A port of a computing device is to connect to another device over a link and use equalization logic to perform equalization of the link at a plurality of different data rates. The equalization logic may identify that the other device supports bypassing a sequential equalization mode, determine a maximum data rate supported by the devices on the link, and participate in equalization of the link at the maximum supported data rate before equalizing the link at one or more other data rates lower than the maximum supported data rate in the plurality of data rates.