Japanese company Elecom has revealed its first cables that comply with the newly introduced USB4 2.0 standard, which debuted in early September. These cables can reach speeds of up to 80 Gbit/s in both directions and support 8K/60Hz video signals through DisplayPort passthrough. For reference, the previous USB4 and Thunderbolt 4 standards only offer 40 Gbit/s maximum and can handle video transmission up to 4K/60Hz.
Enhanced Power Delivery
A key upgrade is in the power delivery capability, which now hits a maximum of 240 watts. This advancement means that power-hungry gadgets like gaming laptops and high-performance workstations can be powered effectively. However, it's important to note that not all USB4 2.0 cables from Elecom will support this full power output. The manufacturer has announced cables rated for both 60 and 240 watts.
Availability and Market Launch
Elecom's USB4 2.0 cables are expected to hit the market around mid-December 2024, but initially, they will only be sold in Japan. There's no information yet on when they might be available in other regions.
Currently, there are no motherboards available that support USB4 2.0 natively. To take full advantage of the new USB standard's capabilities, users will need to install a USB4 2.0 controller as an expansion card in their PCs.
Comparison with Thunderbolt 5
Intel’s Thunderbolt 5 standard, which is already integrated into devices such as the Razer Blade 18 gaming laptop and Kensington's SD5000T5 EQ docking station, also supports speeds of 80 Gbit/s. However, it features asymmetric bandwidth distribution, allowing up to 120 Gbit/s for demanding video tasks, making it particularly suitable for 8K streaming.
