
Both USB Type-A and USB Type-C connectors are used to facilitate USB 3.2 Gen 1 and Gen 2 connections, and USB C is also used to facilitate the USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 connection. This is a major leap forward from the previous USB 2.0 standard which was capable of providing 2.5 watts of power.Īgain, while USB Type-C and USB 3.1 and USB 3.2 are sometimes referred to interchangeably, they are not one in the same. Both USB 3.2 Gen 1 and Gen 2 support the USB Power Delivery Specification (USB PD), with Gen 2 offering up to 20 volts of power at 5 amps for a potential total of 100 watts through supported hardware. The Power Capabilities of USB 3.2Įven early versions of the USB standard were designed to power connected peripherals, and as the technology has matured the charging and powering capabilities of USB have also evolved.

It should be noted however, that while the data transfer rates of USB 3.2 Gen 2 and Gen 2×2 are impressive, many devices aren’t yet capable of reading or writing at those speeds, and actual speeds will be based on the host and destination devices, as well as the capabilities of the USB cable being used (more on that later). USB 3.0 Type-A (left) and USB 3.0 Type-C (right) USB 3.2 Gen 2×2, released in September 2017 is available only for USB-C connectors using two-lane operation, It offers SuperSpeed 20 Gbps.It offers the SuperSpeed 10 Gbps over the existing USB-A and USB-C connectors (twice the rate of USB 3.2 Gen 1.) USB 3.2 Gen 2, used to be called USB 3.1 released in July 2013.It offers a transfer rate referred to as SuperSpeed 5 Gbps, which is about 10 times faster than the USB 2.0 standard. USB 3.2 Gen 1 used to be called USB 3.0.USB 3.0, 3.1 and 3.2 are a little more confusing. In terms of transfer rates, for perspective, the USB 1.0 specification introduced in 1996, offered a maximum data transfer rate of 12 Megabits per second (Mbps). The standards that dictate the performance of USB are instead expressed as a numerical value, like USB 2.0. It’s important to make the distinction between a given USB port form factor (like Type-A or Type-C) and the data transfer rates and power delivery available over that port.
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That said, while USB Type-C ports are becoming more and more common on mobile devices and consumer hardware (like Apple’s most recent Macbook), the industrial PC (IPC) market is just beginning to dabble with integrating USB Type-C connections into the latest generation of commercial devices. USB Type-C is intended to supplant the other existing USB form factors and provide a future proof, fully featured option for hardware designers to standardize on. The USB Type-C connector is smaller, oval, symmetrically shaped and reversible, meaning there is no “wrong way” to plug it in, eliminating one of the most common complaints about USB Type-A. The Mini-B and Micro-B connectors, like their Type-A counterparts, are found on a wide range of electronics, from tablets and handheld GPS devices to cell phones. USB Type-B connectors are frequently used on printers, though they can also be found on some monitors and USB hubs.

The more square shaped USB Type-B is somewhat less common but is electrically identical to USB Type-A connectors. Gaining popularity in the mid 90’s, standard USB Type-A connectors are rectangular and have a distinct top and bottom, requiring them to be oriented properly in order to be plugged in, a much-maligned design flaw characteristic. The most common and familiar USB connector shape is USB Type-A, which is currently used on the vast majority of computer equipment and peripherals, as well as other devices, including those that utilize its Mini-A and Micro-A variants (see image to the right). (The USB Type-C connector shouldn’t be confused with the USB 3.1 or USB 3.2 standards.)

Type-C refers to the physical shape of the the newest USB connector.
