What Exactly Is USB 3.0?

Now that speed is an important factor in items that we purchase, it has extended even to the cables we buy for our mobile devices. These cables have become important because they help us charge our devices and help us transfer files from one device to another. This is why the USB cable is one of the most needed cables of today as most devices use it to connect to other devices.

What is USB 3.0?

So what exactly is a USB? USB stands of Universal Bus Serial. This is a standard which was released to the public in 2008. When it was introduced, people rejoiced because it brought about an easy way of sharing files and ensured that it would not take a lot of time to complete such transfers. Years after its initial release the newest version, called the USB 3.0, is being introduced.

USB 3.0 promises to be a major improvement from its predecessor in terms of transfer speeds between a PC or laptop and its peripheral devices. It is expected that devices with a USB 3.0 hub will experience transfer speeds up to 4.8 Gbits per second. This is definitely faster than the 2.0 version and would mean that the faster transfer rate will translate to less waiting time when transferring files. Thus, USB 3.0 users will be able to do more with the lesser time needed to switch files.

However, for those using the present system, there is no need to panic and throw away your existing devices just to be able to take advantage of the new USB 3.0 hub. The great thing with this new version is that it is backward compliant. Therefore, even if you are still using the old system, you just have to purchase an adaptor to use the new system. This will save you a lot of money because there will be no need to purchase a new device.

Characteristics of USB 3.0

So what are the new characteristics of USB 3.0? Aside from higher transfer rates, the user enjoys increased maximum bus power and new power management features. It supports a full-duplex data transfer in addition to new transfer types that will help improve the interaction between the computer and any peripheral device connected to it.

However, the downside of this is that since it is a fairly new technology, the USB 3.0 hub and other hardware may still be more expensive than older USB versions. Also, the length of the cables may be limited because the power and signal quality may be affected if longer. Although, this should not stop you from checking out this new technology as it can be the one thing that you have been looking for especially when dealing with large data files.