USB ports have become an indispensable part of everyday digital life. But which connection types are there and what else do you have to consider with the connectors for data transmission?
The acronym USB stands for “Universal Serial Bus”. It denotes a data transmission system that was introduced in 1996 and has since become widespread internationally. There are now three basic types of connections and then in turn several variants of these types. Type A, Type B or Type C, Mini, Micro and Macro – TECHBOOK gives an overview of the different connections.
Overview of USB plugs
In general, a distinction is made between types A, B and C. All of these types have been designed for different purposes. You can recognize them by the characteristic shape of their connections. One of the best known is certainly the classic type A connection, which is often found on PCs. USB-C, on the other hand, is mainly seen in smartphones.
Type A
Type A is still the most widespread standard. The comparatively wide connection is mainly used on computers, for example to connect a keyboard and mouse to the device. USB sticks used for data storage often have an A connector, as do gaming controllers and various power supplies that come with an A connector as standard. The best known is the angular USB 1.0 to 3.0 type A.
Type B
There are hardly any common USB type B connections nowadays. A few years ago, however, they were often used in printers and fax machines, among other things. In the form of the mini and, above all, the micro variant, type B is still partially preserved today. The micro connector was standard on Android smartphones for a long time.
Type C
Type C was only introduced in 2014 and is therefore a comparatively young standard. Due to technical progress, it offers higher transmission speeds than its predecessors, which is why it has now clearly set itself apart from them. It can be found on most smartphones these days. Even Apple is obliged to switch from its own Lightning connector to USB-C from 2024.
USB numbering
In addition to the optical differences according to types or purposes, the numbering is also crucial. The speed of data transfer mainly depends on whether the connection is USB 1.0, 2.0 or 3.0.
- USB 1.0 was introduced in 1996 and allows a maximum data transfer rate of 12 Mbit/s. The standard is rarely used these days.
- USB 2.0 was released in 2000. The maximum transmission speed is 480 Mbit/s, which is already a significant leap.
- USB 3.0 then appeared in 2008 and offers speeds of up to 5 Gbit/s, almost ten times that. In addition, the standard is more energy-efficient and, thanks to full duplex, data transmission can take place in both directions instead of just in one as before. However, this further limits the cable length.
- In 2013, the USB standard 3.1 followed. Theoretically, transmission speeds of up to 10 Gbit/s are possible. This was topped in 2017 by 3.2 and its maximum speed of 20 Gbit/s.
What the colors of the USB ports mean
Most USB ports are just black and white, but there are exceptions. This can indeed have a specific meaning, but the corresponding codes are not binding. If a connection deviates from the usual black and white, you should still pay attention to it.
So black and white stand for a type 1.0 or 2.0 connection. Blue, on the other hand, is usually an indication of USB 3.0. Yellow indicates a permanent power supply, while blue-green is mostly reserved for USB 3.1