USB 4 is coming: Double speed and greater versatility

Not all devices on the market support USB 3.1 yet. But that's nothing, because there are still no USB 3.2 ports out there, and the USB Promotors Group has already revealed the next version.

We are talking about the USB 4, at which we will probably see a change in the name itself, which will ensure the doubling of the speed of transfers from the predecessor, all due to the unexpected decision of Intel. The manufacturer decided that it will not charge any licensing fees for the Thunderbolt 3 protocol, which will be the basis for the new USB standard, so its use will be definitely cheaper than so far.

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USB 4 will also offer maximum speeds of up to 40 Gb / s, which is twice as high as in the case of USB 3.2 and the same as in the Intel interface. According to Jason Ziller, the head of Client Connectivity at Intel, working with the USB Promoter Group, they're opening the door to innovation in a wide range of devices and consumer experiences to maximize market acceptance of Thunderbolt compatible devices.

It also means a very high versatility of the USB 4 interface, which will be used not only to transfer data, but also to transfer 4K image in 60 fps or power for devices - the maximum power of 100 W is not only sufficient for powering smartphones, tablets or laptops, but even one 5K or two 4K monitors. Of course, we do not have to worry about the compatibility of our devices, because USB 4 will be backwards compatible with Thunderbolt 3, USB 2 and USB 3. Luckily.

It is also worth emphasizing that in order to use the full potential of USB 4, we will need both compatible devices and cables supporting the new standard. These of course appear on the market at the same time, but from a technical point of view they are separate entities, i.e. USB 4 will require USB type C, but not all USB type C cables will be compatible with USB 4 etc. The specification details of the new standard are expected to be in the middle of the year, And the Computex fair, organized in June, seems to be the perfect occasion for this.

As you may understand, we really have a long time to see this new technology in our life. However, it’s good to read that file transfering or streaming systems will be in a higher technology.