The new SuperSpeed USB 3.0
USB 3.0 is a major new development to the USB interface. It will bring USB up to date with the demands of users’ for higher bandwidth and increased peripheral support. USB 3.0 will now meet the needs of users by allowing the transfer and use of files and peripherals to be much, much quicker.
Currently USB 2.0offer speeds of 480 Mbps. When introduced this was a vast increase when compared to USB 1.1, which has speeds of just 12 Mbps. This brought USB up to date with competing interfaces of the time such as FireWire (400 IEEE 1394a). This helped establish USB as the most commonly used interface on the planet and the interface of choice for users and manufacturers for devices such as memory sticks, printers, cameras etc. However over time FireWirehas evolved into the faster FireWire 800 (IEEE 1394b) series while hard disk drive interfaces added the faster eSATA interface, leaving USB behind.
USB 2.0 as therefore felt the strain as the need for a faster interface has increased. The introduction of ‘SuperSpeed’ USB 3.0, with data transfer speeds of 5Gbps will now allow USB to catch up. USB is now much better equipped to deal with common tasks such as using larger files, digital video and the need to back up huge back catalogues of music and movies.
USB 3.0 has a number of new improved features including:
- a new architecture with backward compatibility
- a much higher bandwidth
- a much greater speed from more efficient data and protocol signalling
- more sophisticated power management
- higher power output on the USB port
So upgrading to USB 3.0 is essential for the future to regularly use larger files and power hungry peripherals!
See the latest range of USB 3.0 cables and USB 3.0 cards.