USB4 is a new generation technical specification of the USB architecture. It is based on the Thunderbolt 3 protocol specification contributed by Intel and is consistent with the Thunderbolt 4 specification. The USB4 architecture can dynamically share a high-speed link with multiple hardware endpoints to provide the fastest data transfer service.
A hard drive enclosure is a device that allows users to connect a hard drive (such as SATA or NVMe) to a computer's USB port. Hard drive enclosures using the USB4 interface can provide higher data transmission speeds, up to 40Gbps, and can transmit PCIe and display data simultaneously. This allows users to access and transfer data stored on the hard drive faster. Whether a hard disk box supports USB4 mainly depends on its main control chip.
Currently, the main control chip that supports USB4 hard disk enclosures is Xiangshuo ASM2464PD.
ASM2464PD is a peripheral device controller using USB4®/Thunderbolt to PCIe/NVMe technology. It is used to connect and manage PCIe and NVMe storage devices to achieve high-speed data transfer. USB4/Thunderbolt technology enables PCIe and USB protocols to be encapsulated into USB4/Thunderbolt transmission channels and tunneled through the USB4/Thunderbolt field. ASM2464PD can be applied in various types of storage devices such as portable SSDs, SSD enclosures, and any other PCIe-based storage products and can be used to expand storage capacity through high-speed data transfer.
The USB connection of ASM2464PD can provide data transfer rate at USB4/Thunderbolt 20Gbps x2 speed, and is compatible with existing traditional USB 3.2 interface, as well as Thunderbolt 3. In addition, the downstream port link of ASM2464PD has also been upgraded to PCIe Gen4 x4 to support various NVM Express-based M.2, CFexpress and U.2 specifications.
ASM2464PD integrates USB4/Thunderbolt Gen3 x2 and PCI Express Gen4, providing 1.9V and 1.05V voltage power supplies. It also integrates USB Type-C CC logic and BMC PHY to support cable orien-tation, flipping, and support for communication over PD protocols, including USB4/TBT3. ASM2464PD uses a local 25MHz crystal oscillator, has a compact package, is compliant with RoHS green standards, and supports multiple GPIO pins for customization.
The ASM2464PD chip can provide high-speed data transmission, supports USB4/Thunderbolt technology, and has a speed of 20Gbps x2. It has multiple storage device compatibility, PCIe Gen4 support and other features, providing users with high-performance, multi-functional peripheral device connection solutions.
