USB Types: A Guide to the Different Standards. USB connector types and standards

Mobile device users had a hard time in the 2000s - they were forced to put up with the so-called proprietary. The phones of each manufacturer were equipped with unique charging connectors - as a result, the charger, for example, for Nokia did not work with a Motorola phone. It even got to the point of absurdity - when for two phones from the same manufacturer (Finnish) we had to look for different chargers. The dissatisfaction of users was so strong that the European Parliament was forced to intervene.

Now the situation is completely different: almost all smartphone manufacturers equip their gadgets with ports for chargers same type. The user no longer has to buy a new charger “in addition” to the phone.

USB cables can be used not only to transfer data from a PC to a gadget, but also to charge a mobile device. Smartphones are capable of replenishing battery “reserves” both from an outlet and from a computer, but in the second case, charging will take significantly longer. Traditional USB cable for Android smartphone or Windows Phone as follows:

There is a standard plug at one of its ends USB 2.0 Type-A:

This plug plugs into the USB port on your computer or laptop.

At the other end of the wire there is a plug microUSB.

It is, accordingly, inserted into the micro-USB connector on the mobile device.

Micro-USB 2.0 is now a unified connector: you can find it on smartphones and tablets from almost all manufacturers mobile technology(except Apple). An agreement on interface standardization was signed in 2011 by representatives of 13 leading companies in the mobile market.

The choice fell on Micro-USB for a number of reasons:

• The connector is compact. Its physical dimensions are only 2x7 millimeters - this is about 4 times smaller than USB 2.0 Type-A.
• The plug is durable– especially when compared with the Nokia thin charger.
• The connector is capable of providing high data transfer rates. Theoretically, the transfer speed via Micro-USB when using the 2.0 standard can reach 480 Mbit/s. The actual speed is much lower (10-12 Mbit/s in Full Speed), but this rarely causes inconvenience to users.
• The connector supports the OTG function. We'll tell you more about the benefits this provides later.

Micro-USB could impose competition in the fight for the role of a standard connector Mini-USB. The mini plug looks like this:

This type of USB connector was not suitable as a standard one, and here's why:

• The connector is larger in size– albeit not by much. Its size is 3x7 millimeters.
• The connector is quite fragile– due to the lack of rigid fastenings, it becomes loose very quickly. As a result, transmitting data via cable becomes a real pain for the user.

In the 2000s, a mini-USB connector could be found on smartphones from “second-class” manufacturers - say, Philips And Alcatel. Now mobile gadgets You won’t find one with a mini-connector on the market.

In addition to those USB connectors that we mentioned (Micro-USB, Mini-USB, USB Type-A), there are others. For example, micro-USB standard 3.0 can be used to connect to PC hard drives, A USB Type-B(square shape) – for musical instruments (in particular, MIDI keyboards). These connectors are not directly related to mobile technology (except for Galaxy Note 3 c USB 3.0), so we won’t talk about them in more detail.

What types of USB cables are there for smartphones?

Thanks to the inexhaustible imagination of Chinese handicrafts, mobile technology users can buy cables of completely different configurations. For example, in the era of proprietaryism, the following “monster” was incredibly popular:

Yes, this charger fits all the main connectors!

Similar “multi-tools” are still on sale, but they have fewer plugs. Here is a 4-in-1 charger, which can be ordered for less than 200 rubles:

This charger is equipped with all modern plugs - Lightning, 30Pin (both for iPhone), microUSB, USB 3.0. Definitely a “must-have” for the user!

There are other interesting options. Here is the cable from OATSBASF For those who hate cables:

This cable allows you to charge two mobile devices from your computer. simultaneously(for example, the 5th iPhone and Android) and has a very tempting price - just over 100 rubles.

In domestic stores and showrooms, the user, of course, will not find such an abundance of different cables as on the pages of catalogs GearBest And AliExpress. In addition, data equipment at retail costs significantly more. For these two reasons, users are recommended to order USB cables from China.

What is the OTG standard?

Surely many have seen such a cable and wondered what it is for:

This is a cable OTG; at one end there is a plug micro-USB, on the second – connector USB 2.0, "Mother". Using such a cable, you can connect a USB flash drive to a smartphone or tablet, but only if the mobile device itself supports the standard OTG.

OTG(short for On-The-Go) is a function designed to fast connection 2 USB devices with each other, without the mediation of a computer. Connect by OTG you can not only flash drive (although this is, of course, the most common case), but also, for example, computer mouse, keyboard, external HDD, game steering wheel, joystick. You can even connect your smartphone to a printer or MFP to print out a photo taken with the gadget’s camera.

Cables OTG for iPhone have also already appeared, but download it to an Apple device (without jailbreak) from external media Only photos and videos are obtained - and then only when the root folders on the flash drive and the photos themselves have the “correct” names.

A complete list of smartphones that support the function OTG, no - simply because almost everyone can boast of having this standard modern gadgets and the list would be huge. However, a buyer who intends to connect a mouse or flash drive to the device should inquire from a store consultant about support OTG before giving away money - “just in case.”

USB Type-C: what are the advantages?

Transition from micro-USB on this new trend mobile electronics market! Manufacturers are actively mastering technology and equipping their flagship models improved connectors for charging and data transfer. USB Type-C waited a long time “in the shadows”: the connector was created back in 2013, but only in 2016 did market leaders pay attention to it.

Looks like USB Type-C So:

What are the advantages? Type-C in front of everyone familiar micro-USB?

• High data transfer speed. Bandwidth Type-C equals 10 Gb/sec (!). But that's just bandwidth.: in reality, only owners of smartphones with the standard can count on such speed USB 3.1- For example, Nexus 6P And 5X. If the gadget uses the standard USB 3.0, the speed will be around 5 Gb/sec; at USB 2.0 Data transfer will be significantly slower.
• Fast charging. The duration of the smartphone charging procedure depends on the potential amount of watts supplied by the connector. USB standard 2.0 capable of serving everything 2.5 W– that’s why charging lasts for hours. Connector USB Type-C provides 100 W– that is, 40 times (!) more. It is curious that current transmission can occur in both directions - both to the host and from it.
• Connector symmetry. If the connector micro-USB there is up and down, then the connector Type-C symmetrical Which side you insert it into the connector does not matter. From this point of view, technology USB Type-C similar to Lightning from Apple.

Dignity Type-C The size of the connector is also small - only 8.4 × 2.6 millimeters. According to this technology criterion micro-USB And USB Type-C similar.

U USB Type-C There are also disadvantages, one of which is more than significant. Due to the unregulated operation of the connector, charging can easily “fry” the mobile device. This probability is not purely theoretical - fires have occurred in practice. It is for this reason that the proliferation of non-original, “makeshift” cables and chargers USB Type-C Type-C and decide to abandon the standard connector. At the same time, Ravencraft admits that, perhaps, complete replacement USB-A will never happen.

Hi all. Sometimes people are interested in knowing how USB 3.0 differs from USB 2.0, sometimes they want to understand what version or type of USB connector they have on their computer, what kind of dinosaur USB 1.0 is, and so on. Let's delve a little deeper into this topic.

The USB standard appeared in the mid-90s. Deciphered USB here's how - Universal Serial Bus. This standard was developed specifically for communication between peripheral devices and a computer, and now occupies a leading position among all types of communication interfaces. This is not surprising. Nowadays it’s difficult to imagine any device without a USB connector, although these connectors vary in type.

Types of USB connectors

Today there are quite a large number of types of USB connectors. Some are more common, some less. Anyway, let's take a look at them.

USBtype-A– one of the most common types of USB connectors. You might have seen him on your, on, on the block charger and not only. Has many uses. With its help, you can connect mice and keyboards to a computer (or other device), flash drives, external drives, smartphones, and so on. This list can be continued for a long time if you think about it.

USBtype-B– the connector is mainly used to connect a printer or other peripheral devices to the computer. Received much less widespread than USB type-A.

Mini USB was quite common on mobile devices before the advent of Micro USB. Nowadays it is very rare, but you can still find it on some older devices. On my portable audio speaker, the Mini USB connector receives electricity to charge the battery. I bought this speaker about 5 years ago (it turned out to be durable).

Micro USB is now used on smartphones and mobile phones from almost all manufacturers. This USB connector has gained incredible popularity among mobile devices. However, USB Type-C is gradually taking its position.

USB Version 1.0 – Archaeological Excavations

The great-great-grandfather of the USB standard is USB 1.0 was born in the cold November of 1995. But he was born a little premature and did not gain much popularity. But his younger brother USB 1.1, born three years later, was a more viable specimen and was able to attract enough attention.

As for the technical part, the data transfer speed was small, but by the standards of those times this speed was more than enough. The speed was up to 12 Mbit/s and this was in high throughput mode.

Differences between USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 connectors

USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 are two completely modern USB standards that are now used everywhere in computers and laptops. USB 3.0 is, of course, newer and faster, and is also fully backwards compatible with USB 2.0 devices. But the speed in this case will be limited to the maximum speed according to the USB 2.0 standard.

In theory, USB 3.0 transfer speeds are approximately 10 times faster than USB 2.0 (5 Gbps vs. 480 Mbps). But in practice, the speed of information exchange between devices is often limited by the devices themselves. Although in general, USB 3.0 still wins.

Technical differences

Although the USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 standards are backward compatible, they nevertheless have some technical differences. USB 2.0 has 4 pins – 2 for powering devices and 2 for data transfer. These 4 pins have been retained in the USB 3.0 standard. But besides them, 4 more contacts were added, which are needed for high data transfer speeds and faster charging of devices. By the way, USB 3.0 can operate with current up to 1 Ampere.

As a result, the USB 3.0 standard cable has become thicker, and its length now does not exceed 3 meters (in USB 2.0 maximum length reached 5 meters). But you can charge your smartphone much faster, even if you connect several smartphones to one connector through a splitter.

Naturally, the manufacturers took care of visual differences. You don't have to look for packaging from motherboard to see which USB standards it supports. And you don’t need to go into your computer settings or device manager to do this. Just look at the color of your connector. The USB 3.0 connector is almost always blue. Very rarely it is also red. While USB 2.0 is almost always black.

So now, with one quick glance, you can determine whether you have USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 on your laptop.

This is probably the end of the conversation about how USB 2.0 differs from USB 3.0.

Conclusion

What have we learned from this article? That USB is divided into data transfer standards, which differ in data transfer speed. And also that USB has a large number of connector types.

And the most interesting thing that I forgot to mention in the article is that the types of connectors can be combined as follows. You may find a full-size USB type-A connector and a full-size USB type-B connector, at the same time it exists (but is rare) micro USB type-A and micro USB type-B (very common). USB type-A can work with USB protocol 2.0, or maybe via USB 3.0 protocol. In general, if you want, you can get confused.

And if you are concerned about the question of which connectors are best to choose for yourself? laptop usb 2.0 or USB 3.0, then don’t worry at all. That's it now modern laptops and computers are equipped with both types of USB. For example, my laptop has two USB 2.0 connectors and one USB 3.0 connector. And all three connectors are USB type-A.

That's what they are - USB!

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Can not imagine modern man no electronic devices. Smartphones, tablets, music players and laptops are found in almost every family today. Each of these devices has its own use and therefore each functions in its own unique way. However, there is something that in one form or another unites them all. And this is the presence of USB ports.

One day in 1994, 7 of the world's leading technology companies created new standard connections computer peripherals. This is how the Universal Serial Bus appeared, which for short is called USB.

Today it is truly a universal standard, and it is difficult to find an electronic device that does not have a USB port of one type or another. But how do you know which cable is suitable for it? This guide will help you determine the type of USB connector and select the appropriate plug.

Variety of options

Almost all modern computers and electronic devices have some form of USB connection and come complete with the appropriate cables. Does it matter which one is used, and what are all these differences for? This is really important for now, but it may change in the future.

In the mid-1990s. The universal bus became an industry standard, which made it possible to streamline the connection of computer peripherals. It has replaced a number of earlier interfaces and is now the most popular connector type in consumer devices.

However, it is still difficult to understand all the varieties of USB.

If the standard was supposed to be universal, why are there so many of them? different types? Each of them serves a different purpose, mainly ensuring compatibility when new devices with better specifications are released. Below are the most common types of USB connectors.

Type-A

Most cables and peripherals (such as keyboards, mice, and joysticks) have a Type A connector. Personal computers, laptops and netbooks usually have several ports of this form. Additionally, many other devices and power adapters use them for data transfer and/or charging. The connector has a flat rectangular shape and is the most recognizable and used. USB pinout Type-A is as follows:

1. +5V - voltage +5 V.
2. D- - data.
3. D+ - data.
4. GND - ground.

All versions of USB standards retain the same form factor for Type-A, so they are mutually compatible. However, USB 3.0 connectors have 9 pins instead of 4, which are used to provide faster data transfer speeds. They are located so as not to interfere with the operation of pins of previous versions of the standard.

Type-B

This is an almost square-shaped connector that is mainly used to connect printers, scanners and other devices with their own power to a computer. Sometimes it can be found on external drives. These days, this type of connector is much less common than Type-A connections.

The connection form in version 3.0 of the standard has been changed, so backward compatibility is not supported, although the new type of ports accepts older modifications of plugs. The reason for this is that Type-B USB 3.0 has 9 pins for faster data transfer, while Powered-B has 11 pins, 2 of which provide additional power.

Again, as with Type-A, physical compatibility different versions does not indicate speed or functionality support.

Basic Concepts

Before attempting to understand the differences between types A and B, it is necessary to understand the concepts of host, receptor, and port.

The slot located on the front or back of the computer case (host) into which one end of the USB cable is inserted is called a port. An electronic device that needs to be charged or to which data needs to be transferred (such as a smartphone or tablet) is called a receptor.

The most popular USB standard is Type A, which can be seen at the end of almost every USB cable inserted into a host slot today. Most often, Type-A ports are equipped desktop computers, game consoles and media players.

Type B connectors are found at the end of a regular USB cable that connects to a peripheral device, such as a smartphone, printer, or hard drive.

Benefits of USB

The standard simplifies the installation and replacement of equipment by reducing all communications to serial data transmission over twisted pair cables and identification of the connected device. If you add grounding and power here, you get a simple 4-wire cable, inexpensive and easy to manufacture.

The standard defines the way the peripheral interacts with the host. If you are not using USB On the Go (OTG), which allows you to limit the capabilities of the host, a direct connection is made. The USB device is not able to initiate communication, only the host can do this, so even if you have a cable with the appropriate connectors, the connection will not work without it. Additionally, since wires carry both power and data, connecting two hosts without an intermediary device can be disastrous, causing high currents, short circuits, and even fires.

Mini

The connector was standard for mobile devices before the advent of micro-USB. As the name suggests, mini-USB is smaller than normal and is still used in some cameras. The connector has 5 contacts, 1 of which serves as an identifier for OTG support, allowing mobile devices and other peripherals act as a host. Pinout USB Mini next:

1. +5V - voltage +5 V.
2. D- - data.
3. D+ - data.
4. ID - host/receptor identifier.
5. GND - ground.

Micro

This is the current connector standard for mobile and portable devices. It has been adopted by almost every manufacturer except Apple. Its physical dimensions are smaller than Mini-USB, but are supported high speeds data transfer (up to 480 Mbit/s) and OTG capabilities. The shape is easily recognizable thanks to the compact 5-pin design.

The Lightning connector is not a USB standard, but rather an Apple proprietary connection for iPad and iPhone. It is similar to micro USB and is compatible with all Apple devices, made after September 2012. Older models use a different and much larger proprietary connector.

Type-C

Features a reversible connector that promises more fast transfer data and more power than previous types. It is increasingly used as a standard for laptops and even some phones and tablets, and has been approved by Apple for Thunderbolt 3.

Type C is a new solution and promises to be everything to everyone. It is smaller, faster and can receive and transmit much more power than previous versions.

Apple shocked the world when it introduced new MacBook with a single USB-C port. This will likely be the start of a trend.

You can read more about USB-C at the end of this article.

Nuances of micro-USB

Those of you who have a phone or tablet on Android platform, definitely have a micro USB cable too. Even the most die-hard Apple fans can't avoid them, as they are the most common type of connector used for things like external power boxes, speakers, etc.

Owners of many gadgets may find that these cables become plentiful over time, and since they are usually interchangeable, you may never have to buy them separately unless they get lost or fail all at once.

When shopping for a micro-USB cable, it may be tempting to go for the cheapest option, but as is often the case, this is a bad idea. Poor quality wires and plugs can easily break and become useless. Therefore, it is better to save yourself from future problems by purchasing a quality product from a reputable manufacturer, even if it costs a little more.

Another thing worth mentioning is the cable length. The short ones are great for transport, but they often mean you have to sit on the floor next to an outlet while your phone charges. Conversely, a cable that is too long can be awkward to carry, can become tangled, and can potentially cause injury.

0.9m is a good length for a charging cable. It allows you to keep your phone while connected to the battery in your bag or pocket, ideal for playing Pokemon Go or simply using your phone while traveling for long periods of time.

If you frequently charge from third-party USB ports to comply with safety precautions or when the device charges slowly, a special cable that prevents data transfer can solve the problem. An alternative is a network adapter.

Another issue that can be problematic is the fact that the connectors on most USB cables (except USB-C) are not interchangeable and often require several attempts to connect. correct connection. Some manufacturers have attempted to fix this. However, not all devices support this feature.

What is USB OTG?

It is a standard that allows portable and mobile devices to act as hosts.

Let's say you have an external drive, a laptop and a smartphone. What do you need to do to copy files from the disk to your phone? The easiest way is to move them from external storage to a laptop, and from it to a smartphone. USB OTG allows you to connect the drive directly to your phone, thereby bypassing the need for an intermediary.

And that is not all! There are many other ways to use OTG. You can connect any device to your smartphone USB device, be it a flash drive, wireless mouse, keyboard, headphones, card readers, game controllers etc.

USB cables

In a connected world wired connections between various electronic devices play an important role. The demand for them is so high that tens of millions of USB cables are produced every year around the world.

Technologies are constantly evolving and improving, as are the associated peripheral devices. The same update trend holds true for USB connectors, but with so many versions and types of USB standards, it becomes difficult to keep track of which USB is better suitable for performing certain functions. To do this, it is necessary to understand their basic differences.

USB types

Various versions USB, such as 2.0 and 3.0, are concerned with the functionality and speed of the USB cable, and their type (such as A or B) mainly refers to the physical design of the connectors and ports.

The USB 1.1 standard (1998) is designed for throughput 12 Mbps, voltage 2.5 V and current 500 mA.

USB 2.0 (2000) is distinguished by a marking on USB logo"HI-SPEED". Provides speeds of 480 Mbps at a voltage of 2.5 V and a current of 1.8 A.

Adopted in 2008, USB 3.0 supports 5 Gbps at 5 V and 1.8 A.

USB 3.1, available since 2015, provides speeds of 10 Gbps at 20 V and 5 A.

The latter standard provides higher throughput and is for the most part backward compatible with more earlier versions. Standard-A connectors are identical to previous versions of Type-A, but are usually colored blue to distinguish them. They are fully backwards compatible, but increased speeds are only available if all components are USB 3 compatible. Standard-B and micro versions have additional pins for increased bandwidth and are not compatible with USB 3. previous versions. Older USB Type-B and Micro-B cables and connectors can be used with USB ports 3.0, but the speed will not increase.

Type C Connector Specifications

The name made headlines in tech magazines around the world when Apple released the 12” Macbook. This is the first laptop to include a Type-C design.

From a physical point of view, the connector is similar to the existing one USB option Micro-B. Its dimensions are 8.4 x 2.6 mm. Thanks to its small form factor, it can easily fit into even the smallest peripherals used today. One of many advantages of Type-C compared to others existing solutions is that it allows connection in reverse orientation, i.e. the plug will always be inserted correctly on the first try! The connector is designed in such a way that you don't have to worry about it being upside down.

Type-C supports the USB 3.1 standard and provides maximum speed 10 Gbps. It also has a significantly higher power output of up to 100W at 20V and 5A. Since laptops typically consume 40-70W, this means Type C easily covers their power requirements. Another functionality offered by USB Type-C is bidirectional power. In other words, you can not only charge your smartphone through a laptop, but also vice versa.

Type-C has received rave reviews from users around the world and has appeared in popular smartphones Chromebook Pixel and Nexus 6P, as well as the Nokia N1 tablet.

We can confidently say that in the coming years all electronic devices will be equipped with ports of this type. This will make working with them easy and convenient. All it takes is the one Type-C cable, which will ultimately allow you to get rid of the tangled tangle of wires in your desk drawer.

Although the specifications were first published in 2014, the technology was only truly implemented in 2016. Today it has become real replacement not only the old USB standards, but also others such as Thunderbolt and DisplayPort. The new Type-C audio solution is also a potential replacement for the 3.5mm headset jack. Type C is closely intertwined with other new standards: USB 3.1 provides more bandwidth and USB Power Delivery - better power delivery.

Connector shape

USB Type-C is a new tiny connector that's barely the size of a microUSB. It supports various new standards such as USB 3.1 and USB PD.

The usual connector that everyone is familiar with is Type-A. Even after the transition from USB 1.0 to 2.0 and further to modern devices, it remained the same. The connector is just as chunky as before and only connects when oriented correctly (which obviously never works the first time). But as devices got smaller and thinner, massive ports simply weren't suitable anymore. This led to many other forms of USB connectors such as Mini and Micro.

Such an inconvenient set of connectors various shapes for devices of all sizes is finally becoming a thing of the past. Type C is a new standard very small size. It makes up about a third of old USB Type-A. This is a single standard that all devices must use, so to connect an external drive to a laptop or charge a smartphone from a charger, you only need one cable. This tiny connector is small enough to fit into an ultra-thin smartphone, but powerful enough to connect all your peripherals. The cable itself has identical Type C connectors on both ends.

Type-C has many advantages. The orientation of the connector doesn't matter, so you no longer have to flip the plug over and over again trying to find the right position. This is a single form of USB connector that everyone should accept, so for various devices no need to have a large number of different USB cables with different plugs. And there won’t be many different ports taking up scarce space on increasingly thin gadgets.

What's more, Type C connectors can also support various protocols, using "alternate modes" which allow you to have adapters capable of outputting HDMI, VGA, DisplayPort or other types of connections from that single connection. A good example of this is the Apple Multiport Adapter, which allows you to connect HDMI, VGA, USB Type-A and Type-C. Thus, many connectors on regular laptops can be reduced to ports of one type.

Nutrition

The USB PD specification is also closely intertwined with Type-C. Currently, a USB 2.0 connection provides up to 2.5W of power. This is only enough to charge your phone or tablet. The specification, supported by the USB-C standard, provides power supply of up to 100 W. This connection is bidirectional, so the device can both charge and charge through it. In this case, data transmission can occur simultaneously. The port allows you to charge even a laptop, which usually requires up to 60 W.

IN Apple MacBook Google's Chromebook Pixel uses USB-C for charging, eliminating all proprietary power cables. At the same time, it becomes possible to charge laptops from portable batteries, which are usually used to charge smartphones and other electronics. And if you connect the laptop to an external display powered from the mains, then its battery will be charged.

However, keep in mind that the presence of a Type C connector does not automatically support USB PD. Therefore, before purchasing devices and cables, you need to make sure that they are compatible with both standards.

Transfer rates

USB 3.1 is the latest Universal Serial Bus standard with a theoretical throughput of 10 Gbps, which is twice the data transfer speed of first-generation Thunderbolt and USB 3.0.

But Type-C is not the same as USB 3.1. This is just the shape of the connector, and the technology behind it can be based on standards 2.0 or 3.0. For example, the Nokia N1 tablet uses USB Type C version 2.0. However, these technologies are closely related. When purchasing, you just need to pay attention to the details and make sure that the device or cable you are purchasing supports the USB 3.1 standard.

backward compatibility

Type C physical connector as opposed to basic standard It is not backward compatible. You can't plug older USB devices into today's tiny Type-C port, and you can't plug a USB-C plug into a larger, older port. But this does not mean that you will have to get rid of all the old peripherals. USB 3.1 is still compatible with previous versions, so you only need a physical USB-C adapter. And you can already connect old devices directly to it.

In the near future, many computers will have both Type-C USB connectors and larger Type-A connectors, like the Chromebook Pixel. This way, users will be able to gradually migrate from older devices by connecting new ones to USB Type-C. But even if the computer is manufactured with only Type C ports, adapters and hubs will fill this gap.

Type-C is a worthy upgrade. Although this port has already appeared in laptops and some smartphones, only with them this technology not limited. Over time, all types of devices will be equipped with it. One day, the standard could even replace the Lightning connector used in iPhones and iPads. Apple's port doesn't have many advantages over USB Type-C, other than the fact that the technology is patented and the company can charge a licensing fee.

If you meet in technical devices designation: USB Type-A, USB Type-B or USB Type-C, this means that the USB device uses these types of connectors.
This is not a designation for the USB standard, it is a designation for the type of connector.

USB standards or their versions are designated as follows: USB 1.0, USB 1.1, USB 2.0, USB 3.0 and USB 3.1.
Moreover, USB 3.1 has two versions: USB 3.1 Gen 1 and USB 3.1 Gen 2.

Most famous type USB connectors, this is USB Type-A, it is located on flash drives, USB modems, at the ends of the wires of mice and keyboards.

It is used for the USB 1.0, USB 1.1, USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 standards.
For USB 1.0, USB 1.1, USB 2.0 the connector is black, and for USB 3.0 it is blue.
Thanks to the USB Type-A connector, devices with standards up to USB 3.0 are compatible.

The USB Type-C connector is different from the previous ones and is not compatible with them.

If there is a need to combine, then you need to use the appropriate adapters.

An important advantage of the USB Type-C connector is that it is symmetrical.
Now you no longer have to worry about which side to insert the cable into the device, i.e. The type C plug can be inserted either way into the socket.

Now let's look at the difference between USB standards.
Theoretical data transfer rate:

USB 1.0 up to 1.5 Mbps
- USB 1.1 up to 12 Mbps
- USB 2.0 up to 480 Mbps
- USB 3.0 and USB 3.1 Gen 1 up to 5 Gbps
- USB 3.1 Gen 2 up to 10 Gbps

Supply voltage, maximum current and power consumed by the peripheral device:

USB 1.0, USB 1.1 - up to 150 mA 5 V (0.75 W)
USB 2.0 - 5V to 500 mA (2.5 W)
USB 3.0 - 5V to 900 mA (4.5 W)
USB 3.1 Current @ 1.5 A - 5V to 1.5 A (7.5 W)
USB 3.1 Current @ 3 A - 5V to 3A (15 W)
USB 3.1 (with Power Delivery 2.0 support) and depending on Profile:
Profile1 - 5V 2A (10 W)
Profile2 - 5V 2A, 12V 1.5A (18 W)
Profile3 - 5V 2A, 12V 3A (36 W)
Profile4 - 5V 2A, 12V, 20V 3A (60 W)
Profile5 - 5V 2A, 12V, 20V 5A (100 W)

The power profile system has been introduced for more advanced cases; for standard devices, Profile1 is used.
For example, an advanced case can be considered active usb cable 100 meters, having at both ends a converter of USB interface signals into optical and vice versa (the maximum length of a standard USB cable cannot exceed 5 meters).
Such a cable transmits only data, and power is needed for the converters.

Therefore, it is necessary to know the power profiles of both the peripheral devices being connected and the main device to which the connection is made.
A port on a device that matches a profile greater than high level, supports all states of the previous ones in descending order.

For example, a device with any profile can be connected to a device with Profile5.
Please note that the USB cable must also match the power profile if you are connecting a high-power peripheral device.

One final note.
The presence of a USB Type-C connector on a device does not mean that this port on the device operates according to the USB 3.1 standard.

At the end of 2008. As you might expect, the new standard has increased throughput, although the increase is not as significant as the 40x increase in speed when moving from USB 1.1 to USB 2.0. In any case, a 10x increase in throughput is welcome. USB 3.0 supports maximum transfer speed of 5 Gbit/s. Almost twice the throughput modern standard Serial ATA (3 Gbit/s, taking into account the transfer of redundant information).

USB 3.0 logo

Every enthusiast will confirm that the USB 2.0 interface is the main bottleneck. modern computers and laptops, since its peak “net” throughput ranges from 30 to 35 MB/s. But modern 3.5″ hard drives for desktop PCs already have transfer speeds exceeding 100 MB/s (2.5″ models for laptops are also appearing, approaching this level). High-speed solid-state drives have successfully surpassed the 200 MB/s threshold. And 5 Gbit/s (or 5120 Mbit/s) corresponds to 640 MB/s.

We don't think that in the foreseeable future hard disks will approach the level of 600 MB/s, but the next generations solid state drives may exceed this number in just a few years. Increasing throughput becomes increasingly important as the amount of information increases and the time it takes to back it up increases accordingly. The faster the storage works, the shorter the backup time will be, the easier it will be to create “windows” in the backup schedule.

Speed ​​comparison table USB characteristics 1.0 – 3.0

Digital video cameras today can record and store gigabytes of video data. The share of HD video cameras is increasing, and they require more capacious and faster recording storage large quantity data. If you use USB 2.0, then transferring several tens of gigabytes of video data to a computer for editing will require considerable time. USB Implementers Forum believes that bandwidth will remain fundamentally important, and USB 3.0 will be sufficient for all consumer devices over the next five years.

8/10 bit encoding

To guarantee reliable transmission data USB 3.0 interface uses 8/10 bit encoding, familiar to us, for example, from Serial ATA. One byte (8 bits) is transmitted using 10-bit encoding, which improves transmission reliability at the expense of throughput. Therefore, the transition from bits to bytes is carried out with a ratio of 10:1 instead of 8:1.

Comparison of USB 1.x – 3.0 bandwidth and competitors

Power Saving Modes

Certainly, main goal interface USB 3.0 is to increase the available bandwidth, however, the new standard effectively optimizes energy consumption. USB interface 2.0 constantly polls the availability of devices, which consumes energy. In contrast, USB 3.0 has four connection states, named U0-U3. The connection state U0 corresponds to active data transfer, and U3 puts the device into “sleep”.

If the connection is idle, then in state U1 the ability to receive and transmit data will be disabled. State U2 goes one step further by disabling the internal clock. Accordingly, connected devices can transition to the U1 state immediately after data transfer is completed, which is expected to provide significant power consumption advantages when compared to USB 2.0.

Higher current

In addition to different power consumption states, the standard USB 3.0 is different from USB 2.0 and higher supported current. If USB 2.0 provided a current threshold of 500 mA, then in the case of the new standard the limitation was shifted to 900 mA. The connection initiation current has been increased from 100 mA for USB 2.0 to 150 mA for USB 3.0. Both parameters are quite important for portable hard drives, which usually require little high currents. Previously, the problem could be solved by using an additional USB plug, drawing power from two ports but using only one for data transfer, even though this violated the USB 2.0 specifications.

New cables, connectors, color coding

USB 3.0 standard is backward compatible with USB 2.0, that is, the plugs appear to be the same as regular Type A plugs. The USB 2.0 pins remain on same place, but deep into the connector there are now five new contacts. This means you need to insert the USB 3.0 plug all the way into USB port 3.0 to make sure the mode USB operation 3.0, which requires additional contacts. Otherwise you will get USB 2.0 speed. USB Implementers Forum recommends that manufacturers use Pantone 300C color coding on the inside of the connector.

The situation was similar for the USB type B plug, although the differences are visually more noticeable. A USB 3.0 plug can be identified by five additional pins.

USB 3.0 does not use fiber optics, because it is too expensive for the mass market. Therefore, we have the good old copper cable. However, it will now have nine rather than four wires. Data transmission is carried out over four of the five additional wires in differential mode (SDP–Shielded Differential Pair). One pair of wires is responsible for receiving information, the other for transmitting. The principle of operation is similar to Serial ATA, with devices receiving full bandwidth in both directions. The fifth wire is “ground”.