Need to Know: USB Types Explained

Staying informed about the latest connectivity standards is crucial for maximizing your device performance and your productivity. With various options like USB-A, USB-C, Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, and the newly introduced Thunderbolt 5, understanding their differences can help you make the best choices for your tech setup. 

There are two key elements to keep in mind with any given connection: the physical connector and the underlying protocol for the connection. There have been many USB connectors over the years, including USB-A, USB-B, Micro USB-B, Mini USB-B, USB-C, and more. Each connector has its advantages, but over time, the tech landscape has phased out a number of these in favor of a smaller number of connectors you may find on products used in everyday life. The most common of these are USB-A and USB-C. Of the several protocols available, there have been fewer phased out over time, as each protocol has its specific applications that it may work best for depending on bandwidth, power, and feature requirements.

In this post, we’ll break down the key features, speeds, and capabilities of these connectivity standards to help you navigate the complexities of modern tech connections.

USB-A 

USB 2.0:

• Speed: Up to 480 Mbps
• Backward Compatibility: USB 1.1
• Power: Up to 500mA at 5V (2.5W), but can support higher power delivery with USB Battery Charging (BC) specifications
• Also Known as: Hi-speed USB (HS)

USB 3.2 Gen 1:

• Speed: Up to 5 Gbps
• Backward Compatibility: USB 2.0 and 1.1
• Power: Up to 900mA at 5V (4.5W), but can support higher power with USB Battery Charging (BC) specifications
• Also Known as: USB 3.0, USB 3.1 Gen 1, USB 5Gbps, SuperSpeed USB (SS)

USB 3.2 Gen 2:

• Speed: Up to 10 Gbps
• Backward Compatibility: USB 3.2 Gen 1, USB 2.0, and 1.1
• Power: Up to 900mA at 5V (4.5W), but can support higher power with USB Battery Charging  (BC) specifications
• Also Known as: USB 3.1, USB 3.2 Gen 2, USB 10Gbps, SuperSpeed+ USB (SS+)

USB-C

USB 2.0:

• Speed: Up to 480 Mbps
• Backward Compatibility: USB 1.1
• Power: Up to 500mA at 5V (2.5W), but can support higher power delivery with USB Power Delivery (PD) specifications
• Additional Features: Can support USB Power Delivery allowing up to 240W for charging and power
• Also Known as: Hi-speed USB (HS)

USB 3.2 Gen 1:

• Speed: Up to 5Gbps
• Backward Compatibility: USB 2.0 and 1.1 Type-C, or USB-A with the proper adapters
• Power: Up to 900mA at 5V (4.5W), but can support higher power delivery with USB Power Delivery (PD) specifications
• Additional Features: Can support Alternate modes such as DisplayPort and HDMI, can support USB Power Delivery allowing up to 240W for charging and power
• Also Known as: USB 3.0, USB 3.1 Gen 1, USB 5Gbps, SuperSpeed USB (SS)

USB 3.2 Gen 2:

• Speed: Up to 10Gbps
• Backward Compatibility: USB 3.2 Gen 1, USB 2.0, USB 1.1 Type-C or USB-A with the proper adapters
• Power: Up to 900mA at 5V (4.5W), but can support higher power delivery with USB Power Delivery (PD) specifications
• Additional Features: Can support Alternate modes such as DisplayPort and HDMI, can support USB Power Delivery allowing up to 240W for charging and power
• Also Known as: USB 3.1, USB 3.1 Gen 2, USB 10Gbps, SuperSpeed+ USB (SS+)

USB4

• Speed: Up to 40 Gbps
• Backward Compatibility: USB 3.2 Gen 2, USB 3.2 Gen 1, USB 2.0, USB 1.1 Type-C, and Thunderbolt 3 (optional)
• Power: At least 1.5A at 5V (7.5W)
• Connector: USB-C
• Additional Features: It optionally integrates the Thunderbolt 3 protocol and supports up to two 4K 120Hz displays or a single 8K 60Hz display. Can support USB Power Delivery, allowing up to 240W charging and power

Thunderbolt 3

• Speed: Up to 40 Gbps
• Backward Compatibility: USB 3.2 Gen 2, USB 3.2 Gen 1, USB 2.0, USB 1.1 Type-C or Type-A with proper adapters
• Power: At least 3A at 5V (15W)
• Connector: USB-C 
• Additional Features: Supports PCI Express (PCIe) 3.0 and DisplayPort 1.2 protocols, allows daisy-chaining of up to six devices. Supports one 4K 60Hz display (optional support for dual 4K 60Hz displays or a single 5K 60Hz display). Can support USB Power Delivery allowing up to 100W charging and power

Thunderbolt 4

• Speed: Up to 40 Gbps
• Backward Compatibility: Thunderbolt 3, USB4, USB 3.2 Gen 2, USB 3.2 Gen 1, USB 2.0, USB 1.1 Type-C or Type-A with proper adapters
• Power: At least 3A at 5V (15W)
• Connector: USB-C
• Additional Features: Supports PCI Express (PCIe) 3.0 and DisplayPort 2.0, and USB4 protocols. Mandatory support for dual 4K 60Hz displays or a single 8K 60Hz display, and support for docks with up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports. Can support USB Power Delivery allowing up to 240W charging and power

Thunderbolt 5

• Speed: Up to 80 Gbps
• Backward Compatibility: Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, USB4, USB 3.2 Gen 2, USB 3.2 Gen 1, USB 2.0, USB 1.1 Type-C or Type-A with proper adapters
• Power: At least 3A at 5V (15W)
• Connector: USB-C 

Additional Features: Supports PCI Express (PCIe) 4.0, DisplayPort 2.1, and USB4 protocols. Mandatory support for dual 8K displays or up to three 4K 144Hz displays and for docks with up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports. It can support USB Power Delivery, allowing up to 240W charging and power. Improved power efficiency, better support for external GPUs and high-performance peripherals than previous Thunderbolt versions

USB Compared

Choosing the correct connectivity standard for your needs as technology advances becomes increasingly essential. Whether you’re seeking high-speed data transfer, robust power delivery, or seamless compatibility with multiple devices, understanding the distinctions between USB-A, USB-C, Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, and Thunderbolt 5 will empower you to make informed decisions.

Questions?

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