The Differences Between a USB Cable and a USB 2 Cable

By the late 1990s, it was clear that existing USB 1.1 protocol cables were unable to transfer data fast enough to meet the needs of rapidly evolving computer peripherals. Devices such as digital cameras with increasingly high image quality and media players with more data-rich content were testing the limits of USB 1.1 cable capabilities, making new devices slow and inconvenient to use and their related USB connection obsolete. In 2001, however, the USB 2.0 protocols were released for development, dramatically increasing the speed and performance of USB connections and preparing the data transfer method for a new generation of computer peripherals. Simply put, USB 2.0 cables are a more advanced technology, containing a more sophisticated computer chip.

USB 1.1. cables achieved a maximum data transfer speed of 12 Megabits per second (Mbps), while the USB 2.0 protocol achieved a maximum speed of 480 Mbps, effectively 40 times more than their predecessor cable and enough to handle the needs of new peripheral devices. Considering the compatibility needs of USB data transfer, both in terms of the cables and older host and peripheral appliances, however, USB 2.0 cables and peripherals were designed to be backward compatible with USB 1.1 devices.

Although users must use USB 2.0 cables and drivers to achieve the faster speeds offered by the new protocol, USB 1.1 devices and cables can be used with new systems. In fact, USB 2.0 cables contain two chips, one used for older applications and a second used for faster data transfers. The old chip is sometimes used for new applications with lower data requirements. The physical shape of the cables and ports was kept constant to facilitate compatibility, meaning that both old and new cables will plug into both old and new ports.

In 2008, the USB 3.0 protocol was released for standardized development across port platforms. As with the 2.0 protocol, the 3.0 protocol was designed to meet the growing needs of more robust peripheral devices, achieving a maximum data transfer speed of 5 Gigabits per second, as well as decreasing power consumption while increasing power output. Again, USB 3.0 was designed to be compatible with 2.0 devices, although new cables and drivers are needed to achieve faster speeds.