USB4, the current version of the universal computer interface, gets an update. With USB4 in version 2.0, the maximum data transfer rate is to be doubled to 80 Gbit/s. The protocol updates should also ensure better performance when tunneling USB 3.2, DisplayPort and PCIe.
The chaos of names never ends
Many will throw up their hands over their heads at the title of the message, because the USB standards with their unfortunate naming can hardly be overlooked. For example, USB4 Gen 2×2 with 20 Gbit/s or USB4 Gen 3×2 with the previous maximum speed of 40 Gbit/s can be behind “USB4”. “USB 3.0” became USB 3.2 Gen 1 with 5 Gbit/s in the course of the renaming. But there is also USB 3.2 Gen 2 with 10 Gbit/s or USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 with 20 Gbit/s.
Now the USB Promoter Group, as the body responsible for the standards, is perfecting the chaos in the latest version as well.
USB4 2.0 with twice the throughput
With USB4 2.0, the maximum speed via the USB-C connector increases to 80 Gbit/s. Whether new cables will be necessary for this is only vaguely formulated. When using existing, passive USB-C cables, “up to 80 Gbps” the speech. But there are also new active USB-C cables for guaranteed 80 Gbit/s. There is backward compatibility with USB4 version 1.0, USB 3.2 and Thunderbolt 3.
- Up to 80 Gbps operation, based on a new physical layer architecture, using existing 40 Gbps USB Type-C passive cables and newly-defined 80 Gbps USB Type-C active cables.
- Updates to data and display protocols to better use the increase in available bandwidth
- USB data architecture updates now enable USB 3.2 data tunneling to exceed 20 Gbps.
- Updated to align with the latest versions of the DisplayPort and PCIe specifications.
- Backward compatibility with USB4 Version 1.0, USB 3.2, USB 2.0 and Thunderbolt™ 3.
Also speeds up tunneling with DisplayPort and PCIe
Also the tunneling of data or tunneling, since the term comes from English, should be accelerated with USB4 2.0. This means the translation and transmission of data into other protocols. The modern USB interfaces with C-connectors can, for example, also transmit image and network signals.
Protocol updates are promised with USB4 2.0, with which USB 3.2, DisplayPort and PCI Express should also benefit from the increased bandwidth. For example, USB 3.2 allows tunneling with more than 20 Gbit/s. Furthermore, the interface with the “latest versions of the DisplayPort and PCIe specifications“ to be updated. So this would mean support for DisplayPort 2.0 as well as PCIe 5.0.
However, details on USB4 Version 2.0 will only be available later, probably before the USB DevDays in November, when the final specifications will be published.
The already long list of previous USB standards will thus become even longer. The problem that users first have to take a close look at what exactly “USB4” means in a product is then aggravated even further.