What is USB-C?
A lot of the confusion stems from the fact that USB-C, or more accurately, USB Type-C, refers to a 24-pin connector. This connector is utilized by various interface protocols, including USB, Thunderbolt, PCIe, HDMI, DisplayPort, among others.
Before this there were USB Type-A connectors, where the "A" indicated the host connector, and USB Type-B connectors, where the "B" signified the device or peripheral connector.
USB Type-C connectors have been designed such that they have the flexibility to serve as either host or device connectors.
What are USB4's features?
High performance: USB4 offers data transfer speeds up to 40 Gbps, doubling the maximum throughput of USB 3.2. This is achieved by using a two-lane operation using the USB Type-C connector and cable.
Compatibility with Thunderbolt 3: One of the most significant aspects of USB4 is its compatibility with Thunderbolt 3 devices and cables, thanks to the underlying technology shared between USB4 and Thunderbolt 3. This ensures a wide range of devices can leverage the high-speed connectivity offered by USB4.
Multiple protocol support: USB4 supports multiple data and display protocols simultaneously. This means it can handle data transfer (like files and storage), display protocols (such as DisplayPort and HDMI), and power delivery through a single USB Type-C connection. This multi-function capability simplifies the user experience and reduces the need for multiple cables and adapters.
Backward compatibility: USB4 is backward compatible with USB 3.2, USB 2.0, and Thunderbolt 3, meaning devices and cables supporting these standards can connect to USB4 ports, albeit at their respective speeds and capabilities.
USB Power Delivery (USB PD) integration: Like its predecessors, USB4 supports USB Power Delivery (USB PD), which allows for power negotiation up to 100W between devices, enabling faster charging and the ability to power larger devices like laptops through a USB connection.
What is Thunderbolt?
Thunderbolt is a protocol designed for connecting devices to computers, initially released in 2011. Nowadays, we're primarily focused on Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4. Both of these advanced protocols utilize the USB-C connector.
The Thunderbolt 3 protocol, introduced by Intel, is a significant update to the Thunderbolt technology, offering advancements in speed, flexibility, and connectivity.
What are the key features of Thunderbolt 3?
It's super-fast: Thunderbolt 3 can move your files and videos at a mind-blowing speed of up to 40 Gbps. That's double the speed of its predecessor and 8 times quicker than USB 3.0!
USB-C connector: The cool, reversible USB-C connector means no more fumbling around trying to plug in your devices. Plus, it's the same port for charging, data, and video, so one port can do it all.
Dual 4K displays: Imagine having two 4K monitors displaying crystal-clear visuals at 60 Hz, or even one mega 5K display.
Link up devices: You can connect up to six devices together with just one Thunderbolt 3 port. It's like having a super-efficient train of gadgets, all talking to each other.
Power up: No more carrying around a bunch of chargers. Thunderbolt 3 can power up your laptop and gadgets, delivering up to 100 watts in total.
External graphics and storage: Hook up external graphics cards for gaming or video editing, and super-fast storage devices directly into your laptop with Thunderbolt 3. It's like giving your laptop a turbo boost!
Backward compatible: Got older USB devices? No problem. Thunderbolt 3 plays nice with them too, ensuring you can still use all your favorite gadgets.
High-speed networking: Share files at lightning speed between computers with a 10 Gb Ethernet connection over Thunderbolt. Say goodbye to slow network transfers.
Stay secure: Thunderbolt 3 has built-in security to keep your devices safe from unauthorized access.
Choose your cable: Whether you need a long cable for convenience (up to 2 meters with active cables) or just a short one for maximum speed at a lower cost (with passive cables), Thunderbolt 3 has you covered.
How is Thunderbolt 4 different from Thunderbolt 3?
Thunderbolt 4 introduces several significant upgrades:
More screen real estate: Thunderbolt 4 supports dual 4K displays or a single 8K display, offering a more immersive visual experience compared to Thunderbolt 3's capabilities.
More power: It can provide up to 100W of power charging from a single port, catering to more demanding devices and ensuring faster charging times.
Even faster data transfers: With PCIe data transfer speeds of up to 32 Gbps, Thunderbolt 4 doubles the data throughput of Thunderbolt 3, making file transfers and data access significantly faster.
Advanced features: The ability to wake a computer from sleep using an external keyboard or mouse connected via a Thunderbolt 4 port adds convenience for users.
Greater security: Thunderbolt 4 includes Direct Memory Access (DMA) protection, enhancing the security against potential threats by preventing unauthorized access to memory.
What features will Thunderbolt 5 have?
On the horizon is Thunderbolt 5, which dramatically improves on Thunderbolt 4:
Supports USB4 2.0 80 Gbit/s specification
Doubles the total bandwidth of Thunderbolt 4 to 80 Gbit/s
Doubles the PCI Express data-throughput to 64 Gbit/s
Support for DisplayPort 2.1
Up to 240W of charging power downstream
Backward compatible with previous versions of Thunderbolt, USB, and DisplayPort
Does this feel familiar? It should, because in terms of functionality, USB4 and Thunderbolt 3 or 4 are quite similar, and for a good reason. In terms of functionality, USB4 and Thunderbolt technologies share a lot in common, with both offering high data transfer rates, the ability to carry multiple types of data and video signals over a single cable, and support for high-power charging.