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USB4 Version 2.0 announced with up to double the standard's current top speed

USB4 accessories might get a boost soon. (Source: Cable Matters)
USB4 accessories might get a boost soon. (Source: Cable Matters)
The USB Promoter Group has unveiled specifications for USB4 Version 2.0, the next-gen standard for type-C ports that might increase data-transfer speeds by 2x, even through some existing cables. It is also rated as compatible with its PCIe and DisplayPort counterparts, and may improve performance for some USB 3.2 devices.
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The USB4 standard was originally announced with up to 40 gigabits per second (Gb/s) of "data performance" over USB Implementers Forum- (USB-IF) certified cables. That was the first iteration, however, and now there is a second rated to bring its top speed up to no less than 80Gb/s.

This new maximal top speed is based on a new architecture of the bus' physical layer; nevertheless, the USB Promoter Group (a division of the USB-IF) asserts that it will work over existing type-C cables (with the requisite certification, of course), although there is a new "active" definition for the next generation of those accessories that will launch with the 80Gb/s spec.

There is also something in the new specs for USB 3.2 devices: data tunneling over this protocol is rated to break its normal 20Gb/s limit over USB4 Version 2.0. The standard's upgrades are also touted to deliver full compatibility with those of DisplayPort and PCIe.

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2022 09 > USB4 Version 2.0 announced with up to double the standard's current top speed
Deirdre O'Donnell, 2022-09- 5 (Update: 2022-09- 7)