In layman’s terms, all those figures mean USB 3.1 can support devices requiring more power and charge them faster. A USB 2.0 port can deliver 500 mA of power while USB 3.1 is able to output 900 mA, an increase in total power delivery from 2.5 W to 4.5 W (at 5 V). Likewise, SuperSpeed can support more power.

USB High Speed (USB 2.0) supports a bandwidth of up to 480 Mbps, while 3.0 supports up to 5.0 Gbps, and 3.1 (Gen 2) up to 10 Gbps. SS USB provides dramatic performance improvement over its 2.0 predecessors. USB 3.1 also supports other types of USB connectors such as Type B, Micro-B, and the more universally adopted Type C. They both use the same standard connector type A, but the USB 3.0 type A receptacles and plugs are typically colored blue. There are very little visual differences between USB 2.0 and 3.0. How Can You Tell If You’re Using an SS USB? More recently, USB 3.1, or Gen 2, has come out, bringing further increases in both power and data transfer speeds. The first iteration of SS USB was introduced in November 2008 as USB 3.0, and it ushered in a new era of speed and power from its predecessor, USB 2.0, or High Speed USB. Let’s get into what SS USB is and what makes it different. The latest generation on the market can be categorized under SS USB or USB 3.1. There are many different USB port types and generations relating to speed and performance. The Universal Serial Bus (USB) is the industry standard that establishes specifications for cables, connectors and protocols for connection, communication, and power supply (interfacing) between computers, peripherals and other computers. But despite being a relatively “old” technology, many amateur producers and engineers still aren’t familiar with SS USB and how to differentiate it from its predecessors.

Usb 2 vs usb 3 cable speed comparison