing, analyzing or training with vast amounts of data can strain even a powerful PC’s bandwidth, making it difficult to multitask with other applications working in the background.

It’s a pain point that can be solved by connecting two computers. Intel’s Thunderbolt™ Share software lets users easily connect two Windows® PCs to share screens and to control using a single keyboard, mouse and storage. Using a PC’s existing Thunderbolt™ 4 or Thunderbolt™ 5 port, a single cable provides secure high-speed, low-latency compute for file-sharing and screen-sharing. One of the PCs or accessories needs to be Thunderbolt Share-licensed.

“AI uses language models, and those models are huge. So maybe you’re working and tweaking a model, but then you need to send it over to another PC to test it. This whole idea of developers and AI and moving mass amounts of data is huge for Thunderbolt Share,” said Lyle Warnke, technical marketing engineer at Intel. “It’s not having to go over my Wi-Fi network, which is slow, or the cloud, which is even slower, or use an external drive, which takes time and is not very efficient. This is private. I'm not going to the cloud, no one will ever see my data because it’s simply going from one PC to the other over a cable.”

Most computers, Windows and Apple, are equipped with a Thunderbolt port. It looks the same as a USB-C port and is designated by a lightning symbol. While it can be used as a USB-C port, which typically has a 10 gigabit per second bandwidth rate to transfer information, the use of a Thunderbolt cable boosts the speed 4x to a 40 gigabit per second bandwidth or 8x to an 80 gigabit per second bandwidth with Thunderbolt 5.

Thunderbolt Share software can be downloaded and installed on Windows PCs with Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 5 ports. The software checks that at least one PC or Thunderbolt accessory, such as a dock, monitor or storage, is Thunderbolt Share-licensed by the manufacturer, then allows the connected PCs to share resources. The first licensed PCs and docks are available now, with more coming in 2025.

At CES 2025, Thunderbolt Share’s screen-share capabilities were on display with a laptop directly connected via a Thunderbolt cable and port to a powerful desktop playing Marvel Rivals. The desktop handled the heavy task of running the game, while the laptop managed the streaming workload using Thunderbolt Share and OBS (Open Broadcaster Software). Both were controlled on one screen. (Credit: Intel Corporation)

At CES 2025, Thunderbolt Share’s screen-share capabilities were on display with a laptop directly connected via a Thunderbolt cable and port to a powerful desktop playing Marvel Rivals. The desktop handled the heavy task of running the game, while the laptop managed the streaming workload using Thunderbolt Share and OBS (Open Broadcaster Software). Both were controlled on one screen. (Credit: Intel Corporation)

A laptop powered by an Intel Core Ultra 200 series processor displays Thunderbolt 4 ports at CES 2025 in Las Vegas in January 2025. (Credit: Intel Corporation)

A laptop powered by an Intel Core Ultra 200 series processor displays Thunderbolt 4 ports at CES 2025 in Las Vegas in January 2025. (Credit: Intel Corporation)

More Jobs Require More Than One Computer

Using multiple computers is more common than many think. But before the introduction of Thunderbolt Share in 2024, there was no easy method to connect two Windows PCs directly with a cable.

“This is the productivity part that we see for business users that’s so great,” Warnke said. “Maybe I have a desktop and it's doing my finance stuff, but I've got my laptop that's doing email and PowerPoint, but I just want to use the one desk monitor area.”

Enthusiast gamers and professional creators often use two to three computers for more flexibility, reduced system strain and the ability to dedicate machines to specific tasks. The more computers used, the better the workflow and the fewer bottlenecks.

For example, a visual artist will have a powerful desktop for intensive tasks like video editing, AI video creation, 3D rendering or graphic design. Those applications take most of the desktop’s bandwidth to run smoothly. That creator will likely also have a laptop for portability in attending client meetings, presentations or on-location shoots. And they might have a third, older PC in use as a dedicated server.

Ben Hacker, general manager of Intel Client Connectivity Division, explains it this way: “If I'm a creator, I have a laptop and a desktop simultaneously running multiple applications; my laptop may be running different applications than my desktop, but I want to use them together. Thunderbolt Share allows me to utilize my high-resolution, large monitor with both computers without having to buy a KVM to switch between the two.”

Everyday Uses of Thunderbolt Share

Screen sharing is among the most powerful operations for Thunderbolt Share, comprising over 50% of Thunderbolt Share’s usage, Hacker says. Other key features include:

• Easily drag and drop files quickly between computers.
• Sync entire folders between computers.
• Get up and running on a new PC fast with an easy transfer of files from the old to the new PC.

Even for mainstream professionals, Thunderbolt Share is a time-saver. It allows anyone to quickly transfer a project directly to a home computer or to share large files with colleagues or clients without using an external hard drive.

That direct connection helps ensure security and privacy. No more worrying about misplacing an external hard drive or sending sensitive information through a third-party file transfer site that might not be able to handle large data files. Thunderbolt Share is that direct PC-to-PC connection that doesn’t need Wi-Fi or the cloud, so files stay in the user’s control.

For gamers who want to stream their content, it’s easy to see how controlling two computers with a single keyboard and mouse helps ensure high performance and smooth game play. At Intel’s Tech Showcase at CES 2025, a laptop was connected to a desktop playing the Marvel Rivals game with a Thunderbolt cable and port. It enabled seamless sharing of displays, audio, common peripherals and storage. The desktop handled the heavy task of running the game, while the laptop managed the streaming workload using Thunderbolt Share and OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) – and both could be controlled on one screen.

“We know that right now is a perfect time for Thunderbolt Share because people do have more than one PC. And with Thunderbolt being a mainstream port, it's very likely your second PC also has Thunderbolt, and you can have this type of experience,” Warnke said. “Two PCs can be better than one. Connecting two PCs with Thunderbolt Share helps improve your multitasking and productivity. It’s easy, it’s fast and efficient.”

At CES 2025, Thunderbolt Share received a CES Innovation Award in the Computer Hardware and Components category, as well as The Shortcut’s award for Best Software.