USB Versions & Speeds
USB generations, advertised speeds, and the confusing USB-IF marketing names.
Reference
USB data speeds
| Original name | Marketing name | Speed | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| USB 1.0 (Low Speed) | USB Low Speed | 1.5 Mbit/s | 1996 |
| USB 1.1 (Full Speed) | USB Full Speed | 12 Mbit/s | 1998 |
| USB 2.0 (High Speed) | USB 2.0 | 480 Mbit/s | 2000 |
| USB 3.0 | USB 5 Gbps (SuperSpeed) | 5 Gbit/s | 2008 |
| USB 3.1 Gen 2 | USB 10 Gbps (SuperSpeed+) | 10 Gbit/s | 2013 |
| USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 | USB 20 Gbps | 20 Gbit/s (2 lanes) | 2017 |
| USB4 v1 Gen 3×2 | USB4 40Gbps | 40 Gbit/s | 2019 |
| USB4 v2 Gen 4 | USB 80Gbps | 80 Gbit/s (120 Gbit/s asym.) | 2022 |
Connector types
| Connector | Use |
|---|---|
| Type-A | Classic host end (rectangular) |
| Type-B | Printer end (square) |
| Mini-A / Mini-B | Obsolete — found on old cameras |
| Micro-A / Micro-B | Phones pre-2015 |
| Type-C | Modern universal reversible |
| Lightning | Apple proprietary (deprecated 2023) |
Notes
- USB-IF has rebranded speeds multiple times — prefer the Gbps number over "Gen" labels.
- A Type-C port does not imply USB 3/4 — it could still be USB 2.0 only.
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