PC motherboard manufacturers have now implemented 40 Gbps USB4, leading to speculation about the future of this widely used connectivity standard. The next iteration is USB4 2.0, offering a remarkable 80 Gbps of data bandwidth in each direction, along with 60 W of power delivery (PD). With USB4 2.0, power delivery can reach up to 240 W (48 V, 5 A). Elecom, a Japanese PC peripherals maker, is the first to introduce certified cables supporting both 80 Gbps + 60 W PD and 80 Gbps + 240 W PD. These cables not only provide power and data transfer capabilities but also enable DisplayPort passthrough for resolutions up to 8K @ 60 Hz (7680 x 4320 pixels).
The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), the organization overseeing the USB standard, is set to officially launch USB4 2.0 in December 2024. To fully utilize the capabilities of USB4 2.0, a typical host controller will need a PCI-Express 5.0 x4 system bus connection to achieve the maximum bandwidth.
