What’s the Best USB Cable for Me?
USB ports come fitted to an immense range of electronic gear, and to connect up this gear, you need to use the right USB cable. But which one? Should it be a 2.0, 3.0, or 3.1 cable? And does it need to have USB A, B, C, micro, or even mini plugs? In this guide, we answer your most frequently asked questions about USB cables and USB ports to help you find exactly what you need. If you can’t find the answer to your question here, feel free to contact us!
USB 2.0/3.0/3.1 | Shape/Format | USB A/B | USB C | Mini/Micro | Apple | Length | More
1. What’s the Difference Between USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 / 3.1?
USB 3.0 is a little bit faster than USB 2.0, so you can do things like open or transfer large files quickly. To achieve a faster data speed, USB 3.0 plugs are fitted with extra contact points and the cables are made up of nine bundled wires rather than the four wires that USB 2.0 cables are made of.Then there’s USB 3.1, which is even faster than USB 3.0. USB 3.0 ports can be identified easily since they are blue, while USB 2.0 ports are black. The speed of a plug or port has nothing to with its shape (see Question 2).
Points Worth Knowing:
- USB 2.0, 3.0, and 3.1 is ‘backwards and forwards compatible’. This means that a USB 2.0 cable can be connected to a USB 3.0 or 3.1 port, and the other way around. It also means that USB 2.0 equipment can be connected to USB 3.0 or 3.1 equipment. Note: the maximum speed is always determined by the slowest connected equipment or cable. So, if you want the speed of USB 3.0, then both pieces of equipment must be fitted with a USB 3.0 port (minimum), and a USB 3.0 cable needs to be used to connect them.
- Officially, USB 3.1 is called ‘USB 3.1 Gen 2', and USB 3.0 is sometimes referred to as 'USB 3.1 Gen 1'.
2. Are there Different USB Plug Shapes and Formats?
Yes. The plugs fitted on USB cables can come in various shapes, which can sometimes be confusing. In any case, the USB cable used always needs to be compatible with the port fitted to the equipment you want to connect up. The difference is that the USB port will be ‘female’, while the plug on the end of the cable is usually ‘male’. A USB cable can come fitted with the same kind of USB plug at both ends, but it’s not unusual to come across cables fitted with different plugs.
Find further information about different types of USB plugs and ports below.
3. What's the Difference Between USB-A and USB-B?
Flat USB-A plugs are the kind you’ll find fitted to most USB cables. Almost every laptop and desktop will also have this type of USB port. USB-B ports and plugs, on the other hand, have a more square shape but actually do the same thing. USB-B ports are often fitted to printers, audio interfaces, digital musical instruments, and other equipment that can be connected to a computer. The difference between the two plug shapes was designed to indicate the difference in function between a computer and another device, and prevent short-circuits caused by incorrectly connecting up equipment.
4. What is USB-C?
USB-C is the new plug shape that, in the coming years, is likely to become the new standard. More and more, this kind of port will be found fitted to computers, laptops, smartphones, and the equipment that can be connected to them. One of the benefits of these more compact plugs and ports is that they’ll finally bring an end to the need for so many different USB cables and USB adapter cables.
At the moment, USB-C is often USB 3.1 capable (see Question 1), but in the future, the speed is also likely to increase.
Equipment with a USB-C port can be connected to (e.g.) a USB-A device without any problems since you can simply use a USB-A to C cable.
5. What Do You Use a Mini USB or Micro USB For?
Mini and Micro USB ports are found fitted to tablets, smartphones, digital cameras and other smaller devices. These devices are made by various manufacturers, apart from Apple. Mini USBs are the outdated version of Micro USBs, and most Android devices have Micro USB ports. Both Mini and Micro USB ports can be USB-A or USB-B, so always double check the kind of port your device has, since the different types are not able to work together. But: in practice, you’ll almost always come across Mini-B ports (e.g. external hard drives, as seen in the bottom image) and Micro-B ports (e.g. smartphones, as seen in the top image).
USB-A to Micro-B Cables
USB-A to Mini-B Cables
USB-A to Micro-A Cables
USB-A to Mini-A Cables
6. What Are Lightning and 30-Pin Cables Used For?
Lightning and 30-pin ports and plugs are not USB. Both are designed by Apple and are used for iPhones and iPads and the gear that has been designed specifically for them. The 30-pin connection is the older version of the Lightning and came fitted to Apple devices made before 2014. Lightning plugs and ports have an 8-pin connection, and while they look like a USB-C, the two are not compatible. However, it does seem that Apple is slowly making the step over to USB-C.
Lightning to USB-A Cables
Lightning to USB-B Cables
Lightning to USB Micro-B Cables
30-pin to USB Cables
7. How Long Should a USB Cable Be?
The length of a USB cable depends on what you need it for. However, because of the nature of USB-technology, there are some limitations: the maximum length of USB 2.0 cables is 5 metres, while the maximum length of USB 3.0 cables is 3 metres, and the maximum length of USB 3.1 cables has yet to be specified. While equipment can be connected using longer USB cables, it’s not guaranteed that this will actually work or that you’ll get a consistent connection.
If you need more length, then you can couple a few cables using a USB hub. It’s recommended to use a ‘powered’ USB hub that’s connected to a power socket to ensure that the linked devices receive enough electricity. Up to five hubs can be linked, and in combination with six cables, that gives you a theoretical length of 30 metres. There are also longer cables available where the power and data signal is actually amplified by the cable itself.
USB Cables: 1 Metre or Shorter
USB Cables: 1.5 Metres
USB Cables: 2 Metres
USB Cables: 3 Metres
USB Cables: 4.5 Metres+
USB Hubs
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