The USB 3.2, USB 3.1, and SuperSpeed designations you see above on each line are equivalent, just differing in name. In a confusing twist, the USB-IF decided to eliminate the use of "USB 3.1" in favor of these various flavors of USB 3.2, as outlined below in this handy decoder chart. Until recently, many USB-C ports carried the USB 3.1 label ("USB 3.2" was not yet a thing) in Gen 1 and Gen 2 flavors, and some spec sheets continue to reference the older name, along with SuperSpeed branding. That said, all of these ports are backward-compatible, just at the speed of the slowest element.Ĭonfused yet? Further complicating matters: The number scheme around USB 3 has been in flux, which has made references to these ports something of a swamp. Note: Some older USB-C ports support just 5Gbps maximum speeds, so it's important to look for a "USB 3.2 Gen 1x2" or "10Gbps" designation to verify that a given USB-C port supports 10Gbps transfers. The minor wrinkle is that USB ports with 10Gbps speeds can also exist in the original, larger shape (the USB Type-A rectangles we all know), and are dubbed "USB 3.2 Gen 2x1." With the exception of some desktops, though, it's more common to see 10Gbps-speed USB ports with USB-C physical connectors. (That 10Gbps is theoretically twice as fast as original USB 3.0.) USB-C ports that support this peak speed are called "USB 3.2 Gen 1x2." The most common speed that USB-C connectors are rated for is 10Gbps. Where USB-C gets tricky is in the numbers that get attached to the ports. USB-C and USB 3.2: The Numbers Beneath the Port Most of the time, you have different connectors at each end. That has not been the case with all the USB cables we've been using for the past 20 years. The standard cables also have the same connector on both ends, so you don't have to figure out which end goes where. Line up the connector properly, and you never have to flip it over to plug it in the "right way" is always up. Like Lightning and MagSafe, the USB-C connector has no up or down orientation. The USB-C connector looks similar to a micro USB or rectangular USB 3.0 connectors at first glance, though it's more oval in shape and slightly thicker to accommodate its best feature: flippability. Is USB-C the Same as Micro USB or USB 3.0? That means future iPhones will have USB-C ports instead of Lightning connectors. USB-C is so broadly accepted that the European Union, hoping to simplify digital life, will require devices to use it for battery charging starting in 2024. Contrast this with the earlier Apple-promoted (and developed) Lightning and MagSafe connectors, which had limited acceptance beyond Apple products and became obsolete, thanks in no small part to USB-C. This broad acceptance by the big dogs is important, because it's part of why USB-C has been so readily accepted by PC manufacturers. The USB-IF counts more than 700 companies in its membership, among them Apple, Dell, HP, Intel, Microsoft, and Samsung. The USB-C connector was developed by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) (Opens in a new window), the group of companies that has developed, certified, and shepherded the USB standard over the years. USB-C is an industry-standard connector for transmitting both data and power on a single cable.
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