One of the new products shown at Computex 2025 that definitely deserves the attention of computer enthusiasts is the Sparkle Thunderbolt video card. This concept can give new life to something that once seemed lost – video output via USB-C in video cards. If you use displays with USB Type-C or dream of a simple connection «one cable», this development is definitely for you.
Following the failure of NVIDIA’sVirtualLink and the limited implementation of USB-C video output on some Radeon models, it seemed that such a convenient feature had disappeared from discrete graphics cards forever. However, Intel and Sparkle decided to change the situation. Sparkle has presented the concept of Project Thundermage video card based on Intel Arc, which has a built-in Thunderbolt 5 port.
Thunderbolt 5 is official presented more than a year ago, but until now it can only be found on flagship laptops. Now, it seems, the time has come for its active distribution. Several Thunderbolt 5 solutions for external GPUs were shown at Computex 2025, and Sparkle Thundermage was particularly interesting among them.
The Thundermage graphics card is equipped with the Intel Barlow Ridge controller, which provides:
In other words, a single cable can carry video, data, and power simultaneously. This opens up a lot of possibilities for connecting displays, docking stations, and peripherals without the need for adapters or power from separate sources.
The project is primarily aimed at compact PCs and content creators who have long used Thunderbolt in their daily work. If you have a USB-C monitor or work with docking stations, you will definitely appreciate the convenience of this connection without unnecessary cables and power supplies.
And although Thundermage — is still just a concept, its demonstration shows that the idea has not been forgotten. On the contrary, it is getting a new lease of life at a time when the industry is ready for flexible and compact solutions. The only thing left to do is wait for the idea to be realized in a commercial device and find out its price.
Source: videocardz