PCs with USB4 on the front panel
USB4
— USB4 is a version of the USB interface introduced in 2019. It uses only USB C connectors (remember, this is a two-way connector slightly larger than microUSB) and differs markedly from previous versions of USB. One of the key differences is that USB4 does not have its own data format – instead, such a connection is used to transfer information according to several standards at once: USB 3.2 and DisplayPort as mandatory, as well as PCI-E as an option. Another feature is that USB4 is based on Thunderbolt v3 and uses the same USB C connector; this often makes USB4 devices and connectors compatible with Thunderbolt v3 (although this is not strictly required), and in Thunderbolt v4 support for this interface is built-in. It is also worth noting that this version of USB allows to connect devices in a "chain" (daisy chain) and by default supports Power Delivery technology, which allows to optimize the process of charging external gadgets (provided that they also implement this technology).The maximum data transfer rate for such a connector should be at least 10 Gbps, in fact, there are often options for 20 Gbps and even 40 Gbps (depending on the technologies and standards supported by a particular port). At the same time, the USB4 inputs are quite compatible with peripherals for earlier USB versions – except that an adapter is required for devices with a full-size USB-A plug.