What is your plug?
USB, short for Universal Serial Bus, is a common type of computer port that makes it easy to connect a device, charge peripheral devices or transfer data between two devices. USB connections were introduced in the 90s and were adopted for use by a wide variety of devices like keyboards, game pads & joysticks, scanners, digital cameras, printers, external hard drives as well as cell phones. With so many different devices using USB, as well as the various types of plugs available, it is easy to get confused. We will try to bring some clarity by focusing on the four main factors that will help you decide what you need; form factor, transfer speed, power delivery, and video delivery.
USB-A is the original rectangular connector form introduced in 1996. It is widely used for cell phones, computers, gaming consoles, TVs, and other peripheral devices. The initial version was groundbreaking at the time with higher transfer speeds and eventually replaced numerous computer connections like serial ports, parallel ports, mouse and keyboard ports. Apple was the first to introduce a USB only computer with the iMac in 1998. The faster speeds of USB2.0 gave way to new storage devices like flash drives replacing floppy disks, Zip drives, CD-R and Blue-Ray. Later versions 3.0 and 3.1 allowed much faster transfer speeds of up to 5 and 10 Gbps respectively. Although still widely used, technology improvements allow cell phones, tablets and computers getting thinner, the new USB Type-C connector has started to replace USB-A.
USB-B is mostly found on large devices like printers and scanners with the almost square plug on one end and normally a USB-A plug on the other end. Micro-USB is a miniaturized version of the USB interface that became a popular option for Android devices to transfer data and charge your devices. They were also adopted by digital cameras, tablets, smartwatches, toys, battery charging packs, GPS systems and older smart products. Mini-USB can be found on older electronic devices, however it is uncommon on new devices.
USB-C is the current standard combining power and data delivery with display connectivity. You will find USB-C on most new devices like smart phones, game controllers, chargeable headphones/earbuds and laptops. The port can carry up to 100W making it suitable for fast charging and even charge larger devices like laptops. Current iPhones use a combination of USB-C on one end and an Apple specific Lightening connection on the other end. The European Union is making USB-C mandatory for all phones, tablets, and cameras in 2024, and then for laptops from spring 2026.
