USB 3.0

USB 2.0 (otherwise known as USB Hi-Speed) boosted the original 12Mbps data rate to 480Mmb/s over eight years ago, and now USB 3.0 (dubbed USB Superspeed) is set to multiply that bandwidth tenfold.


If you are transferring a 27GB HD movie to your media player will only take 70 seconds with USB 3.0, while it would take 15 minutes or more with 2.0. Keep in mind that you’re only going to be able to take advantage of this speed if your portable storage device can write data that quickly. Solid state devices will benefit most from the speed boost, while magnetic hard disks will be limited by their RPM and corresponding read/write speeds. Also, new Mass Storage Device drivers will have to be developed for Windows to take advantage of the spec

• The maximum speed of USB 3.0 is 4.8Gbps

• USB 3.0 will be backwards-compatible with USB 2.0

• Uploads and downloads are kept on separate data lanes

• USB 3.0 will charge more devices, quicker

• USB 3.0 will be more power efficient