USB data · 2022
USB4 Version 2.0 (80 Gbps)
80 Gbps both ways, or 120 Gbps one way for displays, over the same USB-C plug.
- data: 80 Gbps (120 asymmetric)
- video: DisplayPort 2.1 tunnelled
- power: up to 240 W with EPR
Spec card
- Link rate
- 80 Gbit/s symmetric; 120/40 Gbit/s asymmetric
- Signalling
- PAM3 (three-level), Gen 4
- Video
- DisplayPort 2.1 tunnelling
- PCIe
- PCIe 4.0 tunnelling
- Cables
- USB 80Gbps cables; existing USB4 40Gbps passive cables also run at 80 Gbps
Also sold as USB 80GbpsUSB4 Gen 4USB4 v2
The cable you need
A cable marked USB 80Gbps, or an existing passive USB4 40Gbps / Thunderbolt 4 passive cable.
Watch out for
- Active (long) 40 Gbps cables stay at 40 Gbps.
Version 2.0 doubles USB4 by changing how bits are signalled rather than the wires: PAM3 sends three voltage levels instead of two, which is how existing passive 40 Gbps cables manage 80 Gbps. Active 40 Gbps cables, which contain a fixed-speed retimer, do not get the upgrade.
Its asymmetric mode turns three of the four lanes one way, giving 120 Gbps towards a display and 40 Gbps back. That matters for multiple high-refresh or 8K monitors from a single laptop port. Thunderbolt 5 is Intel's certified version of this link.