USB Connectors - Types

It is important to know about the various USB connector types because this is the port through which all peripheral and external devices are connected to a computer. Whether it is a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a netbook or even a tablet PC (newer models), it is necessary to have a few USB ports on the device so that external devices can be easily connected and charged.

USB stands for Universal Serial Bus, and it is a standard form of communication between two electronic devices where one device (usually the computer) takes up the role of a host. Any kind of peripheral device or computer hardware that connects with a computer does so through a USB port today, and it is standard practice to have at least 2 such ports on every machine now.

Different Types of USB Connectors

All USB cables have two plugs on either end, and one of these sides goes into the USB port that is on the computer. These are known as type A USB male plugs, and they are the rectangular connectors that fit into the port on the machine. Every peripheral has one side of the cable attached with this connector since this is the only way to connect to the computer. Some devices which use this connector are the computer mouse, computer keyboard, USB flash drives, external hard drives and video game consoles.

Then you have the type B USBconnectors, that are more squarish in shape, and are also slightly tilted at the top. The most common peripherals that are attached to this connector are printers and scanners for the computer.

After this you have the microUSB type A and type B which are smaller variants of the two above mentioned USB connector types. A micro USB connector is used for connecting a variety of devices like digital cameras, PDA's, old and new mobile phones and smartphones, MP3 players and handheld GPS units.

You may have also heard about mini USB connectors. These are also known as USB mini-B connectors, and they come either with 4-pin connectors or 5-pin connectors. These USB cable types are not that common anymore, but they do come with certain models of digital cameras even today.

USB 3.0 Connectors

It is also important to understand what one means when they talk about USB 3.0 connectors. This is the new standard of USB connectors, and it is also known as "SuperSpeed". In this case transfer speeds experience a major improvement from 480 MB/sec to 4.8 GB/second. Power management is also carried out in a more effective manner, thus giving on the ability to attach more peripherals or USB hubs. USB 3.0 connectors are also compatible with USB 2.0 devices, so it is a massive improvement. USB 3.0 connectors have blue marks on them for distinguishing purposes.

When you look at the USB connector types for USB 3.0, you will also find type A and type B connectors. These are similar to USB 2.0 type A and type B connectors discussed above, the only difference being that these are much faster. Please remember that only if your computer supports USB 3.0 will you be able to enjoy this SuperSpeed.

All these USB connector types are useful for us in many different ways, in order to connect a vast variety of devices to our machines. It is important to learn how to distinguish between each of these types for the sake of convenience.