Transfer speeds as determined by differences in USB3.x notation

Confusing notation USB3.x

There is a flood of USB3.x standards, and many people are unsure how to understand them. In this article, we will briefly explain the differences between "USB3.0", "USB3.1" and "USB3.2".

The differences between "USB3.0", "USB3.1" and "USB3.2"

First, USB 3.0 was released in 2008 and had a transfer speed of 5Gbps.

Next came USB3.1 in 2013. USB3.1 has a maximum speed of 10Gbps, and is written as follows depending on the transfer speed:
・USB3.1 Gen1: 5Gbps
・USB3.1 Gen2: 10Gbps

USB3.2 was released in 2017, four years after USB3.1. The transfer speed of USB3.2 is now up to 20Gbps, and the notation has been changed accordingly. In the notation below, x1 and x2 mean 1 lane or 2 lanes.
・USB3.2 Gen1 x1: 5Gbps
・USB3.2 Gen2 x1: 10Gbps
- USB3.2 Gen2 x2: 20Gbps

As you can see, with each new standard, the number of notations such as "USB3.0," "USB3.1," and "USB3.2" has increased, making things more complicated. However, from the perspective of speed, you can see that it is easier to understand by switching to the USB3.2 notation.

We have created a table to make it easier to understand, so please use it as a reference.

common name transfer speed 2008 notation 2013 notation 2017 notation Name
USB3.0 5Gbps USB3.0 USB3.1 Gen1 USB3.2 Gen1 x1 SuperSpeed USB 5Gbps
USB3.1 10Gbps

-

USB3.2 Gen2 USB3.2 Gen2 x1 SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps
USB3.2 20Gbps - - USB3.2 Gen2 x2 SuperSpeed USB 20Gbps

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