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Universal Serial Bus

An industry standard that establishes specifications for cables, connectors, and protocols for connection, communication, and power supply between computers and peripherals.

AbbreviationUSB
Categoryhardware

Overview

USB replaced a multitude of older ports (serial, parallel, PS/2) with a single, hot-swappable interface. It has evolved through several generations, significantly increasing speed and power delivery.

Generations

  • USB 2.0: 480 Mbps.
  • USB 3.x: 5 Gbps to 20 Gbps.
  • USB4: Up to 80 Gbps (based on Thunderbolt 3).

Connectors

  • Type-A: The classic rectangular connector.
  • Type-C: The modern, reversible connector that supports high-speed data, video (DisplayPort Alt Mode), and high-power charging (Power Delivery).

Related Terms

ThunderboltPeripheral