You can use a usb 2 0 device in a usb 3 port or a usb 3 device in a usb 2 0 port but neither setup provides the extra speed benefit.
Usb3 cable types.
However usb 3 0 devices with this connection type can accept previous usb 2 0 and 1 1 cabling.
The usb 3 0 b type connector is found on usb 3 0 devices.
Usb type a connectors are extremely common and will likely be at one end of a lot of usb cables nowadays.
For example a usb type c cable.
With these cables the type is whichever end of the cable isn t the standard usb type a connector.
Usb cables are named in one of two ways.
It is recommended that manufacturers distinguish usb 3 0.
Many external hard drives and higher end flash drives use usb 3.
Older cable types like micro usb require a special connector type for usb 3 0 compatibility.
Cables with this connector are not backwards compatible with usb 2 0 or usb 1 1 devices.
You can connect various devices such as smartphones cameras keyboards and more to.
So for example a cable with both a usb type a and a type c connector is a usb type c cable.
Among other improvements usb 3 0 adds the new transfer rate referred to as superspeed usb ss that can transfer data at up to 5 gbit s 625 mb s which is about 10 times faster than the usb 2 0 standard.
Usb c formally known as usb type c is a 24 pin usb connector system with a rotationally symmetrical connector.
Usb 3 0 is the third major version of the universal serial bus usb standard for interfacing computers and electronic devices.
The usb type c specification 1 0 was published by the usb implementers forum usb if and was finalized in august 2014.
Usb c or usb type c connector is the newest usb interface came to the market along with the new usb 3 1 standard.
Whereas the type of usb cable like usb type a usb type b essentially refers to the physical design of the plugs and ports.
The usb 3 a and usb 3 b cables are identical to the usb a and usb b cables at the top of this article except they are coloured blue inside to distinguish them.
However doing so limits you to usb 2 0 speeds.
Types of usb cable.
The below chart shows what connector types are compatible with which standards.
The usb 3 has different shaped connector pins so it can withstand more frequent use.
Usb 3 was designed to be able to be backwards compatible with earlier versions of usb cables and ports.
For more information about usb versions you can refer to this table.
Notice that micro usb devices that support usb 3 x have a different plug.
Usb c cables are always usb 3.
The different versions of usb cables like usb 2 0 and usb 3 0 are concerned with the functionality and speed of the usb cable.
It was developed at roughly the same time as the usb 3 1 specification.
These devices are backwards compatible so you can plug a usb 3 x cable into a usb 2 0 port or vice versa.
As a single type.
This connector is designed to carry data and power in usb superspeed applications.
In july 2016 it was adopted by the iec as iec 62680 1 3.