When USB is involved, you can always assume they chose the more complicated option. USB4 is a competing, incompatible method of encapsulating and multiplexing

When USB is involved, you can always assume they chose the more complicated option. USB4 is a competing, incompatible method of encapsulating and multiplexing PCIe, DisplayPort and USB data packets over one cable. But the USB4 spec incorporates Thunderbolt as an alternate mode. Thunderbolt support is required for USB4 hubs but optional for USB4 hosts and devices. So you will often (maybe even always, in practice) be able to use a USB4 host port as a Thunderbolt port.