The USB 3.0 standard is, of course, the next iteration in the universal serial bus standard. USB has come a long way since its inception however, remains a standard. The specifications for USB 2.0 include a data rate of 480 Mbps, and this increase afforded the use of external hard drives. Also, with the newer standard came increased data rates. In the spring of 2000, the USB 2.0 standard supplants USB 1.1 as the defacto USB standard. Like all things in the field of electronics, the USB standard progressed and evolved, thus ushering in the standard USB 2.0.

However, with USB 1.1, this all changed, and even the peripheral manufacturers added USB connections to their devices. During this time, the number of different types of ports on a PC’s motherboard was staggering. To put it mildly, USB 1.1 was a game-changer in the field of computers and peripherals alike. So much so that it persuaded PC manufacturers to implement them into their board designs. Although by today’s standards, a maximum transfer rate of 1.5 Mbps (USB 1.0) and 12 Mbps (USB 1.1) is nearly unfathomable, back then, these standards set the bar. The first standard for USB, called USB 1.0, dates back to the 1990s. This becomes especially important when the device you wish to charge or use requires a USB 3.0 port, and the device you want to use only has a USB 2.0 port.īrief History of the Universal Serial Bus The USB port is an indispensable component and thus requires the understanding that not all USB ports are the same. The fact that we are in our third series generation for the component speaks volumes to its popularity and widespread use.

The USB port has bridged the gap of communication between a myriad of devices that are otherwise physically incompatible.

Some end-users even base their desktop and laptop purchases on whether there are enough USB ports. Over the last decade, the USB port has been the most recognized component in electronics, aside, of course, from the smartphone.

Usb 2 vs usb 3 plug