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USB4 is on the Horizon

May 7, 2020

The next generation of USB4 is coming, but what does it mean for the end user? Lifehacker posted information about the details of the new connector. USB4 is supposed to be twice as fast as the current USB 3.2 standard. That means the data transfer rate will be up to 40Gbps. Current USB cables have send and receive "lanes" for data transfer. USB4 will be able to switch the "lanes" to be in the same direction, resulting in up to 80Gbps sending or receiving. Fast charging will also be supported in USB4. Tom's Hardware also describes some details of USB4.

"A big part of the USB 4 spec is the ability to dynamically adjust the amount of resources that are available when you are sending both video and data over the same connection. So, let's say that you have USB 4 with a 40 Gbps maximum and you're outputting to a 4K monitor while copying a ton of files from an external SSD. And let's stipulate that the video feed needs about 12.5 Gbps. In that case, USB 4 would allocate the remaining 27.5 Mbps to your backup drive."

USB4 will use the type-C connector and be backward compatible with the previous USB specs. Don't expect to see USB4 until the end of this year at the earliest. You're more likely to see devices with USB4 at the beginning of 2021.

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