The Evolution of Speed: A Look at USB Cable Technology

Since the mid-1990s, innovative companies have collaborated to create a standard for communication between electronic devices. This advanced technology allows for quick data and information transfer between PCs and peripheral devices such as printers and external hard drives. Ports and connectors make this universal technology functional, and a fast connection improves the functions of any PC by allowing devices to work together and cooperate. This universal serial bus technology, or USB, enables devices to transfer and receive data via USB cables that connect the devices together. This durable yet flexible cable employs twisted-pair construction of data, power and ground wires, connecting USB compliant devices to a PC.

USB cables enhance the quality of data flow between devices and improve the features of every PC. USB advanced technology has come a long way since the era of Seinfeld and Super Nintendo, and it continues to progress and provide even faster data transfer. We have compiled some basic information about the evolution of USB technology and similar connector buses. These are all hot pluggable and can be connected and removed easily, but variances of maximum cable lengths, devices and rate of transfer exist. At TopTenREVIEWS We Do the Research So You Don’t Have To.™

USB 1.0: This groundbreaking technology was introduced with low and full bandwidth versions. The low bandwidth cable could transfer data at a rate of 1.5Mbps, and the full-bandwidth feature transferred data at 12Mbps. This early model did not allow for extension cables and could only make connections at 3 meters or less.

USB 1.1: The early revision of USB cable technology improved hub and connection issues. USB 1.1 was the first universally accepted USB technology.

USB 2.0: This significant revamp of USB transfer technology allows for a maximum length of 5 meters and an increase of transfer rates to 480Mbps. Dubbed Hi-Speed technology, this update of USB cables improves connection and transfer speed, making it 40 times faster than the original USB version. Multiple connection types of various sizes and shapes are also available with this USB version, and up to 127 devices can be connected with a daisy chain configuration.

USB 3.0: This advanced, next-generation USB cable version completes data transfer at a rate of 5GBps, and it is fully backwards compatible with previous USB 2.0 ports. This SuperSpeed USB transfer technology employs four additional wires for added power, and it functions optimally at a length of 3 meters.

FireWire: Utilized by several companies such as Apple, Sony and Texas Instruments, the FireWire cable, or IEEE 1394, provides high-speed communication and data transfer in real-time. FireWire continues to improve with 400, 800 and S800T versions that can transfer data at a rate of up to 3200Mbps. At a maximum length of 4.5 meters, this advanced cable can connect up to 63 devices via daisy chain.

Thunderbolt: Apple continues to improve and produce advanced input/output technology. This active copper cable functions at a length of up to 3 meters and daisies up to 7 devices. Thunderbolt cables transfer information at a phenomenal speed of 10GBps.