Different USB Cables

If you are shopping for a printer, USB flash drive or cell phone, you will probably come across a wide variety of USB cables, in terms of both length and connector type. It can be difficult to determine what kind of cable you need.

Connector types

A USB cable has a receptacle end and a plug end. These ends are physically different, so the cable is not reversible. One end is designed to plug into a device, and the other end usually plugs into a computer.

Standard, mini and micro

The most common USB cable is "Standard-A." This is the kind you'll see on a USB flash drive. "Mini" and "Micro" are popular for cell phones and other small mobile devices that cannot provide enough space to fit a "Standard-A" receptacle.

USB 1.1, 2.0 and 3.0

There are also three different versions of USB, distinguished mostly by their transfer speeds. USB 1.1 and 2.0 cables look physically identical. The only way to differentiate them is by testing them with devices that take advantage of USB 2.0 speeds. USB 3.0 cables, however, are noticeably thicker.

Cable extenders

You can also purchase USB cables that are designed specifically to act as extension cords. However, cables longer than about 15 feet can complicate the successful transfer of data.

Proprietary cables

Devices such as iPods and Xboxes use USB cables, but the cable ends are custom-designed to only work with those devices. Sometimes this is done to add new features, and other times it is for quality control.

References

• USB.org: guide to cables
• Datapro.net: connector types