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Comparison of USB & FireWire

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FireWire and USB each have their own advantages and disadvantages.

When uploading files to your computer, it is important to use the most efficient format. The USB and FireWire data transfer formats both have avid proponents, but each features its own advantages and disadvantages.

  1. Convenience

    • When it comes to convenience, the USB uploading format beats out the FireWire format. You can now purchase small USB drives, known as thumb drives, that are small enough to carry around in your pocket. To use the drives, you simply remove the cover on the end, which reveals the USB connector, and then connect it to your USB input on your computer. FireWire drives are less convenient because they require a FireWire cable and a large external hard drive that can't fit in your pocket.

    Uploading Speed

    • Though USB is the more convenient format, FireWire is much faster than USB. FireWire is designed to upload larger files, such as video or audio files. As files become larger, the disparity between the uploading speeds between the two formats grows even larger. When uploading files that total to 650 megabytes, FireWire uploads 70 percent faster than USB.

    Architecture

    • When it comes to the uploading architecture, FireWire has more flexibility than USB. FireWire uses a peer-to-peer architecture whereby you can negotiate bus conflicts and which device should upload data. When using USB, the architecture is a master-slave setup, and the way files are uploaded is set in stone.

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