USB Types Explained: A Complete Guide for Beginners
You own devices that can be connected to USB ports. You have to use them regularly to charge your gadgets and transfer files from one computer to another. You may have also purchased many USB cables along the way to replace the original ones that you use. But, like most people, little is known about USB types. You may be familiar with USB-C, a common port used to charge your devices but you do not have any idea about the other types. Here is the complete guide to the different usb types used today.
USB Cables 101: A Guide to USB Connector Types
USB Type-A
The USB-A or Universal Serial Bus Type A is one of the most common usb types that most people use in their daily lives. It is used in the early years of computers to connect peripherals like keyboards and keyboards to the personal computer. It is one of the well-known to be the standard connector type. The USB-A looks like a rectangular flat interface that is not rotationally symmetrical. Both ends of the USB-A are different which makes it quite distinct and usable for charging and transferring data. Today, USB-A accessories are plug-and-play devices that you can plug into any suitable socket without much effort.
USB Type-B
You may not be familiar with this one but the USB type B was also used for some time. It has a square configuration with beveled top corners. You may have seen USB type B plugs on printers and external hard drives. You will find miniature versions of the USB type B nowadays on different devices such as tablets and mobiles. The type B plug for USB 2.0 has four pins while the 3.0 version has either 9 pins for the standard and 11 pins for the powered SS USB.
USB Type-C
This is one of the newer types of USB connectors being used today. It is a connector type for charging the battery of phones, tablets, and other mobile devices. It can also be used to transfer files from your mobile gadgets to the computer. It is now being used as a standard type for most tech manufacturers. The goal of the developers of USB Type-C is to create a universal connector for devices that are made today. Visually, it has a unique oval shape and can be plugged into its port using either side.
USB Mini and Micro
The USB Mini and Micro versions of the USB have evolved from the standard USB types. Particularly, the USB Mini is smaller than the USB Type-B. It has 5 pins and is used for the On-The-Go or OTG USB devices. This allows the mobile devices to become USB hosts. On the other hand, the USB Micro was created with the USB Mini B in mind. Both the USB Mini and USB Micro are used for hard drives and cameras.
Conclusion
The usb types have transformed charging and data transfer to a whole new level because of the speed and efficiency that they have. People have used these USB types and ports and are not aware that this is a result of a ton of research and tests. On the first introduction of USB connectors, different factors were considered to ensure their reliability. Nowadays, the capabilities of USB types are more dependent on the quality of the cables, the quickness of data and power charging, and the durability of the materials. You can expect these usb types to continue to up the ante in order to provide the best possible service to customers.
