USB Versions: v2.0, v3.0, and v4.0 Comparison

USB, short for Universal Serial Bus, is a ubiquitous standard designed for high-speed wired communication between devices. A USB cable connects devices through USB ports. Interestingly, a wireless USB standard has also emerged, eliminating the need for cables and utilizing RF waves. This wireless version rivals Bluetooth for similar applications. You’ll typically find two types of USB slots: Type-A and Type-B. Over time, several USB versions have been developed, including v2.0, v3.0, and v4.0.

This article compares these USB versions and outlines the key differences between USB v2.0, v3.0, and v4.0.

USB 1.x supported a data rate of 12 Mbps at full bandwidth.

USB 2.0

• Transfer Rate/Speed: 480 Mbps
• Power Consumption: 100 mA
• Backward Compatibility: USB 1.x
• Smart Charging: Not available
• Bidirectional Data Transfer: Not supported

USB 3.0

• Transfer Rate/Speed: Approximately 5 Gbps
• Power Consumption: 900 mA
• Backward Compatibility: USB 2.0, USB 1.x
• Bidirectional Data Transfer: Supported
• Smart Charging: Available

USB 4.0

• Transfer Rate/Speed: 10000 Mbps (10 Gbps)
• Backward Compatibility: Backward compatibility with previous versions.