He Forum Works for USB (USB-IF), the body responsible for managing the USB levels used by the industry on our devices, published a few months ago for the final review of this standard, called USB 4.0 or just USB4, with many advances under the arm. The first devices will install USB 4.0 they will arrive in 2020, so it's a good time to see what it brings us with the current USB 3.0 and 3.1 to determine whether or not it is worth investing in this technology.
More speed, but it will depend on the cable
Although compatibility with Thunderbolt 3 This policy will be optional (so we'll see compatible devices and they won't be available), USB 4.0 based on its specifications, provided by Intel to USB-IF so they can use it. Because of this, among the many improvements that USB 4.0 will bring compared to the previous generation two speeds, now it will reach 40 Gbps
However, in this case it will need to use two-way cables and multiple channels simultaneously for data and video to input their bandwidth, which means that not all cables will configure them, and we will definitely see devices limited to 20 Gbps or 10 Gbps. In theory the speed is never lower than that 10 Gbps currently offered is USB 3.1 Gen.2 standard, but the bad part is that the wires won't be pointed so they know what speed they support, and we'll be forced to check the specifications of each device to know.
Of course, keep in mind that as with the current generation, not all USB 4.0 devices will achieve such speed as it will depend on the controller and the device itself.
The USB-C connector, back-up compatible with everything, and charges quickly
We already know the type of USB-C converter connector, which is increasingly used by many devices today. USB 4.0 will also use this type of connector, which will make things much easier for manufacturers and users, and will be back compatible with almost all previous levels, including USB 3.2, USB 3.0, USB 2.0 and Thunderbolt 3
Similarly, faster charging operations will be mandatory at this level. Already some USB-C 3.2 devices are supported by USB power charging and faster charging, but now all the wires and devices will need support, which will greatly benefit laptops and smartphones / tablets, as it will provide load power up to 100 watts.
This adds better compatibility with mobile and portable devices, since USB 4.0 will allow multiple devices to be simultaneously connected to the same port without affecting power, latency or speed. This means that, for example, we have a monitor with an external SSD connected to the same USB-C port, if the hacker needs 3 Gbps of bandwidth, all the other devices can use the rest of the bandwidth.
In summary, these are the benefits offered by USB 4.0 or USB4 compared to previous levels:
- High speed of 40 Gbps, same for Thunderbolt 3.
- Almost complete harmony back.
- Better video management services.
- Quick charging function
- It will store USB-C connectors.
When can we use USB 4.0 devices?
Specification came out in September 2019, and if we stick to its predecessor, with the announcement of the USB 3.0 device the first devices first arrive on the market about six months later, which means when all goes well. by mid-2020 We will already be seeing devices with USB 4.0 on the market.
However, AMD is already planning to incorporate this new standard into its motherboards, at least for the next generation of Threadripper boards with sTRX4 socket.
This post is all that the new USB 4.0 standard brings us in comparison to the current USB 3.0 that first appeared on HardZone.