Expect to see the technology from this November

In 1996, seven of the biggest names in personal computing came together to create a new interface standard for computers to replace the array of different ports on the back of desktops. The tech was called a universal serial bus, and 20 years on, we’re still trying to plug it in the right way on the first try. As the standard has aged, it’s been updated, adding new features and allowing for greater data transfer rates. The last major update came in 2019 when the USB Implementers Forum announced USB4, doubling the top speed of data transfers. Now, the USB-IF has announced version 2.0 of the standard.

You won’t be able to get your hands on the 80Gbps transfer speeds until at least November, according to the announcement from the USB Promoter Group, so in the meantime, you’ll have to sate yourself with the pittance that is 40Gbps. Along with the new bandwidth, expect updates to USB’s data tunneling capabilities to make the best use of all that data.

So who’s the target for this new standard that can stream The Lord of the Rings Extended Edition in less than 30 seconds? People who use USB-C hubs. A laptop or Chromebook with a USB4 v2.0 hub will be able to handle displaying to external monitors while hooked up to an external graphics card or transferring data from an external hard drive (thanks PCIe tunneling!).

The new standard will continue to use the USB-C connector, which means if you’ve already got a USB4-compliant cable, you can expect up to 80Gbps on USB4 v2.0 ports when they arrive. If you want to be on the cutting edge, look for the new active USB cables that will mitigate bandwidth loss as the cable length increases.

All that raises the point that the USB-C ecosystem is becoming a bit of a mess, and you’ll have to pay extra attention to what you’re buying. There are many USB-C cables out there that do a bunch of different things. Some only supply power, others only support USB 2.0, and others are made for the Thunderbolt standard. There’s a lot of diversity out there, and you can’t rely on the manufacturers to make it easy for you.

Daniel writes guides, explainers, and technology news. He especially likes deep diving into niche topics that require more than scratching the surface. He's been writing in newspapers, magazines, and blogs for over 20 years writing hard news, entertainment, and science stories. When not writing he enjoys reading science fiction, playing music, and raising a rambunctious toddler. The devices you'll find him using every day are his Pixel 4a, Acer 311 Chromebook, and Amazon Fire HD 10. As soon as he saves up some money he's getting a 3D printer.