You cannot achieve USB 3.0 speeds without a USB 3.0 cable. We figured this out the hard way during the USB flash drive group test. USB 3.0 cables have more internal wires, are usually blue, and are noticeably thicker than the old USB 2.0 cables. Even though you can connect a USB 3.0 device via a USB 2.0 cable, in order to achieve full USB 3.0 speeds you need to rewire any existing cabling. To get USB 3.0 speeds, you need special USB 3.0 cables. USB 3.0 cables can be used with 2.0 devices and ports if the connector types fit (no B Male or B Micro connectors), but the transfer rate will fall back to 2.0.

SuperSpeed (USB 3.0) is supported only by USB 3.0 and newer interfaces, and requires a connector and cable with extra pins and wires, usually distinguishable by the blue inserts in connectors. First up, Steven:Ī USB 3.0 cable is required for USB 3.0 speeds, but any USB cord will make a connection. SuperUser contributors Steven and fixer1234 have the answer for us. Do USB 3.0 connections require USB 3.0 cables in order to reach their full speed potential? The Answer

Usb 2 vs usb 3 pinout