Finally, USB 4 2.0 is available with most high-end motherboards released recently. Connectivity, formalized in 2019, is starting to become more popular and we can say it, it’s not too early. On the program here, a theoretical speed of 80 Gbit/s, i.e. 5 times that of USB 3.2 Gen 2 x 2 connectivity, but also ultra-fast charging, however, there is still one detail to be resolved on this side .
The first cables and computers equipped with USB 4 2.0 connectivity are finally on the market, with this, a charging power of 240 watts, in addition to incredible speeds, allowing ultra-fast data transfer, but also to connect even more single connector devices.
This connection also offers the possibility of passing an 8K video stream at 60 Hz, i.e. a definition of 7680 x 4320 pixels. For now, however, it will still take a little time before we see many computer models equipped with this new connection, but you can already equip yourself with cables!
Windows 11 already includes USB 4 2.0
We note that Microsoft has already started preparing Windows 11 for USB 4 2.0 in Insider versions. However, PC and device manufacturers will need to incorporate support for PCI-Express 5.0 x4 bus connections in order to fully exploit the high bandwidth that USB 4 2.0 allows.
Unfortunately, this means next-generation hardware is required, meaning you’ll have to buy new motherboards or a laptop to take advantage of it.
It should be mentioned that theUSB4 2.0 is theoretically capable of delivering up to 120 Gbpsalthough this is limited to a single direction and requires an asymmetrical configuration. This configuration makes it possible to maintain a throughput of 40 Gbit/s in the other direction. However, there is a problem. Indeed, regarding charging, we announce cables supporting 240 watts, or 48V / 5A. However, the number of chargers offering this speed on a single port is still excessively limited. We will therefore have to wait for new chargers to take full advantage of such powers.
The new standard is also backward compatible with previous USB versions, including USB 4 Version 1.0, USB 3.2, USB 2.0 and even Thunderbolt 3.
