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Understanding USB Standards

Technology is always changing. This can sometimes lead to confusion about what a term actually means.

In this article, we’ll answer some of the frequently asked questions about USB standards and types so that you can find the product that best suits your needs.

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What's the difference between USB 3.0, USB 3.1 Gen 1 and USB 3.2 Gen 1?

Nothing! These terms, along with SuperSpeed USB, all refer to the same USB standard.

As faster speeds and new standards were introduced, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) introduced new naming conventions. This forced the old standards to change their names, though the technology remained the same.

As you can see in the below chart, USB 3.0, USB 3.1 Gen 1 and USB 3.2 Gen 1 all refer to same technology with a maximum speed of 5Gbps.

USB Standard Chart

Original Name	First Re-name	Current Name	SuperSpeed Name	Maximum Speed
USB 3.0	USB 3.1 Gen 1	USB 3.2 Gen 1	SuperSpeed USB	5Gbps (625MBps)
USB 3.1	USB 3.1 Gen 2	USB 3.2 Gen 2	SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps	10Gbps (1250MBps)
USB 3.2	N/A	USB 3.2 Gen 2x2	SuperSpeed USB 20Gbps	20Gbps (2500MBps)

Original Name	USB 3.0
First Re-name	USB 3.1 Gen 1
Current Name	USB 3.2 Gen 1
SuperSpeed Name	SuperSpeed USB
Maximum Speed	5Gbps (625MBps)
Original Name	USB 3.1
First Re-name	USB 3.1 Gen 2
Current Name	USB 3.2 Gen 2
SuperSpeed Name	SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps
Maximum Speed	10Gbps (1250MBps)
Original Name	USB 3.2
First Re-name	N/A
Current Name	USB 3.2 Gen 2x2
SuperSpeed Name	SuperSpeed USB 20Gbps
Maximum Speed	20Gbps (2500MBps)

What is SuperSpeed?

SuperSpeed is a marketing term that some companies use to refer to the USB standards. You can use the chart above to see which term refers to which standard.

What if I don’t have/don’t know if I have the matching USB port on my computer?

Luckily, all these USB standards are backwards compatible! You won’t necessarily get the benefit of the higher transfer speed but your devices will still work with any compatible port.

What is USB4™?

USB4 is the latest USB standard announced by the USB-IF. Based on the Thunderbolt™ protocol, it will use the USB Type-C® connector and have a theoretical maximum speed of 40Gbps (5000MBps). And it will still be backwards compatible with old USB ports.

What are the USB types?

A USB type refers to the actual physical shape of the USB connector. Some of these you’ve likely seen hundreds of times, without even knowing the name! The 4 most common USB types currently are USB Type-A, microUSB, USB Type-C®, and Apple Lightning. Below are pictures of the connectors and some common devices you might associate them with.

Note: to get the maximum performance from your device, be sure match the USB type to your USB port.