USB Comparison Chart
Navigating the tech world can get confusing with so many connector types around. That's where Central Computers comes in. In this quick guide, we break down the essentials of USB and Thunderbolt versions. From their early days to the latest advancements, we've got you covered. Let's simplify tech together!
USB Version
Release Year
Data Rate
Official Name
Connector Types
Notable Changes
USB 1.0
1996
Low Speed: 1.5 Mbps
Full Speed: 12 Mbps
Universal Serial Bus (USB) 1.0
Type-A
Type-B
First introduction of USB standard
USB 1.1
1998
Low Speed: 1.5 Mbps
Full Speed: 12 Mbps
Universal Serial Bus (USB) 1.1
Type-A
Type-B
Fixed many of the issues found in USB 1.0
USB 2.0
2000
High Speed: 480 Mbps
Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0
Type-A
Type-B
Mini
Micro
Significant speed increase
Mini and Micro connectors introduced
USB 3.0
2008
SuperSpeed: 5Gbps
Universal Serial Bus (USB) 3.0
Type-A
Type-B
Micro-B
First to introduce SuperSpeed
Power management improvements
USB 3.1
2013
Gen 1: 5 Gbps
Gen 2: 10 Gbps
Universal Serial Bus (USB) 3.1
Gen 1
Gen 2
Type-A
Type-B
Micro-B
Type-C
Introduction of reversible Type-C connector
Power delivery up to 100W
USB 3.2
2017
Gen 1x1: 5 Gbps
Gen 2x1: 10 Gbps
Gen 2x2: 20 Gbps
Universal Serial Bus (USB) 3.2
Gen 1x1
Gen 2x1
Gen 2x2
Type-A
Type-B
Micro-B
Type-C
Enhanced SuperSpeed+
Gen 2x2 offers doubled bandwidth using Type-C connectors
USB 4
2019
Up to 40 Gbps
USB4
Type-C
Incorporates Thunderbolt 3 technology
Backward compatible
| USB Version | Year | Data Rate | Official Name | Connector Types | Notable Features & Changes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USB 1.0 | 1996 | Low Speed: 1.5 Mbps, Full Speed: 12 Mbps | Universal Serial Bus (USB) 1.0 | Type-A, Type-B | First introduction of USB standard. |
| USB 1.1 | 1998 | Low Speed: 1.5 Mbps, Full Speed: 12 Mbps | Universal Serial Bus (USB) 1.1 | Type-A, Type-B | Improved data transfer performance and compatibility. |
| USB 2.0 | 2000 | High Speed: 480 Mbps | Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 | Type-A, Type-B, Mini-A, Mini-B | Significant increase in data transfer performance. |
| USB 3.0 | 2008 | SuperSpeed: 5 Gbps | Universal Serial Bus (USB) 3.0 | Type-A, Type-B, Micro-A, Micro-B | Another significant increase in data transfer performance, and added support for power delivery. |
| USB 3.1 | 2013 | SuperSpeed+: 10 Gbps | Universal Serial Bus (USB) 3.1 | Type-A, Type-B, Micro-B, Type-C | Doubled the data transfer performance of USB 3.0, and introduced the reversible Type-C connector. |
| USB 3.2 | 2017 | SuperSpeed+: 10 Gbps, SuperSpeed USB 20 Gbps | Universal Serial Bus (USB) 3.2 | Type-A, Type-C, Type-B, Micro-B, Type-C | Increased data transfer performance and compatibility with older USB standards. |
| USB 4 | 2019 | Up to 40 Gbps | USB4 | Type-C | Incorporates Thunderbolt 3 technology. Backward compatible with older USB standards. |
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