USB4

A fast USB-C standard (up to 40 Gbps) that also carries DisplayPort and, on many handhelds, eGPU traffic and charging.

USB4 is a USB-C-based standard that unifies USB and Thunderbolt-style architecture, supporting up to 40 Gbps of bandwidth, DisplayPort Alt Mode for external monitors, and USB Power Delivery for charging, all over one port. Many 2026 handhelds use a single USB4 port for charging, video out, external storage and, in supported devices, an eGPU enclosure.

As an eGPU connection, USB4 works but generally carries lower effective, more variable bandwidth to the external card than a dedicated OCuLink port, so external GPU performance scales a bit less efficiently.

Why it matters when buying

A USB4 port is genuinely versatile: it is your charger, your external monitor output and, in a pinch, your eGPU connection. If eGPU performance is a priority, treat OCuLink as the upgrade path and USB4 as the flexible, good-enough default.