USB 3.2: An attempt to clear up some muddy branding

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The USB 3.2 rebranding has caused a lot of confusion. Here’s some language from the source, which hopefully will clarify what’s what here.

From the official USB 3.2 language usage guidelines:

When referring to a product that is based on and compliant with the USB 3.2 specification, it is critical for manufacturers to clearly identify the performance capabilities of that device separately from other product benefits and/or physical characteristics.

This gives us:

  • USB 3.2 Gen 1, up to 5 Gbps, AKA SuperSpeed USB
  • USB 3.2 Gen 2, up to 10 Gbps, AKA SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps
  • USB 3.2 Gen 2×2, up to 20 Gbps, AKA SuperSpeed USB 20Gbps

And:

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.

In a nutshell, think of USB 3.2 as SuperSpeed USB, with three flavors, Gen 1, Gen 2, and Gen 2×2, supporting 5, 10, and 20 Gbps respectively. And the 2×2 refers to Gen 2 over two 10 Gbps wires, for a total of 20 Gbps.