USB 4 v2.0 can hit 120Gbps

CyberTech · Oct 1, 2022

The SuperSpeed USB branding is no more thanks to a new set of guidelines currently being rolled out by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), the body that manages and maintains the USB standard.

It’s part of a rebranding initiative that the organization kicked off last year with the introduction of a new series of packaging, port, and cable logos. But with its latest set of branding and logo guidelines it’s going even further, simplifying its legacy branding and signaling the end of the decade-old SuperSpeed branding. If the name doesn’t ring any bells, then that’s probably because you (like most other people) simply referred to it by its USB 3 version number. Alongside it, the USB-IF is also ditching USB4 as a consumer-facing brand name.

The changes came into effect this quarter, and could start appearing on products and packaging as early as by the end of the year, according to the USB-IF’s president and chief operating officer Jeff Ravencraft. But any products that were certified prior to the shift will still be able to use the old brand names.

In a Zoom call, Ravencraft explains that the new branding is designed to prioritize what the standards can actually do, rather than the USB version they’re based on. “As we started to update our branding we did a lot of focus group studies with many different types of consumers,” he tells The Verge, “and none of those people understood the messaging and the branding, and they don’t understand revision control or spec names.”

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USB kills off SuperSpeed branding as it tries to simplify its ubiquitous connector

Focusing entirely on data transfer and charging speeds.

www.theverge.com

CyberTech · Oct 18, 2022

First announced last month, USB4 Version 2.0 now has official specification documents for developers to follow. The USB-IF (USB Implementer's Forum), the governing body for USB, published the new documentation(opens in new tab) on its website, at the same time releasing new "USB 80 Gbps" certification logos that can be used on USB cables and devices that reach the 80 Gbps speed.

USB 4 (technically USB4 but commonly spelled with a space) was announced in 2019 and supports up to 40 Gbps connections while offering cross-compatibility with Thunderbolt 3 and 4. USB 4 version 2.0 doubles the maximum speed to 80 Gbps but can go even higher, up to 120 Gbps in one direction (with 40 Gbps downlink) to power high-resolution monitors.

Using USB4 v2.0's bandwidth, the standard is fully compatible DisplayPort 2.1 and can power a 4K display at up to 240 Hz, or up to a 10K display at 60 Hz, without the need for compression.

"This updated technical specification extends USB4 speed and data protocol performance, enabling manufacturers to develop products that can deliver USB 80 Gbps in addition to existing USB 40 Gbps and USB 20 Gbps to end users," USB-IF CEO Brad Saunders said in an official statement.

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