Buzz
In recent years, the term USB 3.0 has become increasingly common on tech devices such as laptops, PCs, and external hard drives, garnering significant attention from tech enthusiasts. But why has this USB connection port become so prevalent, and what sets it apart from the previous USB 2.0 generation? In a previous article comparing USB 2.0 and USB 3.0, we shed some light on this, helping you understand the differences.
In this article, we'll delve deeper into USB 3.0, providing detailed insights such as its definition and how to identify USB 3.0 ports on laptops and PCs.
Understanding USB 3.0
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is a widely used interface standard that allows computers and laptops to connect directly to various peripherals such as keyboards, mice, external hard drives, the internet, tablets, and other smartphones. The numbers following the USB label, such as 1.1, 2.0, or 3.0,
While USB ports may share the same appearance, name, and purpose of connecting peripherals, not all USB ports are created equal in functionality. Some are designed to perform functions that others do not. For instance, you may notice that your phone charges faster with one USB port but slower with another. So, how can you determine whether a new electronic device, such as a laptop, motherboard, or external hard drive, supports USB 3.0? The answer awaits.
Identifying USB 3.0 Ports on Your Laptop or PC
Identifying USB 3.0 Ports on Your Laptop or PC: 2 Methods
Method 1: Recognizing USB 3.0 by Color
Most people are familiar with this method, which makes it easy to distinguish between USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 ports. Typically, USB 3.0 ports are painted blue (both male and female connectors) for easy differentiation from USB 2.0 ports, which have black plugs.
Method 2: In cases where ports are not painted in a specific color, you'll need to look at the icon next to the USB port to differentiate between the 3.0 and 2.0 standards. Usually, USB 3.0 ports will have the letters 'SS' preceding the USB symbol, whereas USB 2.0 ports won't (SS stands for Super Speed).
Moreover, on some modern devices, you may notice a lightning bolt symbol next to a USB port, indicating that the port is designed for charging external devices such as phones, iPods, and more.
Outstanding Features of USB 3.0
- In theory, the maximum speed of USB 3.0 is 4.8 - 5 Gbps, approximately 600 - 625 MB/s, while USB 2.0 has a maximum speed of 480 Mbps, equivalent to 60 MB/s. You can easily see that USB 3.0 is 10 times faster than USB 2.0.
- The number of wires in USB 3.0 doubles, from 4 to 8 wires. The additional wires require more space in both the cable and the connection, so new connection types have been designed.
- USB 2.0 provides 500 mA of power, while USB 3.0 provides up to 900 mA. USB 3.0 devices supply additional power when needed and consume less power when connected but not in use.
- Instead of processing data in one direction, USB 3.0 uses two separate data paths, one for receiving data and one for transmitting data, whereas USB 2.0 can only process data in one direction.
- A new feature integrated into USB 3.0 (using NRDY and ERDY packets) is the notification of an asynchronous device to the host. When data is transmitted through a USB 3.0 device, cable, and connection, the host will send a request to determine how to connect the devices. These devices can be accepted for connection or ejected.
Exploring the New USB 3.1 Standard
USB 3.1 is the next version of the 3.0 protocol, but USB 3.1 is divided into 2 types.
- USB 3.1 Gen 1: This protocol is quite similar to USB 3.0, and its maximum speed remains at 4.8 - 5 Gbps, but it offers slightly better performance. Basically, you don't need to worry too much about this protocol.
- USB 3.1 Gen 2: This is the new protocol you should pay attention to. With this protocol, the maximum data transfer speed can reach up to 10 Gbps, double that of USB 3.0/3.1 Gen 1. The symbol for USB 3.1 Gen 2 will also have a slight difference, with a plus sign + behind it, indicating SuperSpeed+.
However, it will take quite some time for this new USB 3.1 standard to become widespread due to technical requirements and high costs, so the position of USB 3.0 will remain strong for at least a long time.
So, after reading this article shared by Mytour, you now know how to identify USB 3.0 ports on laptops and PCs, don't you? Hopefully, the article will provide you with useful knowledge and contribute to your decision-making process when choosing and purchasing tech devices.
Furthermore, in our previous article, we shared with you how to install USB 3.0 drivers for Windows 7 to install the operating system on some machines that do not support installing Windows via USB anymore. If you're interested, you can refer to the method installing USB 3.0 drivers for Windows 7 here.
USB is a useful tool for users. Besides storing data, using USB to install Windows is one of the methods commonly used by computer users. If you want to install Windows 10 without spending money on discs, you can create a Windows 10 installation USB using the simplest tools and devices, with just a USB drive of 4GB or more, and bootable USB creation software. You can easily create a Windows 10 installation USB in the shortest time possible.
