Here’s a complete list of all types of USB cables categorized by connector types, data transfer capabilities, and uses:
1. USB Type-A
- Shape: Rectangular with flat, wide connector.
- Used for: Computers, laptops, power banks, chargers, USB hubs, and some peripheral devices.
- Data Transfer Speed:
- USB 2.0 (up to 480 Mbps)
- USB 3.0/3.1 (up to 5 Gbps)
- USB 3.2/USB 4.0 (up to 10–40 Gbps)
- Power Delivery:
- USB 2.0: Up to 2.5W
- USB 3.0/3.1/3.2: Can deliver up to 4.5W to 15W.
2. USB Type-B
- Shape: Square with beveled corners.
- Used for: Printers, scanners, external hard drives.
- Data Transfer Speed:
- USB 2.0 (up to 480 Mbps)
- USB 3.0 (up to 5 Gbps)
- Power Delivery: Typically lower than other types (up to 2.5W or more for USB 3.0).
3. USB Type-C
- Shape: Small, oval, reversible connector (can be inserted in either direction).
- Used for: Newer smartphones, tablets, laptops, external SSDs, and more.
- Data Transfer Speed:
- USB 3.1/3.2 (up to 10–20 Gbps)
- USB 4.0 (up to 40 Gbps)
- Power Delivery: Up to 100W, making it suitable for charging laptops and powering devices.
- Additional Features: Supports both data transfer and charging in one cable.
4. Micro-USB
- Shape: Smaller than USB-A, with tapered edges.
- Used for: Older smartphones, tablets, digital cameras, some Bluetooth speakers.
- Data Transfer Speed:
- USB 2.0 (up to 480 Mbps)
- USB 3.0 (up to 5 Gbps for Micro-B)
- Power Delivery: Up to 2.5W for standard Micro-USB, but higher with Quick Charge support.
5. Mini-USB
- Shape: Smaller than USB-A, but larger than Micro-USB, with a trapezoidal shape.
- Used for: Older cameras, GPS devices, some gaming controllers.
- Data Transfer Speed: USB 2.0 (up to 480 Mbps).
- Power Delivery: Similar to Micro-USB, lower power capacity.
6. USB 3.0, 3.1, and 3.2 Variants
- Shape: Similar to USB-A or USB-B but with additional pins for faster data transfer.
- Used for: Devices requiring high-speed data transfer like external hard drives, SSDs, newer laptops.
- Data Transfer Speed:
- USB 3.0: Up to 5 Gbps
- USB 3.1/3.2: Up to 10–20 Gbps
- Power Delivery: Typically supports higher power delivery (up to 100W with USB-C).
7. USB 4.0
- Shape: Typically, USB-C connector.
- Used for: Advanced laptops, high-speed data transfer peripherals, 4K/8K video output.
- Data Transfer Speed: Up to 40 Gbps.
- Power Delivery: Up to 100W.
8. USB to Lightning
- Shape: Proprietary connector by Apple, smaller than USB-A, designed for Apple devices.
- Used for: Charging and data transfer with iPhones, iPads, and other Apple devices.
- Data Transfer Speed: Up to 480 Mbps (for USB 2.0) or up to 5 Gbps (for USB 3.0).
- Power Delivery: Up to 18W for fast charging (with supported devices).
9. USB OTG (On-The-Go) Cable
- Shape: Typically uses Micro-USB or USB-C connectors at one end to connect mobile devices to peripherals like flash drives, keyboards, or mice.
- Used for: Enabling mobile devices to interact directly with external USB devices.
- Data Transfer Speed: Depends on the USB version (e.g., USB 2.0 or 3.0).
10. USB 2.0, 3.0, and 3.1/3.2 Micro-B
- Shape: Micro-USB connector with additional pins for higher-speed data transfer (mainly seen in external hard drives).
- Used for: External storage devices, hard drives.
- Data Transfer Speed: USB 3.0 (up to 5 Gbps).
- Power Delivery: Similar to Micro-USB, but with additional power handling capabilities in some cases.
11. USB Type-C to Type-A (USB-C to USB-A)
- Shape: USB-C at one end (for modern devices) and USB-A at the other end (for older devices).
- Used for: Connecting modern devices with USB-C ports to older USB-A devices.
- Data Transfer Speed:
- USB 3.1 (up to 10 Gbps) for high-speed devices.
- USB 2.0 (up to 480 Mbps) for standard devices.
- Power Delivery: Supports higher power delivery (up to 15W for USB 2.0 and 100W for USB-C).
12. USB Micro-B 3.0
- Shape: Micro-B with more pins for increased data throughput.
- Used for: High-speed external drives, including hard drives and SSDs.
- Data Transfer Speed: USB 3.0 (up to 5 Gbps).
- Power Delivery: Supports higher power (up to 5W or more).