Maybe this should be titled; Thunderbolt 2: Return of the Thunderbolt. But, in any case, the successor to the original has been formalized by Intel with an un-original name but some pretty awesome specifications. Originally known as the slightly more exciting "Falcon Ridge," Intel demonstrated the new Thunderbolt for the first time at the NAB show in April.

Importantly, the output has been doubled to 20Gbps, and Thunderbolt 2 is capable of transferring and displaying 4K video simultaneously. Impressive to say the least. The inclusion of Displayport 1.2 also means that video streaming is possible to one 4K monitor, or dual QHD monitors. And, for those of us already invested in a bunch of Thunderbolt accessories, Thunderbolt 2 is backwards compatible, so you aren't going to have to start all over again.

Production is set to begin this year, ramping up as we go in to 2014. There's a lot more nerdy information available from Intel at the source link below, so who's excited for this?

Source: Intel