Video DisplayPort standard ups its game with faster data speed and 16K display support

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A Thunderbolt 3 cable is also a USB4 cable.
DisplayPort Alt Mode 2.0 brings a number of faster capabilities to USB4.
Photo: Caldigit

The Video Electronics Standards Association announced Wednesday the release of version 2.0 of the DisplayPort Alternate Mode standard that will support future compatible products with video data speeds up to 80 Gigabits per second and 16K displays up to 60Hz refresh rate.

The interface standard, which is part of USB-C connectors on Apple’s current Mac product line, is primarily used to connect a video source to a device like a flat-screen display, but can also carry audio, USB, and other forms of data.

The video display standard reduces the need for multiple VGA, DVI, HDMI, or DisplayPort connectors.

VESA announced the new specifications for USB4 and USB-C devices – known as DisplayPort Alt Mode.

DisplayPort Alt Mode 2.0 provides seamless interoperability with the new USB4™ specification … and fully enables all of the features in the latest version of the DisplayPort standard (version 2.0) through the USB Type-C connector. With DisplayPort Alt Mode, the USB-C connector can transmit up to 80 Gbps of DisplayPort video data utilizing all four high-speed lanes in the cable, or up to 40 Gbps with simultaneous SuperSpeed USB data delivery. 

DisplayPort 2.0 was introduced in June 2019. The new version will now support all high-performance displays over USB-C, whether through a native DisplayPort or USB-C connector as well as through tunneling of DisplayPort over the native USB4 interface.

It will also now support Thunderbolt 3. The possible good news here is that by doing so, Thunderbolt-supported products from third-party manufacturers could see a reduction in price for consumers.

The new mode will also now support 16K displays up to 60Hz.

Featuring the highly efficient 128b/132b channel coding shared with USB4, DisplayPort 2.0 delivers a maximum payload of 77.37 Gbps across four lanes (up to 19.34 Gbps per lane)—supporting ultra-high display performance configurations such as an 8K (7680×4320) display with 60 Hz refresh rate … and 16K (15360×8460) 60 Hz display[s].

VESA said the first of USB4 devices should arrive in late 2020. It expects the initial rollout of DisplayPort Alt Mode 2.0 to occur sometime next year.

Apple is a member company of VESA. Apple is likely to adopt USB4 in future Mac products. Previously, Apple incorporated the standard into products within two years of its adoption.

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