There are different versions of USB based on how fast they transfer and receive data between two electronic devices. The main types of USB are as follows: As such, you will most find these connectors on external hard drives, where vast amounts of data transfer occur regularly. 6 – Lightning Cable (For Apple Devices) USB 2.0 was launched in 2000 and significantly upgraded the maximum data transfer speed to 480 Mbps. In addition to that, it also enabled USB to have a better (and more efficient) current capability to provide charging to electronic devices like smartphones. USB 3.0 A USB (Universal Serial Bus) is a standard connection interface that enables communication between devices and a host controller such as a personal computer. It is most commonly used to connect peripherals such as mice, keyboards, printers, scanners, cameras, and flash drives to a computer.

USB 4 and Type C connectors look almost identical, so, naturally, many users confuse the two and interchange the terms “Type C” and “USB 4”. Note that USB Type C refers to the physical design of USB connectors. In contrast, USB 4 denotes the USB version. USB 4 has nothing to do with the shape of the connector; it just indicates the performance and speed of the USB version.

USB-C POWER DELIVERY

Here’s a table that lists major differences in speeds and performance of some USB versions. Key differences between some USB versions. USB 1.0 If your laptop or desktop computer has a USB port (where you can plug in USB devices), it will most likely be a USB Type-A port. Note that most modern Apple laptops (Macs) don’t have USB Type-A ports. 2 – USB Type B However, further updates were released over the next couple of years, which triggered the renaming of USB 3.0 (i.e., the latest USB version of that time) to USB 3.1 Gen 1.

USB Mini are further divided into two variants: USB Mini A (or Mini USB A) and USB Mini B. These are smaller counterparts of Type A and Type B USB connectors. They are designed for their compact size, which makes them handy for smaller devices. USB Mini A and USB Mini B connectors. (Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons) USB Type C is arguably the most popular USB connector. It is also the most recent as it was introduced in 2014. Due to its small size, it easily fits into the smallest peripherals we use today, like smartphones, Bluetooth speakers, etc. It is a standard for connecting and charging devices, known for its compact size and functionality. So, USB 3.0 and USB 3.1 Gen 1 are essentially the same and have a top data transfer speed of 5 Gbps. Then, in July 2013, USB 3.1 Gen 2 was released, with its top data transfer speed at 10 Gbps. Another cool thing about Type C is that it offers a bi-directional power supply; in other words, you can charge your smartphone from your laptop and vice versa. So, if you are transferring data from your phone to your laptop via a USB cable, you will plug your phone (host) into the laptop’s USB port (receptor).You will likely find USB Mini in portable cameras, game controllers, and some old mobile phones. They typically have 5 pin configurations and are smaller than regular USB types, hence the name ‘mini’. However, they have largely been replaced by the smaller Micro-USB and USB-C connectors. 5 – USB Micro (Micro USB A, Micro USB B, And Micro USB B Superspeed) As you can imagine, the design of the lightning connector makes it impossible to be used in any other device other than Apple devices, which makes it a nuisance for many users. Popularly known as Micro USB, this is a very common USB connector you will find in many smartphones these days. They were designed for use with smaller devices, such as smartphones, digital cameras, and other portable devices. The micro USB connector is made to be more durable and stand up to the kind of abuse portable electronics can undergo.