Holy Crap, There’s Another USB Format Coming

USB has been a useful universal interface connection through the years, but it sure can be confusing with all the versions. If you aren’t aware, there’s USB 1.0, USB 1.1, USB 2.0, USB 3.0, USB 3.1 (two types), and USB 3.2 (4 types), and USB Type-C. Then there’s the confusion of Thunderbolt 1, 2 and 3 and the differences between them, and the similarities between USB-C and Thunderbolt 3.

Most of us only care about the connector involved and USB has been pretty standard with 3 types of connectors throughout its lifetime. That is, until USB Type-C when the connector changed to the same one used by Thunderbolt 3. And then the big problem that you probably forgot about is the speed differences between them all. This showed up when you plugged a USB 3 device in only to discover that it’s running as slow as molasses because it’s a USB 1 port (or vice versa with a flash drive). The big difference between all of the various types has been speed.

Now to add to the confusion even more, it looks like USB 4 is on the way, and guess what – it uses the same Thunderbolt/USB-C connector that we’re all still learning to love. Get ready for more connection confusion.

To be fair, the new USB 4 standard will have three benefits over earlier versions of USB.

• Max speed of 40 Gbps: Some devices (that’s the magic word here) will be able to operate at up to 40 Gbps, the same speed as Thunderbolt 3.
• Will work with Thunderbolt 3 devices: Some (there’s that word again) USB 4 implementations will also work with Thunderbolt 3 devices.
• Works with video: USB 4 will allocate bandwidth as needed for both audio and video streams.

So it’s kinda sorta compatible with Thunderbolt 3 (important when it comes to new audio interfaces), plus it gives us the added confusion of 3 speeds – 10Gbps, 20Gbps, and 40Gbps. And confusion will reign again.

When it comes to setting up your workstation, you usually only have to go through the torture of having all devices talk to one another once, then it’s down to work. But as anyone who’s purchased a computer in the last year with USB-C ports, it usually takes a few trips to the computer store for some expensive adapters before everything is up and running.

Unfortunately, it looks like USB 4 will guarantee more of this in the future.

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