USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 State of the Ecosystem Review: Where Does 20Gbps USB Stand in 2020?
by Ganesh T S on October 5, 2020 10:30 AM EST- Posted in
- Storage
- SSDs
- Western Digital
- SanDisk
- ASMedia
- USB 3.2 Gen 2x2
Device Features and Characteristics
A quick overview of the internal capabilities of the storage devices is given by CrystalDiskInfo. The drive information doesn't change based on the host. This also serves to verify that S.M.A.R.T access (and despite not being mentioned explicitly, TRIM support also) is available irrespective of the port that the drives connect to.
| Drive Information |
 |
CrystalDiskInfo confirms the internal SSDs being used in the WD_BLACK P50 and the SanDisk Extreme PRO Portable SSD v2 to be the SN750E and SN730E respectively. Prior to looking at the usage characteristics of the various drives, it is helpful to compare their specifications and also take a look at the internals.
| Direct-Attached Storage Characteristics | ||
| Aspect | ||
| Upstream Port | USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C | USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C |
| Bridge / Controller | ASMedia ASM2364 SanDisk 20-82-007011 |
ASMedia ASM2364 SanDisk 20-82-007011 |
| Flash | SanDisk BiCS 4 96L 3D TLC | SanDisk BiCS 3 64L 3D TLC |
| Power | Bus Powered | Bus Powered |
| Physical Dimensions | 57.34 mm x 110.26 mm x 10.22 mm | 62 mm x 118 mm x 14 mm |
| IP Rating | IP55 | N/A |
| Weight | 85 grams (without cable) | 115 grams (without cable) |
| Cable | USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C to Type-C USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C to Type-A (30cm each) |
USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C to Type-C USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C to Type-A (30cm each) |
| S.M.A.R.T Passthrough | Yes | Yes |
| UASP Support | Yes | Yes |
| TRIM Passthrough | Yes | Yes |
| Encryption Support | Hardware (SanDisk SecureAccess App) | N/A |
The key difference is that our review samples have a SN750-class NVMe SSD equipped with 64L 3D TLC in the WD_BLACK P50, and 96L 3D TLC in the SanDisk Extreme PRO v2. The former doesn't have hardware encryption enabled (and even software encryption with the WD Security app is not available). The latter uses the SanDisk SecureAccess App to activate the hardware encryption.
The teardown galleries above shows the significant amount of thermal design in both drives. The presence of the ASMedia ASM2364 bridge chip in both drives is also confirmed. The SanDisk Extreme PRO has a significant chunk of aluminum directly in touch with the thermal pad / covering for the heat-generating components of the internal boards. A clasp is also seen on the Type-C port to help achieve the IP55 rating. In contrast, the WD_BLACK P50 appears over-engineered with a large number of thermal pads, a separate aluminum heat-sink, and a thermal pad on top of that heat sink. Since the underside of the P50 is plastic, a metal flap is also placed between it and the internal SSD assembly. Overall, the thermal design appears fairly effective, and its evaluation report is provided in a subsequent section.
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CaptainChaos - Monday, October 5, 2020 - link
Seems to me this whole fiasco is just an inevitable merge of USB (dumb/cheap interface) to Thunderbolt (smart-ish/expensive interface) to produce a middle-of-the-road option. Just how far can we go with the only choice of cheap & dumb vs smart & expensive? When the dust settles in a couple years we'll all be more-or-less happy and the next, greatest thing will be all over the tech news!!hubick - Tuesday, October 6, 2020 - link
Thunderbolt is essentially proprietary to Intel, and without Intel supporting USB 3.2 2x2, that makes 2x2 essentially proprietary to AMD. Did anyone ever release a JHL7440 based Thunderbolt 3 SSD that's actually compatible with regular USB-C ports? Cuz at least a USB 3.2 2x2 drive will *work* when plugged in to an Intel (Thunderbolt 3/USB4) system port, whereas most Thunderbolt drives won't even connect to an AMD (USB 3.2 2x2) system port.hubick - Sunday, November 29, 2020 - link
The LaCie "Rugged SSD Pro" (STHZ1000800 & STHZ2000800) appear to be the first JHL7440 based Thunderbolt SSD with USB fallback support.R3MF - Tuesday, October 6, 2020 - link
Have we had any indication of launch dates for USB4 controller chips?And any indication of the lag between launch and products utilising them arriving on shelves?
repoman27 - Tuesday, October 6, 2020 - link
Intel has already “launched” Tiger Lake CPUs with integrated Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 as well as the Goshen Ridge 4-port hub/device and a couple retimer chips. Additionally, they announced the Maple Ridge host controllers which will be available “later this year”. I’d reckon we’ll also see Apple Silicon Macs with Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 by the end of the year.R3MF - Tuesday, October 6, 2020 - link
Hmmm, really thinking about the thired party controller chips that are likely to be integrated into motherboards and drives on non-Tigerlake platforms.Much as the Asmedia chip is used today to add 2x2 (after being announced on AT about 18 months ago).
repoman27 - Tuesday, October 6, 2020 - link
That’d be the aforementioned Maple Ridge chips.I’d have to imagine ASMedia and AMD have something in the works, but to my knowledge they haven’t said anything publicly. Which means Intel and Apple are probably going to have a significant head start with Thunderbolt 4, and Intel will be the only source for discrete USB4 silicon for a while.
Tomatotech - Tuesday, October 6, 2020 - link
Dancing_coffin_pallbearers.gif🕺🏻🕺🏻 ⚰️ 🕺🏻 🕺🏻
Apologies for the emoji, but I don’t see how this USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 standard will ever take off given the travails and issues described in the article. Best to kill it and bury it somewhere deep.
PeachNCream - Tuesday, October 6, 2020 - link
"USB has emerged as the mainstream interface of choice for data transfer from computing platforms to external storage devices."The opening line made me laugh a little since USB has been the dominant PC interface for a solid 15 years now.
Mitch89 - Tuesday, October 6, 2020 - link
Honestly, what on earth was the thinking behind the ridiculous naming (and renaming) of the USB versions?It used to be simple and clear, but now, between the crazy naming and mess that is USB-C (is it USB or Thunderbolt? Is the cable USB 2, 3, 3.1 Gen 2? Does it support 100W power?), how is anyone supposed to make sense on it.