USB Standards

All USB standard versions with speeds, features, and compatibility.

USB standards define data transfer speeds, power delivery, and protocol capabilities for Universal Serial Bus connections. The progression from USB 1.0 (1.5 Mbps, 1996) to USB4 Version 2.0 (80 Gbps, 2022) represents a 53,000x speed increase. USB Power Delivery has evolved alongside, reaching 240W (Extended Power Range). Each version maintains backward compatibility, though optimal performance requires matching cables, connectors, and host controllers.

USB 1.0

1/10

The original USB specification at 1.5 Mbps (Low Speed) and 12 Mbps (Full Speed). Introduced plug-and-play connectivity to replace serial/parallel ports but saw limited adoption.

Speed
0.01 Gbps
Power
2W

USB 1.1

1/10

Refined USB 1.0 with improved reliability and interrupt/isochronous transfer support. The version that launched USB into mainstream adoption for keyboards, mice, and printers.

Speed
0.01 Gbps
Power
2W

USB 2.0

3/10

The first widely adopted USB standard, supporting 480 Mbps throughput. Still used for keyboards, mice, and basic peripherals.

Speed
0.48 Gbps
Power
5W

USB 3.2 Gen 1

5/10

Formerly USB 3.0 / USB 3.1 Gen 1. Delivers 5 Gbps, a 10x jump over USB 2.0. The baseline for modern external storage.

Speed
5.00 Gbps
Power
15W

USB 3.2 Gen 2

6/10

Formerly USB 3.1 Gen 2. Doubles Gen 1 to 10 Gbps. The sweet spot for portable SSDs and docks.

Speed
10.00 Gbps
Power
100W

USB 3.2 Gen 2x2

4/10

Uses dual 10 Gbps lanes for 20 Gbps aggregate throughput over USB-C only. Relatively rare — most manufacturers jumped to USB4.

Speed
20.00 Gbps
Power
100W

USB4 v1.0

7/10

Based on Thunderbolt 3 technology, delivering up to 40 Gbps with tunneling for PCIe, DisplayPort, and USB data. USB-C only.

Speed
40.00 Gbps
Power
100W

USB4 v2.0

9/10

Doubles USB4 bandwidth to 80 Gbps symmetrical (120 Gbps asymmetrical). Supports DisplayPort 2.1 and PCIe Gen 4 tunneling.

Speed
80.00 Gbps
Power
240W