Understanding USB Types (A, B, C, Micro, Mini) And USB Versions (USB 2.0, 3.0, 3.2, 4)
USB cables can be classified into USB Type A, USB Type B, USB Type C, USB Micro, USB Mini, and Lightning based on their physical design. Furthermore, USB connectors are divided into various versions based on their speeds, like USB 1.0, USB 2.0, USB 3.0, and USB 4.0.
It is safe to say that almost all electronic devices, including smartphones, laptops, tablets, desktops, Bluetooth speakers, and so on, rely on USB ports and cables for various functions.
But like any technology, USB or “Universal Serial Bus” (it’s quite a mouthful, isn’t it) has evolved a lot since its inception in 1995. As such, it is sometimes difficult and even overwhelming to understand and distinguish between terms like USB 3.0 vs. USB Type B. In this example, what does “Type B” mean exactly? How about “3.0”? What does that mean?
This article will discuss all you need to know about USBs. But before we get into USBs, let’s quickly talk about a term you will always hear along with USBs – USB port.
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Understanding USB Ports
Most electronic devices have a port, i.e., where a USB cable gets plugged. That “place” or slot is called the port. As you can guess, this port allows USB devices to get plugged into the ‘host’ device. So, if you are transferring data from your phone to your laptop via a USB cable, you will plug your phone (host) into the laptop’s USB port (receptor). Now that you understand a USB port, it’s time to jump into USB types. Also Read: Why Do Transfer Rates Vary When Copying A File From PC To USB Stick And Vice-Versa?
Types Of USBs (Based On Their Physical Design)
Here’s a picture to better understand different USB types:
1 – USB Type A
USB Type-A connectors, or simply Type-A connectors, are one of the most common USB connectors. As such, they are sometimes also called Standard A connectors.
If your laptop or desktop computer has a USB port (where you can plug in USB devices), it will most likely be a USB Type-A port. Note that most modern Apple laptops (Macs) don’t have USB Type-A ports.
2 – USB Type B
Type B is smaller than Type A and is square-shaped. This is relatively less common than Type B, but you would find it on computer components like printers, scanners, external hard drives, etc.
3 – USB Type C
USB Type C is arguably the most popular USB connector. Due to its small size, it easily fits into the smallest peripherals we use today, like smartphones, Bluetooth speakers, etc.
One of the many advantages of Type-C over other existing variants is that it allows “reverse plug orientation,” which basically means that you can always plug in your USB cable correctly on the first try. Its plug is made so you can plug it into the slot without thinking about its orientation.
Another cool thing about Type C is that it offers a bi-directional power supply; in other words, you can charge your smartphone from your laptop and vice versa.
USB Type C made headlines in tech periodicals worldwide when a variant of Apple’s 12-inch MacBook was launched. It was the first notebook to incorporate Type-C in its design.
Type C, as mentioned before, is already widely used worldwide. As such, it is almost certain that every electronic device will support Type-C in the years to come.
4 – USB Mini (Mini USB A And Mini USB B)
USB Mini are further divided into two variants: USB Mini A (or Mini USB A) and USB Mini B. These are smaller counterparts of Type A and Type B USB connectors.
You will likely find USB Mini in portable cameras, game controllers, and some old mobile phones.
5 – USB Micro (Micro USB A, Micro USB B, And Micro USB B Superspeed)
Popularly known as Micro USB, this is a very common USB connector you will find in many smartphones these days. However, with the advent of USB Type C, Micro USBs are slowly getting phased out in newer models of high-end smartphones. But Micro USB is still widely used in budget smartphones and other electronic devices worldwide.
There is one more variant of USB Micro, which is known as USB Micro B Superspeed. As the name suggests, this enables data transfer faster than traditional Micro USB B connectors.
As such, you will most find these connectors on external hard drives, where vast amounts of data transfer occur regularly.
6 – Lightning Cable (For Apple Devices)
Modern Apple devices, like iPhones and iPads, often have an entirely different kind of USB connector – the Lightning cable. The cable has a thin, rectangular connector on one end and a Type C connector on the other end.
It is also reversible, i.e., it can be plugged in either way without worrying about which is the right side up.
As you can imagine, the design of the lightning connector makes it impossible to be used in any other device other than Apple devices, which makes it a nuisance for many users.
These were the main types of USB cables based on their physical design and structure.
Now, let’s look at types of USBs based on their speed and functionality.
Types Of USB (Based On Their Version And Speed)
There are different versions of USB based on how fast they transfer and receive data between two electronic devices. The main types of USB are as follows:
There are some versions between these, like USB 1.1, USB 3.1, and USB 3.2.
Here’s a table that lists major differences in speeds and performance of some USB versions.
USB 1.0
USB 1.0 was launched in January 1996. It ran into some issues, and a newer version, USB 1.1, was launched in September 1998. The top speed of data transfer of USB 1.1 was 12 megabits per second (Mbps).
USB 2.0
USB 2.0 was launched in 2000 and significantly upgraded the maximum data transfer speed to 480 Mbps. In addition to that, it also enabled USB to have a better current capability to provide charging to electronic devices like smartphones.
USB 3.0
USB 3.0 was launched in September 2007 and could handle a top speed of 5 Gbps. This was the third major update to USB standards (the previous updates were versions USB 1.0 and USB 2.0).
However, further updates were released over the next couple of years, which triggered the renaming of USB 3.0 (i.e., the latest USB version of that time) to USB 3.1 Gen 1.
So, USB 3.0 and USB 3.1 Gen 1 are essentially the same and have a top data transfer speed of 5 Gbps. Then, in July 2013, USB 3.1 Gen 2 was released, with its top data transfer speed at 10 Gbps.
Then, in September 2017, USB 3.2 was released. There are four versions of USB 3.2: Gen 1×1, Gen 1×2, Gen 2×1, and Gen 2×2.
USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 is quite popular nowadays and offers a top speed of 20 Gbps using 2-lane operation (hence the name 2×2). This version is only compatible with USB Type C design. Since it offers considerably faster data transfer and charging speeds, most modern smartphones and even some laptops support this USB version.
USB 4.0
The latest and most modern USB version is USB 4. It was launched in 2019 and offered a formidable upgrade above its previous versions. It only uses Type C connectors and offers a staggering top speed of 40 Gbps.
USB 4 and Type C connectors look almost identical, so, naturally, many users confuse the two and interchange the terms “Type C” and “USB 4”. Note that USB Type C refers to the physical design of USB connectors. In contrast, USB 4 denotes the USB version. USB 4 has nothing to do with the shape of the connector; it just indicates the performance and speed of the USB version.
In a nutshell, USB connectors are classified based on their physical design – Type A, B, C, and so on, and their speed and functionality – USB 1.0, USB 2.0, USB 3.0, and USB 4.0.
How well do you understand the article above!
Can You Use Any Charger With Any Device?
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Cameron Summerson
Every device—smartphone, tablet, or laptop—seems to come with its own charger. But do you really need all these different cables and charging blocks? Can you re-use the same charger for multiple devices?
While this used to be a far more complex topic, standards have (finally) started to come into play that make it much easier to manage. Let’s talk about it.
The Different Types of Chargers
While chargers are becoming more standardized over time, there are still a variety of different charger types in wide use:
- Laptop Chargers: Unfortunately, there’s still no standard type of charger for laptops. You’ll want to get a charger designed specifically for your laptop. Connectors aren’t standardized, so you probably won’t be able to accidentally plug the wrong charger into your laptop. Though, with the introduction of USB Type-C (outlined below), this is starting to change, albeit slowly.
- Apple’s Lightning Connector: Apple has uses the Lightning connector, introduced in 2012, for their mobile devices. All new iOS Devices use the Lightning connector and can be connected to any Lightning charger certified or developed by Apple. Older devices use Apple’s 30-pin dock connector. Apple makes a connector that allows you to connect new devices with a Lightning connector to older charges with a 30-pin dock connector, if you really want to do this.
- Micro-USB Chargers: This was the “standard” (so to speak) for years, and many smartphones and tablets use standard Micro-USB connectors. These replaced the Mini-USB connectors that came before them, and the proprietary chargers that old cell phones used before that. To comply with the European Union’s directives on a common type of charger for smartphones, Apple offers a Lightning-to-Micro-USB adapter.
- USB Type-C: This is the newest standard to hit the scene, and essentially the evolution of Micro-USB. USB Type-C (often just referred to as “USB-C”) is a reversible connector with a much higher data throughput and capable charging rate. It has effectively taken the place of Micro-USB on most new devices outside of Apple’s iDevices, and is even starting to show up as a standard charging solution on many laptops.
Chances are you have devices that use at least a couple of these. But you already know which devices use which chargers—so you really want to know if you can mix and match power bricks. That answer is…well, maybe.
Understanding Volts, Amps, and Watts
To understand charger compatibility, you first need to understand how they work—at least on a rudimentary level.
There are a variety of ways to break down volts, amps, and watts, but I’ll use the most common metaphor: think of it like water flowing through a pipe. In that case:
- Voltage (V) is the water pressure.
- Amperage (A) is the volume of water flowing through the pipe.
- Wattage (W) is the rate of water output, which is found by multiplying the voltage by the amperage.
Pretty simple, right? Back in the day, most mobile phone chargers came in two varieties: 5V/1A and 5V/2.1A. The smaller chargers were built for smartphones, and the larger for tablets. Any phone charger could be used with any phone, and most tablet chargers would work on any tablet. Pretty simple stuff. All Micro-USB chargers were rated for 5V, so you never really had to worry about accidentally plugging your phone into a charger with too high of a voltage.
But now, things are much more complicated. With larger device batteries, new charging technology like Qualcomm’s Quick Charge, and formats like USB-C that allow for better charging throughput, chargers are more complex than ever. If interested, you can find any charger’s output information written in tiny text somewhere on the charger itself.
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Now, while we don’t need to over-complicate the discussion and break down every device charger out there, this basic knowledge is a bit of a necessity.
Understanding How Charging Works
So let’s say your phone shipped with a 5V/1A charger. This is what we’d generally think of as a “slow” charger, since the majority of modern chargers are much faster now.
Does that mean you can’t use a 5V/2.1A charger, or even a 9V/2A charger (in the case of USB-C)? Not at all. In fact, a higher amperage charger will likely charge your phone even faster, and it can do so safely. Basically, all modern batteries are built with with a chip that regulates the input—they will allow what they can handle. This is actually a two-way street, because the chargers also support these “Smart” features, which is why you should always buy high-quality, name brand chargers instead of cheap knockoffs.
Note: Charging bricks that support more than 5V will be USB-C from end-to-end, making it impossible to accidentally use a Micro-USB or Lightning cable.
This is why you can use a Quick Charger on older smartphones that don’t support Quick Charging technology—both the charger and the battery have the necessary safeguards in place to keep anything bad from happening. The phone will just charge at the normal speed its designed for.
Speaking of Quick Charging, let’s touch on that briefly. First off, there are several quick charging methods form a variety of different manufacturers and they are not cross-compatible. That means just because your device supports some form of “quick charge” technology and your buddy’s charger does too, you can’t automatically guarantee you’ll get a faster charge. If they’re not using the same quick charge technology, it will still charge you phone—it’ll just do it a bit slower. (This will change soon, but for now, we’re stuck with multiple standards.)
So, Can Any Charger Be Used with Any Device?
The short answer is: most likely, though you’ll have varying results.
For example, let’s say you’re using an old 5V/1A charger on a brand-spanking-new smartphone. You’re going to have less than stellar results there, because it’s going to charge the device much more slowly than the charger that came with the phone. Most modern smartphones can accept much faster chargers.
Laptops are often a different story. If it has a proprietary charging port, I wouldn’t use anything outside of the stock charger (not that you could anyway, since it’s proprietary). But since USB-C is the first USB technology that allows high enough throughput to charge laptop batteries, you may have a new laptop that charges through USB instead of a proprietary power cable. So with that in mind, could you use your smartphone charger on your laptop? What about your laptop charger on your smartphone?
Mostly, the answer here is going to be “yes.” A smartphone charger is going to be very low power for a laptop, but it may be able to charge it while the laptop is in standby mode, though you’ll likely have to test this to find out. If it doesn’t work, it won’t harm your device.
On the other hand, you can definitely use your USB-C laptop charger to juice up your smartphone. Again, those safeguards we talked about earlier will allow the charger and battery to talk with each other and automatically default to the fastest allowed charging speed. It’s very cool.
For example, I almost always charge my Asus Chromebook C302 with my Pixel 2 XL’s charger when I’m at home, and I’ve used my C302’s charger on my Pixel multiple times when I’m out. I leave the C302 charger in my bag all the time and the stock Pixel charger plugged up, so it works out well.
Cameron Summerson Cameron Summerson is ex-Editor-in-Chief of Review Geek and served as an Editorial Advisor for How-To Geek and LifeSavvy. He covered technology for a decade and wrote over 4,000 articles and hundreds of product reviews in that time. He’s been published in print magazines and quoted as a smartphone expert in the New York Times. Read Full Bio »
EU clinches world first deal on single mobile charging port
European Union member states and legislators have agreed to mandate a single mobile charging port for mobile phones, tablets and cameras in a blow to technology giant Apple.
Tuesday’s agreement, a world first, means that from late 2024 most portable devices will be required to have a USB Type-C charging port. It will not apply to products released before the new rules come into force.
The EU believes a standard cable for all devices will substantially cut back on thousands of tonnes of electronic waste.
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The bloc is home to 450 million people, some of the world’s richest consumers, and the imposition of the USB-C as a cable standard could also affect the entire global smartphone market.
Users of iPhones and Android phones have long complained about having to use different chargers for their devices. The former is charged from a Lightning cable while Android-based devices are powered using USB-C connectors.
Half the chargers sold with mobile phones in 2018 had a USB micro-B connector, while 29 percent had a USB-C connector and 21 percent a Lightning connector, according to a 2019 study by the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm.
Huge savings to consumers
“The deal we struck this morning will bring around 250 million euros (267m) of savings to consumers,” EU industry chief Thierry Breton said in a statement.
“It will also allow new technologies such as wireless charging to emerge and to mature without letting innovation to become source of market fragmentation and consumer inconvenience,” he added.
The European Commission had initially pushed for a single mobile charging port more than a decade ago, but companies failed to agree on a common solution.
Apple, which already uses USB-C connectors on some of its iPads and laptop computers, has insisted any legislation to force a universal charger for all mobiles in the bloc is unwarranted.
The United States-headquartered iPhone juggernaut argues such a move would slow innovation and create more pollution.
But EU legislators said the shift, which will need to be formally approved by its parliament before it can enter into force, will save both the “resources” and the “nerves” of those living in the bloc.
“After a decade, finally one standard (USB-C) will charge them all,” Anna Cavazzini, a German member of the European Parliament for the Green Party, tweeted.
Laptops will have to comply with the legislation within 40 months of it taking effect. The fact the deal also covers e-readers, ear buds and other technologies will mean Samsung, Huawei and other device makers are also affected.
The EU will require all cellphones to have the same type of charging port
European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton speaks during a news conference in Brussels on Sept. 23, 2021, about a common charging solution for mobile phones. Thierry Monasse/AP hide caption
European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton speaks during a news conference in Brussels on Sept. 23, 2021, about a common charging solution for mobile phones.
Those in the European Union won’t have to spend much more time rummaging around for a charger.
The European Parliament voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to require cellphones and handheld electronic devices sold in the EU to have a USB-C charging port — a move likely to affect Apple, which uses Lightning chargers for its iPhones.
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By the end of 2024, tablets, digital cameras, video game consoles, headphones, portable speakers, e-readers, portable navigation systems, keyboards, mice and earbuds sold in the EU will need to be equipped with the port.
The common charger will finally become a reality in Europe, Parliament official Alex Agius Saliba said in a statement. We have waited more than ten years for these rules, but we can finally leave the current plethora of chargers in the past.
Laptop manufacturers have until 2026 to implement the universal charging port in their products.
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No more bundles of different chargers in our drawers, Margrethe Vestager, executive vice president for A Europe Fit for the Digital Age, said in June. One common charger is a real benefit to us as consumers.
A universal charger is expected to have environmental benefits
The EU hopes a universal charger will reduce carbon dioxide emissions and prevent waste, while also eliminating the costs of buying multiple chargers for different devices.
The change is projected to save European consumers about 250 million a year, officials say.
Chargers that were either unused or disposed contribute to roughly 11,000 tons of e-waste each year, according to the commission.
The universal charging requirement could impact major tech companies such as Apple, which has a unique Lightning connector for iPhones, some iPads and other mobile products.
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Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but the company has previously spoken against the move.
We remain concerned that strict regulation mandating just one type of connector stifles innovation rather than encouraging it, which in turn will harm consumers in Europe and around the world, a company spokesperson said in a statement last September.
What Type of Phone Charger Do I Need? (The Complete Guide)
You can look at the port on your smartphone to know which phone charger you will need. Also, knowing the type of port used by different brands can come in handy. For example, the Lightning connector is for Apple devices and USB C cables for newer Android phones.
Technology is constantly improving to make our lives better. Look at how smartphones have changed from block-y slabs to bezel-less beauties. This applies both to their ports and charging tech. I watched as cell phone chargers change over the years, and I’m bringing all those details into this guide.
So, if you’ve been asking what type of phone charger you need, keep reading. I’ll answer that in detail for you, so let’s get right into it.
What Type of Charger Do I Need for My Phone?
There are many different charger ports and cables out there. Some cables use one standard at the end of the USB cable that connects to the wall charger, and another at the end that plugs into the phone.
It can be hard to keep track or know which one your phone uses. Don’t worry though, because I’ve tried my best to help make sense of it all below.
USB Type-A Connectors
The USB Type-A connector is one of the most familiar connectors in the world. You can find it on computers, TVs, game consoles, wall sockets, and wall chargers. This is the easiest kind of port to identify, as it is the largest.
The Type-A standard, to the best of my knowledge, has never been used to plug directly into a phone for charging. Some devices, especially tablets, may have had this one, but it was used exclusively for data transfer and not charging.
There are still many chargers that use a USB Type-A port to accept the USB cable.
USB Type-B Connectors
If there’s any USB form factor on this list that you can go your whole life without seeing, it has to be the USB Type-B connectors.
The USB Type-B port is the most squarish of all USB ports, with a bevel on two adjacent corners. Type-B is typically the kind of connector that you see plugged into the back of a printer, scanner, or on external storage devices.
If any, there are very few mobile devices that use USB Type-B to charge, and they must be quite old, as they went out of fashion quite quickly.
Mini-USB Charger
When smartphones were first popping onto the scene, the go-to USB cable connector for manufacturers was the Mini-USB connector.
This charger type is slightly taller than most modern charging standards. It is roughly rectangular, though the base widens slightly. You are most likely to find Mini-USB ports on old Android devices, digital cameras, and other miscellaneous gadgets.
However, for the most part, Mini-USB has gone out of fashion. There are hardly any manufacturers making new phones that use this kind of charger.
Micro-USB Charger
If you’ve used an Android phone within the last few years, at least before USB Type-C took over, know that the Micro-USB connector is one of the most popular phone charger types.
This Micro-USB connector is flat and tends to have two little pins/hooks jutting out of its broader surface. Once you see these pins, you know it is a Micro-USB cable because no other connectors have pins like it.
You will find Micro-USB on all sorts of gadgets, including your phone, power bank, Bluetooth speakers, headphones, and other devices.
Micro-USB is falling out of popularity with the advent of USB-C, but it is still a popular charging standard. You probably have a bunch of Micro-USB ports on different devices at home.
USB-C
USB Type-C, or sometimes simply USB-C, is the current charger connector that you will find most manufacturers rushing to include on their devices.
USB-C has been around for quite a few years, but at this point, it has gained relative dominance of the Android space, and there are some great reasons for that.
Firstly, of all the USB types that I’ve mentioned, the only ones that can be plugged in either way, whether facing up or down, are USB-C cables. This means you don’t need to fiddle too much when plugging in your charger as you might with Micro-USB.
This charger is also distinctive due to its elongated, flattened oval shape. Plus, you may find that many wall chargers now opt to use USB-C instead of USB Type-A, which is particularly popular with new Samsung chargers. Thanks to this, you can now have cables with the same connector at both ends.
On the more functional side, USB-C is beloved because of all the versatility it brings. These cables support fast charging and can also be used to supply enough juice to charge a laptop. A Type-C cable can even be used as a display or audio cable.
Apple 30-Pin Dock Connector
The older phones made by Apple Incorporated, including the first iPhone up to the iPhone 4S, used a wide dock connector. This, like their Lightning connectors, is proprietary, so you will only find it on iPhones.
This charger hasn’t been used in any phones since 2012, so it’ll be rather rare to have a device that uses this connector.
Lightning Connector
Lightning connectors are some of the best-known types of USB cable if you can even call them USB.
Lightning connectors are the proprietary cable type used for the USB chargers and devices made by Apple Inc. They are flat and reversible, with the contacts on each broad side of the charger. They also do not have a cavity on any part of the connector.
The Lightning connector is used only by iPhones and Apple devices, so you will never find one on an Android phone.
Wireless Charger
Wireless charging makes it possible to charge your phone’s battery without needing to worry about phone chargers and their connectors.
Most wireless chargers use the Qi standard for their wireless charging, which is the industry standard. Most modern devices, particularly flagship phones, come with wireless charging.
There’s no way to know if your device supports wireless charging from the outside, though a lot of modern devices with a glass back usually have it. The only way to be certain is to check your device manual or do a search online.
If you have an Apple iPhone though, your device supports wireless charging if it is part of the iPhone 8 series or higher.
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What Are The Different Form Factors For Phone Chargers?
Now that we’ve talked about the different connectors and cables that plug into our USB chargers to juice up your phone’s battery, let’s talk about the different kinds of USB chargers.
Wall Chargers
Wall chargers are the most popular kind of charger out there. You probably don’t think of other chargers when someone mentions the word, because these chargers have become the major form factor.
A wall charger is essentially a charging block that plugs into a main socket on a wall, hence the name.
The major advantage of these kinds of chargers is that they can get you really fast charging. This is thanks to the fact that a fast charger connected to the mains can pull a lot more power than a car charger or wireless charger, for instance.
Car Chargers
Car chargers are plugged into the cigarette lighter in your vehicle. These are extremely convenient, as they allow you to juice up your cell phone even when you’re on the go.
Car chargers are typically not the fastest, though you can find some which will enable Rapid charging on your device.
Wireless Chargers
Wireless chargers tend to be flat pads, sometimes in a circular or rectangular shape, or they can be propped up at an angle to serve as a stand at the same time they charge your cell phone.
The speed of wireless chargers is always significantly slower than wired charging on the same device. While the gap is not closing, newer models of phones allow for faster charging wirelessly (while wired gets even faster!)
Power Banks
You can also charge your device by using a portable power source like a power bank. These can make it convenient and easy to juice your phone battery when you’re far away from a power source.
A lot of power banks charge with Micro-USB, but they will have a female port to connect USB Type-A or USB-C.
What Does It Mean When a USB Port Has a Number?
When you see a number coming after the word USB, it refers to how fast the right cable can transfer data over that connection.
There are more than seven transfer speeds for USB, which we will talk about in detail below.
USB 1.0
This was the first edition of USB transfer speeds and was also known as Low-Speed. It can only transfer files, from your computer to your phone, for instance, at a maximum rate of 1.5MBps.
USB 1.1
Also known as USB Full-Speed, USB 1.1 transfers files at 12Mbps, which is quite a jump from the transfer speeds seen with 1.0.
USB 2.0
USB Hi-Speed, or 2.0, provided the largest jump in transfer speeds achievable, by reaching a peak of 480Mbps.
Many devices using the Micro-USB standard work on USB 2.0.
USB 3.0
USB 3.0 is known as SuperSpeed. Some Micro-USB cables use USB 3.0, though they are relatively rare compared to the Type-C cables that do. This supports speeds up to 5Gbps.
Note that even though most Type-C cables are USB-3.0 compatible, they are backwards compatible, which means they support connecting over USB 2.0 as well.
USB 3.1
USB 3.1 is also known as SuperSpeed, but it doubles the transfer speed of the previous generation to achieve transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps.
USB 3.2
USB 3.2 marks the first time that one of the USB speeds will be limited to only Type-C plugs. However, this is due to the fact that the hardware configuration of Type-C cables is the only one capable of handling over 20Gbps, which is why it is called SuperSpeed
USB4
Recently released in 2019, USB4 is the newest of the USB transfer speeds. Only Type-C cables are capable of handling the speeds that this standard goes up to, which doubles the maximum set by USB 3.2 to hit 40Gbps.
This is where Type-C is really able to show its functionality. USB4 allows these cables to be used for Power Delivery, such as to charge a device like a laptop, for DisplayPort, which means you can plug it into a monitor to display, and PCI Express.
Final Words
Knowing which types of USB are outdated and which phones you can find them on makes it easier to figure out the phone charger you need, even with all the different manufacturers out there. You can also use a description of their shape to determine since Micro-USB and Type-C have very distinct shapes.
It is also helpful to understand the meaning behind USB numbers like 2.0, 3.0, and 3.2, which both Micro-USB and Type-C support. These indicate the maximum transfer speed possible over a supported socket.
Did this article help you understand more about the different types of USB cables? Check out our related articles for similar info.
There’s no two ways about it – I am a huge nerd and I love it! When I’m not testing out new gadgets, I’m pulling apart the ones that I do have at home to find out what makes them tick. Not a lot of them get put back together, but I have become a pro at telling the good gadgets from the bad!