The USB we’ve been using since 1996 will likely become obsolete in the near future. 

  • Our 20-year-old USB's extinction on the horizon
  • Intel's new USB takeover to take effect next year
  • New device to be faster, more efficient 

Intel is laying the path down for a new USB takeover. 

On Wednesday, the company announced that its Thunderbolt 3 technology would become royalty-free, giving any device manufacturer the ability to produce the new technology.

According to Intel, it will take effect "next year."

Intel's Thunderbolt 3 technology uses the USB type C, or USB-C, to plug devices into computers and other devices. 

Right now, we use USB type A -- and have been for 20 years.  

It Changes the Way We Connect Our Devices

Much faster transfers between computers and external hard drives — USB-A transfers data at 10 gigabits per second, while USB-C can transfer data at 40 gigabits, making it almost four times as fast.

We could potentially charge/power our computers with USB-C.

A single USB-C dock with several USB-C ports could connect all your accessories with the dock using a single USB-C port.

Will Eliminate the Most Annoying Part of a USB

USB-C can plug in in any direction! No more jamming, flipping and switching to make it fit into its tiny, dark hole.

Enhanced Gaming, VR Experience

“To date, VR has required multiple cables to transfer the experience from the PC to the headset in real time for 2K resolution. Only Thunderbolt 3 can deliver up to 4K resolution in virtual reality with a single cable,” said Intel in their release.

"With Thunderbolt 3, gamers can travel, work or enjoy long hours at a coffee shop with a thin and light notebook. Then, when it’s time for epic gaming, the notebook can be paired with a Thunderbolt 3 external graphics box to get a GPU boost for higher resolution and settings experience.”

Will Mean Phasing Out of Old Ports

Those with older devices will have to buy an adapter or dock to plug it in.

Not all PCs Support Thunderbold Technology, Even New Ones

Even in more recent computers, this technology has yet to be built in. Intel says it will start rolling it out in future processors.

For more information on the Thunderbolt 3, visit here