USB 3.2 Gen 2x2
USB · 4 specs
Direct Answer
USB 3.2 Gen 2x2, part of the USB 3.2 specification released in September 2017, is the only tier in the 3.2 family that's genuinely new hardware rather than a renamed predecessor -- it doubles Gen 2's 10 Gbit/s by running two lanes simultaneously, reaching 20 Gbit/s, but only over USB-C connectors and cables wired for it.
Source: USB-IF · Last reviewed Aug 28, 2026
Specs
| Released | September 2017 |
| Max Bandwidth / Data Rate | 20 (2 lanes x 10 Gbit/s each) Gbit/s |
| Connector Required | USB-C only (dual-lane wiring not present in USB-A/B) |
| Marketing Name | USB 20Gbps |
The One Genuinely New Tier in the 3.2 Family
Unlike USB 3.2 Gen 1x1 and Gen 2x1, which are just later names for the pre-existing USB 3.0 and USB 3.1 hardware, Gen 2x2 was introduced alongside the USB 3.2 specification itself in September 2017 as an actually new capability: running two 10 Gbit/s SuperSpeed lanes at once over a single cable, for a combined 20 Gbit/s.
That dual-lane approach depends on USB-C's symmetrical, higher-pin-count design -- USB-A and USB-B connectors were never wired for the second data lane Gen 2x2 needs, so this tier is exclusively a USB-C feature, unlike Gen 1x1 and Gen 2x1 which can still appear over older connector shapes.