[hsk0823]

USB 3.X / USB-C / Thunderbolt 3, all of it together is confusing enough for those technical, add marketing speak to the mix and it's just going to end up with a mish mosh of different words that mean absolutely nothing and tell the end user very little.

Add to the fact that everyone is skimping on the actual USB 3 standards and a large amount of shitty products on the market that don't do what they say they do (due to poor quality control, making wires longer than spec expecting them to work to spec), we have to rely on guys like Benson to crowdsource working and non working products.

https://bensonapprovedcom.wordpress.com/

[peterlk]

For real. Why not just call it USB 4.0 and divorce the branding from the technical specification? You can put a thing on the back of the box that says "implements USB specification 3.2.16a-rfc#4619" or whatever.

[zokier]

> Why not just call it USB 4.0 and divorce the branding from the technical specification?

That is exactly what the "SuperSpeed USB" branding is all about. The technical spec is USB 3.whatever and the brand name is " SuperSpeed USB". But neither the press nor vendors seem to be able to stay in the line and actually consistently use only the branding, so here we are

[stephenr]

But SuperSpeed was 5Gbps. Then it was SuperSpeed+.

This was the nice aspect of Firewire - once 1394B was out - everyone referred to them as Firewire 400 and Firewire 800. No ambiguity.

Heck even Thunderbolt does this better - 1 and 2 are interchangeable device/cable-wise, and just support higher speeds, but it's just a new 'version' and it just doubles the bandwidth.

With USB you have to read all the fine print to make sure you get what you want/need.

[zokier]

SuperSpeed+ was never supposed to be exposed to consumers:

> NOTE: SuperSpeed Plus, Enhanced SuperSpeed and SuperSpeed+ are defined in the USB specifications however these terms are not intended to be used in product names, messaging, packaging or any other consumer-facing content.

[stephenr]

Oh great so it's all just meant to be "SuperSpeed".. "How super?" "Guess".

[zokier]

> USB-IF’s recommended nomenclature for consumers is “SuperSpeed USB” for 5Gbps products, “SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps” for 10Gbps products and “SuperSpeed USB 20Gbps” for 20Gbps products

Yes, guess how super “SuperSpeed USB 20Gbps” is

[KSS42]

Maybe be USB4 is already taken/planned?

[stephenr]

USB 4.0 will actually be USB 1.0 with a new name, same speed.

4.1 will be what was USB 1.1

4.2 will be what was USB 2.0

4.3.0 will be what was 3.0.

4.3.1GXY1 will be what was 3.2 1x1 (which was 3.1 Gen 1 (which was 3.0)

4.3.1GXY2 will be what was 3.2 2x1 (which was 3.1)

4.3.2GXY1 will be what was 3.2 2x2

4.4.0 will be double the speed of 4.3.2GXY1 (what was called 3.2 2x2) but will max out at 25mm (~1") cables and provide no power at all.

4.4.1 will be like 4.4.0 but will expand the length to 30cm (~1')

4.4.1ZORB22 will be like 4.4.1 but also carry up to 5W power for bus powered devices.

Go ahead and laugh, and then realise this isn't really that different than what we have now from USB-IF.

[berbec]

This makes just as much sense as the current situation.