Thunderbolt 3 becomes USB4? - Intel Contributes Thunderbolt 3 to Create USB4 Specification
Thunderbolt is becoming USB4?
Published: 4th March 2019 | Source: Intel |
Thunderbolt 3 becomes USB4? - Intel Contributes Thunderbolt 3 to Create USB4 Specification
Today, the USB Promoter Group has revealed its USB4 specification, which thanks to the contribution of Intel's Thunderbolt standard will offer 40Gbps of bandwidth, a 2x improvement over USB 3.2 Gen 2X2.
Yes, this means that Intel has handed over Thunberbolt 3.0 to the USB Promoter group, effectively allowing Thunderbolt 3 to become the next iteration of USB, while also maintaining full backwards compatibility with USB 3.2, USB 2.0 and Thunderbolt 3.
So why would Intel do this? The answer is simple, market adoption and competition. Starting with Ice Lake, an upcoming 10nm processor from Intel, the company plans to integrate Thunderbolt 3.0 directly onto their processor. This will likely make them the first to support USB4, a factor which will place AMD at a disadvantage until they can offer USB4 support in their devices.
In a single move, Intel has ensured that their Thunderbolt standard will be adopted by every major manufacturer, while also giving them a clear advantage over their competition when it comes to implementing USB4 support. Thanks to Thunderbolt much of the software/hardware ecosystem for USB4 has already been built, which means that we should see USB4 devices relatively quickly.
The USB Promoter Group today announced the pending release of the USB4 specification, a major update to deliver the next generation USB architecture that compliments and builds on the existing USB 3.2 and USB 2.0 architectures. The USB4 architecture is based on the Thunderbolt™ protocol specification recently contributed by Intel Corporation. It doubles the bandwidth of USB and enables multiple simultaneous data and display protocols.
The new USB4 architecture defines a method to share a single high-speed link with multiple end device types dynamically that best serves the transfer of data by type and application. As the USB Type-C™ connector has evolved into the role as the external display port of many host products, the USB4 specification provides the host the ability to optimally scale allocations for display data flow. Even as the USB4 specification introduces a new underlying protocol, compatibility with existing USB 3.2, USB 2.0 and Thunderbolt 3 hosts and devices is supported; the resulting connection scales to the best mutual capability of the devices being connected.
The USB4 specification will be published in the middle of 2019, which will launch alongside an updated USB Type-C specification, which will accommodate the changed that are brought in by USB4 and the standard's updated power requirements. USB claims that over 50 companies are actively working on the draft specification.
A full technical summary of the USB4 standard will be provided at the USB Developers Days 2019 event, that said, we expect USB4 to be, for the most part, a modified version of Thunderbolt 3.
You can join the discussion on Intel Contributing Thunderbolt 3 to create USB4 on the OC3D Forums.
Most Recent Comments
I mean it was inevitable after Intel made the announcement to go royalty free that they would just integrate it with USB since they already used the form factor.Quote
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Originally Posted by NeverBackDown
And in the other thread when I suggested we just use thunderbolt everyone told me off.. looks like I was right lol
I mean it was inevitable after Intel made the announcement to go royalty free that they would just integrate it with USB since they already used the form factor. |
The spec releases in Summer 2019, so devices won't ship until way after that. Earliest we will see this is with Ice Lake in 2020, assuming Ice Lake is on track.Quote
Intel say they're still going to push the Thunderbolt brand separately, so it seems this will be similar to how FreeSync is technically a part of the DP standard but is in no way a guaranteed feature. There's also no indication they aren't also working on Thunderbolt4 to take advantage of PCIe4.0's gains as Thunderbolts controller relies heavily on PCIe lanes(Which is also why it isn't practical in many areas USB is currently used) so this could be Intel essentially just opening up their outdated tech & letting it trickle down.Quote
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Originally Posted by WYP
It makes a lot of sense for Intel to do this. Now Thunderbolt will be everywhere and Intel is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the technology early on. They already have CPU silicon in the works that will integrate Thunderbolt, so it is going to be super easy for Intel to take advantage of USB 4.0 early on.
The spec releases in Summer 2019, so devices won't ship until way after that. Earliest we will see this is with Ice Lake in 2020, assuming Ice Lake is on track. |
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