What is the difference between USB 2.0, 3.0, and 3.1?

The difference is the maximum transfer speed:

  • USB 2.0: 480 Mbps (60 MB/s)
  • USB 3.0: 5 Gbps (640 MB/s)
  • USB 3.1 Gen 1: 5 Gbps (640 MB/s)
  • USB 3.1 Gen 2: 10 Gbps (1.25 GB/s)
 

USB 3.0 ports are fully backward compatible. This means that when a USB 2.0 drive or earlier is connected to a USB 3.0 port, the drive will work correctly. It's important to note that USB 3.0 drives are also compatible with USB 2.0 ports. However, a USB 3.0 drive has the same transfer rate as a USB 2.0 drive when connected to a USB 2.0 port. In other words, a USB 3.0 drive must be connected to a USB 3.0 port to achieve high-speed data transfer.

 

If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact us for help.

What is the difference between USB 2.0, 3.0, and 3.1?
50 undefined
Anker Warranty Policy
118719 views/18 likes/2022-07-22 13:47:17
Warranty of Anker cables
15834 views/1 likes/2025-04-08 13:37:22
How to verify the authenticity of Anker products?
16357 views/2 likes/2025-06-10 09:58:45
Warranty Claims for Quality-Related Issues
24490 views/2 likes/2024-03-22 09:40:45
How to verify if my cables are MFi certified?
9888 views/1 likes/2025-04-07 17:16:10
What is the difference between USB 2.0, 3.0, and 3.1?
10204 views/3 likes/2025-04-07 17:16:09
Shipping FAQ
3868 views/1 likes/2025-10-29 11:01:14
30-Day No-Reason-to-Return FAQ
5410 views/1 likes/2025-04-08 15:29:05
Anker USB-C to USB-C Cable FAQ
8652 views/1 likes/2025-04-07 17:15:51