Intel could do away with traditional USB ports with USB 4 laptops

Intel could do away with traditional USB ports with USB 4 laptops

The new documentation purports to inform Intel's USB 4 plans, with the USB 4.0 host controller coming in three versions: 0x9A1B, 0x9A1D, and 0x9A13, and this suggests that it won't support larger USB Type-A ports. According to the leak, which was shared on Twitter by @_rogame, a well-known leaker, an internal document mentions how USB 4.0 comes with USB 3.2 support, but does not mention USB 2.0 or USB 1.1 support. While we'd expect USB 4 to be backwards compatible to some degree, this new leak suggests that Intel won't insist that USB 4-enabled laptops also have Type-A ports. Although the number and type of ports depends on the manufacturer, it could mean that most modern laptops will no longer ship with these old ports. If you have devices that use these ports, you'll probably need an adapter.

Intel Processor USB Driver > Device ID 0x9A1B, 0x9A1D, 0x9A13 > Power Delivery 3.0, > USB Type-C > USB 40 Gbps (USB4) pic.twitter.com/tCWOyxnEtHA Aug 10, 2020

Gone but not forgotten

While the loss of Type-A ports will be annoying for people using legacy devices, many laptops don't come with them anyway: MacBooks ditched them years ago. Also, most of the newer devices come with the Type-C connection and will work with USB 4. The leaked specs also suggest Power Delivery 3.0 for charging devices and confirm maximum USB 4 speeds of a whopping 40Gbps. For reference, USB 2.0 had top speeds of 480 Mbps. So while many of us will mourn the loss of USB Type-A ports, the benefits that USB 4 seems to bring will make that sacrifice a little easier to accept. Today's best laptop deals - stock checked every 30 minutes: HP - Chromebook 14" - AMD... HP Chromebook - 14a Touch... HP 14-CA 14-inch Full HD... HP Chromebook 14-inch Laptop. .. HP 14-ca061dx Chromebook ... HP 14-db0040nr Chromebook ... HP Intel Touch 14-inch Chromebook ... Via TechPowerUp