ASUS ThunderboltEX II: What You Need To Know

ASUS has just announced its new ThunderboltEX II PCI-Express card will be available in early 2014, with its Z87-Pro motherboard already certified. If you're curious to add a Thunderbolt 2 to your motherboard, here's the breakdown about the new 'EX II.

The Intel Thunderbolt 2 Specification

For those unfamiliar with Intel Thunderbolt 2, have a read on its specification.

• 20Gbps bi-directional bandwidth versus USB 3's current 5Gbps
• DisplayPort 1.2 capable with 4K video throughput (simultaneous to data)
• Daisy-chain up to 6 devices

What does the ThunderboltEX II offer?

The ThunderboltEX II offers an easy way to upgrade several ASUS motherboards to offer the new, faster Thunderbolt 2 connection to external devices, without having to upgrade to a whole new motherboard.

How much is it?

The price will be announced by each region independently, at launch.

What is in the retail package?

• 1x ASUS ThunderboltEX II PCI-Express card
• 1x DisplayPort pass-through cable
• 1x TB_HEADER cable
• 1x miniDP to DP adapter (for loop cable)
• User manual
• Driver disc

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What motherboards are compatible with the ThunderboltEX II?

• MAXIMUS VI EXTREME
• SABERTOOTH Z87
• Z87-PRO
• Z87-PRO(V EDITION)
• Z87-PLUS
• Z87-PLUS(VivoMouse EDITION)
• Z87-A
• Z87-A(NFC EXPRESS EDITION)

How does the card work?

1. Next month check the list, and make sure your motherboard is compatible!
2. Update your BIOS to the latest available version that includes ThunderboltEX II enhancements
3. Plug-in the ThunderboltEX II card into the bottom PCI-Express 2.0 4x slot
4. Connect the TB_HEADER cable between ThunderboltEX II and motherboard header
5. If you are using an Apple Thunderbolt display, connect the DisplayPort from motherboard to ThunderboltEX II card, before connecting a Thunderbolt cable to the display. (Any other monitor will wire-up directly via a standard connection such as HDMI or DisplayPort, so ignore this part)
6. Install the ThunderboltEX II drivers from disc or ASUS website product page
7. Power on and connect to your Thunderbolt device

Why can't every motherboard use it?

The requirement for Thunderbolt 2 is as follows:

• A PCI-Express 2.0 4x port connected to the PCH
• A TB_HEADER pin-out
• An onboard DisplayPort
• Validation by Intel to ensure performance and compatibility
• An updated BIOS that adds ThunderboltEX II enhancements

Is Thunderbolt 2 compatible with my Thunderbolt 1 device?

Yes, it's fully backward compatible with existing Thunderbolt devices.