USB 3.0, USB 3.1, USB Type C: This is behind the names
The USB connection has been with us for 20 years now. He was introduced in 1996 and has hardly been left to think since. No matter if the smartphone, the external hard drive, printers, scanners or even external displays — almost every device is now connected via USB to the PC or notebook. However, since the introduction of USB 3.0, 3.1 and type C, there has been a growing confusion surrounding the USB connection. An overview of what the name means, we have gathered for you.
But what has changed now that is causing confusion? Some, because with USB 3.0 and 3.1 came some changes and extensions of the standard. Especially USB Type C still makes for chaos, because the connection does not mean that a new USB standard is also used. Let’s start with the current standards.
USB 3.0/3.1
USB 3.0 came on the market in 2011 and was actually available on the market from 2011 onwards. The new standard brought above all a higher transmission rate, but also a higher possible power of up to 4, 5w, which can be transmitted via the cables and connections. The increased data transfer rate is also called “USB Super Speed”.
As early as 2013, USB 3.1 came onto the market, which once again reached higher data rates. However, it was decided to re-assign the naming of the USB 3 standards, so that USB 3.0 became USB 3.1 Gen 1 and the new super Speed + ports were USB 3.1 Gen 2. To make matters worse, USB 3.1 Gen. 1 is usually only listed as USB 3.1 or even as USB 3.0.
The connection is therefore usually only recognized after a closer look at the symbol next to it or the color coding of the connection. So a USB 2.0 port is black, USB 3.1 Gen 1 Port Blue and USB 3.1 Gen 2 red. In addition, there are other colors such as yellow “PowerUSB” USB 2.0 slots, which can deliver a higher performance of 1a instead of 0, 5a and often provide energy even when the notebook or PC is turned off.
What the symbols mean exactly:
SS — USB 3.1 Gen. 1 “Super speed”. Up to 4GBit/s data transfer, otherwise no special features.
SS + or SS10 — USB 3.1 Gen. 2 “Super Speed +”. Up to 10GBit/s theoretically possible data transfer rate. Otherwise there are no special features. Both ports are also fully backward compatible up to USB 1.0.
SS + DP or SS10 DP — USB 3.1 Gen. 2 “Super Speed +” with DisplayPort integration. It has the same specifications as the normal USB 3.1 Gen. 2, in addition it also allows the transmission of display signals via DisplayPort. This means that you can connect a monitor that is also used as a USB hub in parallel, with only one cable.
Lightning-Thunderbolt 3. Thunderbolt 3 is designed as a USB type C port and, in addition to USB 3.1 Gen 2 and DisplayPort 1.3, also provides Thunderbolt 3 as a transmission.
Additional “PD” or battery symbol — power delivery. The standard power delivery came with USB 3.1 Gen 2 and can transfer up to 100w depending on the version and cable. If the addition is available, it is therefore possible to supply either external hardware with up to 100w or to have the notebook powered by the connection. An example from the practice: the external monitor in the Home Office has USB 3.1 Gen 2 with DisplayPort or even Thunderbolt 3 with power delivery. Here it is possible for the monitor to be used as a docking station for a notebook, because a single cable provides power to the notebook while transmitting image, sound and USB data to the monitor via the same cable. External peripherals will then simply be connected to the USB hub of the monitor.
USB Type C
The standards are still quite clear. However, it becomes cluttered by USB type C. The standard itself only specifies a connection form, not which USB standard hides behind it.
But first of all the advantages: due to its design, USB Type C is far more versatile and above all twist. The annoying turning until the USB cable finally fits is no longer necessary. Also, the connection requires less space than a USB type a port. The versatility is already shown in the list above: All connection types mentioned there can be executed as USB Type C.
But this is also the problem: if the connection, as is often the case with smartphones, is not marked separately, the user does not know which standards are now supported. Some smartphones with USB Type C connection like the HTC 10 then support USB 3.1 type C docking stations with HDMI, Ethernet and USB hub — others like the Huawei Mate 9 however still rely on USB 2.0 and support such a dock only severely limited.
Therefore, if the manufacturer does not fully indicate which standards he has used in his USB Type C connections, the guesswork of matching cables, adapters and devices will go away. Where you used to tell the seller that you would need a USB cable for a printer, you have to be more precise today: for example, you need a USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C cable with power delivery (PD) and DisplayPort (DP) to connect a monitor from the example above.
Apple is pushing the whole thing, because in order to load the current MacBook and MacBook Pro you need a compatible cable — this is only recognized by the serial number on the cable itself.
So far there is no real solution, because it is left to the manufacturers to which standards they set. However, CES 2017 has shown a strong tendency towards Thunderbolt 3, at least for notebooks. Here, all standards would be covered, without any guesswork. However, the smartphone manufacturers are still rather reluctant with the information on the standard used.
