Motherboards with USB4

USB4 is a new open standard and, unlike Thunderbolt, is not proprietary to Intel. So you can use it on both Intel and AMD PCs. The USB4 connector looks the same as USB-C, but it can be used for more than just charging and transferring data. You can connect to monitors, external graphics cards, mice, keyboards, docks, hard drives, etc.

Anything you plug into your PC can be plugged in using USB4 via USB-C. You could call it the one connector or cable to do it all. USB4 has already been adopted into laptops and motherboards, and this technology will soon be implemented on other devices.

You can now connect your laptop to external monitors and graphics cards using USB4. Since this technology is relatively new, the adoption has been slow, but more devices will be supported in the future.

The power output of USB4

According to the official specifications, USB4 supports at least 7.5 W (5 V, 1.5 A) per port. The power delivery can be up to 240W, the same as Thunderbolt 4. Thunderbolt 3 supports a maximum of 100W, and USB 3.2 supports a minimum of 4.5W.

Note that you will need a supported cable to get the most out of USB4 in terms of power delivery. Most cables are limited to 100W. Ensure you have the suitable cable to take advantage of the maximum 240W power delivery of USB4 and Thunderbolt 4.

Is USB4 Identical to Thunderbolt 3?

The two are very similar on paper since they have the same data transfer speeds of 40 Gbps and can run two 4K displays. Since Thunderbolt 3 is certified by Intel, you get the features and specifications, but USB4 is an open standard, and most of the features are optional. So it would be up to the device manufacturer to decide whether or not to include a feature. Laptop manufacturers might not include the complete set of USB4 features to cut costs.

If you are interested in getting a motherboard with either USB4 or Thunderbolt 3 and are not interested in looking into the details, then going for Thunderbolt 3 would be the safer option. You will not find Thunderbolt 3 or 4 on all motherboards since the port can only be found on the premium options, especially in the case of AMD motherboards. You can check out our recommended motherboards that feature Thunderbolt 4.

Thunderbolt 3 works with both AMD and Intel CPUs and is the safer option since you are guaranteed to get the specifications mentioned by Intel. Since this is a proprietary standard, motherboard manufacturers must pay Intel, so the motherboard’s price will be higher when compared to USB4 motherboards.

Is there an early adopter premium?

You will be expected to pay an early adopter premium seeing how USB4 is only available in premium motherboards and not mainstream ones. Since USB4 is an open technology, motherboard manufacturers do not need to pay any company to implement the technology. As more devices adopt this technology and becomes more common, it might make its way to more mainstream motherboards.

Whether or not the additional cost is worth it will vary from person to person. If you need the convenience and performance that USB4 has to offer, then it is worth the higher price.

1. ASUS ROG Crosshair x670E Extreme – Best Premium Option

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Being a premium product, it comes with a hefty price tag. But, it delivers all the features that you could want or need. The motherboard comes in black, so it should blend in well with the rest of your build.

All the connectors on the side of the motherboard are at a right angle, allowing you to have a very clean-looking build. The motherboard comes with a controller to control your build’s fans and RGB lighting. Out of the box, you also get a Gen Z .2 which allows you to install 2 additional M.2 SSDs onto the motherboard. The package includes a screwdriver, USB with drivers, Wi-Fi antennas, PCIe 5.0 card, and a GPU mount.

Since this is a premium motherboard, it has plenty of armor and cooling for the VRM. It has a 20+2 phase power design ideal for overclocking the CPU. The motherboard also has a Q-Code readout, allowing you to troubleshoot a problem if something goes wrong. There are physical buttons on the motherboard for Clear CMOS and BIOS Flashback. It also has buttons for different modes, such as LN2 and other overclocking modes. Furthermore, it has a pair of one-touch overclock buttons.

The VRM heatsinks are tall, so cooler compatibility might be an issue. The memory slots are also close to the CPU socket, so you might have CPU cooler clearance issues depending on the cooler you use.

In terms of I/O, you get a Clear CMOS button, BIOS Flashback button, 10G LAN, 2.5G Lan, 8x USB 3.2 Gen2 ports, 4x USB-C ports (2 have DisplayPort or USB4), Wi-Fi antenna connector, HDMI, and a full array of audio jacks.

2. ASUS ROG Crosshair x760E – Great Alternative

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The ASUS ROG Crosshair X670E Hero is an excellent alternative for the Crosshair X670E Extreme and has a more down-to-earth price tag. The motherboard has a very similar design to the Crosshair X670E Extreme and even has the Crosshair and Extreme branding on it. It comes in black and should blend in well with the rest of your parts.

Since this is a premium motherboard, you get plenty of armor and cooling for the VRMs, which is ideal for overclocking. It has an 18+2 phase power design, and the heatsinks on the VRMs are beefy, so CPU cooler clearance can be an issue depending on the cooling solution you are going for.

The motherboard has two PCIe Gen5 slots for the graphics card, which are reinforced for better GPU support, and the motherboard also supports a pair of Gen5 M.2 SSDs. In total, it has 4 M.2 slots for high-speed storage. The motherboard also comes with a PCIE 5.0 M.2 card out of the box for the M.2 Gen5 drive.

In terms of I/O, you get a Clear CMOS button, BIOS Flashback button, 2.5G Lan, 8x USB 3.2 Gen2 ports, 4x USB-C ports (2 have DisplayPort or USB4), Wi-Fi antenna connectors, HDMI, and full array of audio jacks.

3. ASUS ROG Crosshair x670E Creator – Ideal for Creators

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The ASUS ProArt X670E-Creator is designed for creators if you want to go with the AMD Ryzen 7000 series processors. The motherboard has a stunning and simple design with golden accents. It has ProArt branding on it too.

The Creator motherboard has a 16+2 phase power design and ample cooling for the VRMs. 8+8-pin power connectors provide power to the CPU if you are interested in overclocking. While this is a Creator motherboard, you still get overclocking features such as the CPU overvolting header, eight fan headers, and even an AIO header. It also has 4 RGB headers to sync the RGB lighting of your PC parts and peripherals.

For high-speed storage, you get a total of four M.2 slots. Two support PCIe Gen5, while the other two are PCIe Gen4. For the graphics card, the motherboard has a pair of Gen5 PCIe slots that are reinforced, but there is an additional PCIe Gen4 slot as well. The PCIe slot at the bottom does share lanes with the bottom M.2 slot.

In terms of I/O, you get a BIOS Flashback button, 10G Lan, 2.5G Lan, 7x USB 3.2 ports, 3x USB-C ports (2 have DisplayPort or USB4), Wi-Fi antenna connectors, HDMI, DisplayPort In and an array of audio jacks.

4. ASRock B650E TAICHI – Best Mid-Range USB4 Motherboard

The ASRock B650E TAICHI is one of the best motherboards that you can buy right now for the AMD Ryzen 7000 series CPUs because of the features that it has to offer for the price. While this is a mid-range motherboard, it still supports CPU overclocking and the EXPO memory profile.

The motherboard has a 24+2+1 phase power design and ample cooling for the VRMs. It also has a PCIe Gen5 slot and PCIe Gen4 slot for the graphics card, and both are reinforced. For storage, you get a single PCIe Gen5 M.2 slot, a pair of PCIe Gen4 M.2 slots, and four SATA ports.

In terms of I/O, you get a Clear CMOS button, BIOS Flashback button, 2.5G Lan, 8x USB 3.2 Gen2 ports, USB-C port (USB4), Wi-Fi antenna connectors, HDMI, and an array of audio jacks. The motherboard also has an integrated I/O shield for easy installation.

The ASRock B650E TAICHI might not have all the extra features you get on the above-mentioned X670E motherboards, but it costs less, too, and has all the features that the general consumer is going to need.

USB4 Motherboards FAQs

What display protocol does USB4 use?

For display, USB4 uses the DisplayPort Alt mode. This can be used to output video to external monitors and to daisy chain multiple monitors together. USB4 initially supported DisplayPort 1.4, but the new USB4 80Gbps standard enables support for DisplayPort 2.1, which allows for 4K video up to 240 Hz or a single 10K display up to 60 Hz.

Do I need a stronger PSU for USB4 power delivery?

USB4 supports USB-Power Delivery, the fast-charging technology based on the USB-C standard. With USB-Power Delivery, you get up to 240 Watts of power, which can charge your laptop and other devices. Gaming PCs typically have a 650W or higher capacity power supply, so you will likely not need to upgrade your power supply unit.

While charging your phone or other devices via your PC’s USB port is convenient, it is not recommended. USB4 can provide 7.5W of power to such devices, which might need more, especially if fast charging is supported. So it will take longer to charge. Furthermore, the current might not be stable and can damage your smartphone or other devices. This typically happens when you connect your phone or device to the USB port on your case rather than connecting it directly to your motherboard.

How relevant is USB4 for future proofing a desktop PC?

Whether or not you need USB4 depends on the work you are interested in doing on your desktop PC. USB4 is handy if you use external NVMe SSDs and need to move large files such as 4K or 8K videos. USB4 can also be helpful if you need to use a lot of USB devices at the same time.

If your motherboard does not have a USB4 or Thunderbolt 4 port, you can install an add-in PCIe card. You can use the GC-Maple Ridge Thunderbolt 4 card to add USB4 or Thunderbolt 4 functionality to the Gigabyte AORUS X670 motherboard. Note that your CPU needs to support USB4 for this to work. The latest AMD Ryzen 7000 series CPUs support USB4.

For laptops, it is also helpful if you need to connect an external graphics card. This will allow you to have the portability of a laptop and the option to plug in an external graphics card when you need additional horsepower.

What are the advantages of USB4 compared to other USB types, such as USB 3.0?

USB4 uses the Type-C connector, while USB 3.0 and 3.1 use Type-A and Micro-B connectors. Typically USB 3.0 supports up to 4.5W of power, but USB4 can deliver up to 240W. USB 3.0 has a maximum data transfer speed of 20 Gbps, while USB4 can reach 40 Gbps. While USB4 is based on Thunderbolt 3, USB 3.0 is incompatible.

So USB4 has a single connector, provides more power, has faster data transfer speeds, and is based on Thunderbolt

What USB4 Devices Can You Buy?

Many devices have started implementing USB4. You can now buy SSDs, SSD enclosures, and cables that support USB4. USB4 SSDs are some of the fastest that you can buy right now. You can also purchase motherboards and monitors that have USB4 ports.