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.

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