USB is an industry standard for connecting computers and other devices. Many Mac computers have USB-A ports (sometimes referred to as USB 3 ports), which look like this: USB 3.0 and USB 3.1 Gen 1 can transfer data up to 5 Gbps, and USB 3.1 Gen 2 can transfer data up to 10 Gbps.
. current rating is 4.14/5. (419 ratings) Released April 2000 November 2008 Speed High Speed or HS, 480 Mbps (Megabits per second) 10 times faster than USB 2.0. Super Speed or SS, 4.8 Gbps (Giga bits per second) Signaling Method Polling mechanism i.e can either send or receive data (Half duplex) Asynchronous mechanism i.e.
Can send and receive data simultaneously (Full duplex) Price For a similar product, the USB 2.0 version is generally less expensive than its USB 3.0 version. For a similar product, the USB 3.0 version is generally more expensive than its USB 2.0 version.
Power Usage Up to 500 mA Up to 900 mA. Allows better power efficiency with less power for idle states. Can power more devices from one hub.
Number of wires within the cable 4 9 Standard-A Connectors Grey in color Blue in color Standard-B Connectors Smaller in size Extra space for more wires Max Cable length 5 meters 3 meters. A USB 3.0 Memory Stick Developed in the 1990s, the Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard was developed to define communication protocols, including cables and connectors, between computers and electronic devices such as printers and scanners. As the number of devices multiplied in quantity and types, the USB port was adopted as the basic connection portal. Devices like smartphones, PDAs, tablets, smartphones and video game consoles can connect to computers with USB ports allowing recharging and communication thereby replacing the requirement of adapters and power chargers. USB3.0 was released in November 2008, almost eight years after the release of USB 2.0. Over five years later, in 2014, USB 3.1 was released with widespread use expected in 2015. What is USB 3.1?
The newest standard is for USBs is USB 3.1. It offers three major improvements over 3.0: an 'always right' C-type connector that plugs in without regard to orientation, higher data transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbps (gigabits per second), and the capacity to power any type of device. The C-type connector is small enough for modern, slim devices, such as -type notebooks, and smartphones. But still robust enough for 10,000 cycles of use. Data transfer speeds are more in sync with current app and user needs, especially for video and image files.
And the option to connect to and power any type of device, with 100 watts of charging power that can be divided between two devices, greatly reduces 'charger and cable clutter,' simplifying connectivity between personal devices. However, backwards compatibility will be limited. USB 3.0 Highlights and Benefits over USB 2.0. Transfer rates: USB 2.0 offers transfer rates of 480 Mbps, and USB 3.0 offers transfer rates of 4.8 Gbps — 10 times faster.
Addition of another physical bus: The amount of wires was doubled, from 4 to 8. Additional wires required more space in both the cables and connectors, so new types of connectors were designed. Power consumption: USB 2.0 provides up to 500 mA whereas USB 3.0 provides up to 900 mA. The USB 3 devices provide more power when needed and conserve power when the device is connected but idling. More bandwidth: Instead of one-way communication, USB 3.0 uses two unidirectional data paths, one to receive data and the other to transmit while USB 2.0 can only handle only one direction of data at any time. Improved bus utilization: A new feature was added (using packets NRDY and ERDY) to let a device asynchronously notify the host of its readiness. When data is being transferred through USB 3.0 devices, cables, and connectors, the transaction is initiated by the host making a request followed by a response from the device.
The device either accepts the request or rejects it. If accepted, the device sends data or accepts data from the host. If there is lack of buffer space or data, it responds with a Not Ready (NRDY) signal to tell the host that it is not able to process the request. When the device is ready then, it will send an Endpoint Ready (ERDY) to the host which will then reschedule the transaction. Physical Differences USB 3.0 Connectors are different from USB 2.0 Connectors and the 3.0 connectors are usually colored blue on the inside in order to distinguish them from the 2.0 connectors. Various types of USB Connectors (click to enlarge). From Left to Right: Micro USB Type AB, Micro USB Type B, USB 2.0 Type A, USB 2.0 Type B, USB 3.0 Type A, USB 3.0 Type B, USB 3.0 Type Micro B, Min USB Type A connector Backward Compatible USB 3.0 is compatible with USB 2.0.
However, the USB 3.0 product will perform at the same level as a USB 2.0 product, so speed and power benefits will not be fully realized. USB 3.0 receptacles are electrically compatible with USB Standard 2.0 device plugs if they physically match. USB 3.0 type-A plugs and receptacles are completely backward compatible, and USB 3.0 type-B receptacles will accept USB 2.0 and earlier plugs. However, USB 3.0 type-B plugs will not fit into USB 2.0 and earlier receptacles.
This means that USB 3.0 cables cannot be used with USB 2.0 and USB 1.1 peripherals, although USB 2.0 cables can be used with USB 3.0 devices, if at USB 2.0 speeds. The following videos review the speed of USB 2.0 vs USB 3.0 products:. Price For a similar product, the USB 3.0 version is generally more expensive than its USB 2.0 version. You can check the current prices on Amazon for a few USB 2.0 vs USB 3.0 enabled devices:. References. Anonymous comments (5) March 1, 2014, 10:13am Thank you — 94.✗.✗.147 ▲ 3 ▼ October 27, 2013, 1:50pm excellent information — 108.✗.✗.188 ▲ 3 ▼ July 17, 2013, 1:41pm On a SERIAL connection, such as USB, it is 'bits' that are transferred, not 'bytes'.
Thus, the terminology of bps, not Bps, is appropriate, and honest. Congrats and thanks to the presenter for a great tutorial and demo of USB 3.0 and 2.0.
— 65.✗.✗.200 ▲ 3 ▼ June 28, 2013, 1:50am Great information. — 64.✗.✗.90 ▲ 2 ▼ June 5, 2013, 5:08am I really wish that the manufacturers would switch from Mbps to MBps! We passed the bits data transfer level back in the 90's but I guess they're still fooling people with the small 'b' instead of the capital 'B'! It's like making something $1.99 to keep it under $2! Ahhhhhhh.psychology and the easily tricked human mind! Seriously.when are we going to move up the terminology!
— 37.✗.✗.154 ▲ -1 ▼.
A proper Elgato Game Capture HD connection would show up under 'USB High-Speed Bus', with a speed of 'Up to 480 Mb/sec'. This sort of problem can also happen with other USB devices from various manufacturers, using USB 3.0 ports under OS X.
Solution In some cases, using another USB port on the Mac, or via a connected peripheral like a display, will result in a proper connection. Apple offers an 'Using USB 3 devices on Mac computers FAQ' that mentions various troubleshooting steps, including using a powered USB hub. USB 3 devices are not activating or not appearing on the USB 3 bus. What could be wrong? ▪ Be sure you've installed the latest software updates available for your computer. To check, choose Software Update from the Apple () menu and see if any updates are available. ▪ Sometimes unplugging and plugging the device back in can resolve the issue.
▪ Try plugging the device into another USB port on the computer. ▪ Check to see if there is a firmware update available for your device from the manufacturer. ▪ If it came with an AC adapter, use it. ▪ Try restarting your computer. ▪ Try a different USB 3 cable. ▪ Try a different USB 3 hub.
Right now, if you see a problem with the connection to an USB 3.0 port, the best solution we recommend would be to use your device with a powered USB 2.0 hub, which is connected to a USB port of a Mac that supports USB 3.0.