USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt
It’s been declared the top PC innovation of all time, and for good reason. You use USB every day to copy files, print information, and charge devices.
If your PC is less than five years old, chances are you’re using USB 2 (also known as USB High-Speed). It works well for moving a few of documents or a music file, but if you move large files or a lot of files, you’ve undoubtedly yearned for a faster option. USB 3.0 (also known as USB Super-Speed) came on the scene in January 2010. This new standard significantly reduces the time required to move information. Thunderbolt, developed by Intel and brought to market by Apple in early 2011, is just starting to appear in Windows PCs and offers improvements over existing USB technologies.
USB 2.0 (USB Hi-Speed) |
USB 3.0 (USB Super-Speed) |
Thunderbolt (code-name Light Peak) |
|
Advantages |
Widespread adoption |
Compatible with USB 2.0 Widespread adoption |
2x faster data transfer 10% faster device charging Ability to carry both HD audio & video signals Ability to carry signal on longer cables without signal loss |
Transfer Speed |
480 megabits per second |
5,000 megabits per second 10x faster than USB 2.0 USB 3.0 devices and ports must be used together to realize its speed potential |
10,000 megabits per second 20x faster than USB 2.0 and 2x as fast as USB 3.0 Thunderbolt device but must be used with Thunderbolt port to realize its speed potential |
Charging Devices |
Provides 100mA |
Provides 900mA |
Provides 1000mA |
Typical Cell Phone Charge |
5 hours |
35 minutes |
30 minutes |
Directional Transfer |
Unidirectional: data moves one direction at a time like an alternating single lane bridge |
Bidirectional: data moves both ways at once, like a two-lane bridge |