USB 3.0
has become the defacto peripheral interface for computers, tablets and
smartphones. When it was first announced, it took a while for the
standard to eventually get implemented. While the interface is certainly
fast, there is room for improvement. USB 3.1 was announced back in 2014
but only at the beginning of 2015 are we starting to see devices
implement what seems to be a minor update which is in fact much bigger.
So what exactly does USB 3.1 add and why is it going to become the next major interface standard?
More Speed
Officially
called USB SuperSpeed+, the USB 3.1 standard is meant to be an
extension of the current 3.0 version. When first released, USB 3.0 was
very fast at 4.8Gbps which was practically ten times the speed of the previous USB 2.0.
The USB 3.1 specification does increase the speed
up to 10Gbps which is just over two times the 3.0 speeds. This is not as
big of a speed jump but it does help it keep a bit more inline with
other peripheral interfaces like ThunderBolt
which started at 10Gbps but has increased to twice that with its 2.0
version. Now, USB 3.1 interface ports should be fully compatible with
the previous standards at their slower speeds but there may be an issue
where you might need to get some new cables.
New Connector
The
USB 3.1 specification brings with it a new connector type. USB 3.0 did
propose a new connector type but in practice it was never used because
it was not practical as it used something similar to the large USB B
style connector.
The new Type C connector brings with it new
features but also differs from the previous Type A and Type B. Unlike
the failed USB 3.0 connector, this one will likely be a success because
of its capabilities. In terms of size, it is smaller than the standard
Type A connector but larger than the mini-USB used on many smaller
peripherals and devices.
This could be a problem for some extremely thin devices but the advantages might outweigh the extra size.
USB
ports and connectors have always been keyed to only fit in a specific
direction. The Type C connector brings to it a reversible design similar
to that used by Apple's Lightning connector. Basically, you can plug
the cable in either way and it will automatically sync the proper pins
and function. This makes connecting devices much easier to chargers or
other devices.
The Type C connector is compatible with the older USB 3.0 and USB 2.0
devices. Now the connector is a different size so it will be necessary
to either have and adapter to convert a Type C to a Type A connector or
you will need to get a special Type C to Type A cable to connect two
devices with different connectors together.
Increased Power Output
Probably
the most significant change to USB 3.1 is tied to the new Type C
connector. Previous versions of the USB specification has been extremely
limited in the amount of power that it will provide to devices. This
was not an issue when it was primarily used for external peripherals
like mice and keyboards. The problem is that USB is now becoming one of
the prominant ways to also charge up mobile devices like smart phones.
The 900mAh limit of the original USB 3.0 meant that many devices were
taking forever to charge over the USB data cable.
Under the new
specifications, devices using the Type C connectors will be able to
supply additional power over the 5V lines. The baseline 900mA power will
still be provided by the USB 3.0 specifications but an additiona 1.5A
and 3.0A can be supplied. This should help speed up the ability to
supply power for charging mobile devies and better running external
peripherals over the bus such as portable hard drives which may require adapaters pulling power from two USB ports.
The
new Type C connector of USB 3.1 also brings additional power
capabilities with USB Power Delivery. What this does is define additiona
USB pins for 12v and 20v power over the cable. Depending upon the
voltage lines and profile used, the new profile and cables can supply up
to 100 watts of power.
This is enough power that the USB 3.1 connection with a Type C cable
could also be used as a power supply cable for a high powered laptop.
Mind you, that same cable could also be used to carry data back to a USB
hub built into the power adapter. This is extremely beneficial because
it provides a standard small power connect that manufacturer's can use
but also makes it for more universal power supplise for laptops as well.
Final Thoughts
Even
though the USB 3.1 standard does not have a huge increase in the speed
of the data it can transport, it is a huge improvement especially for
mobile devices. Adoption of the connector might be mixed though.
Consumers probably will not like it at first as it is yet another type
of cable or connector that they will have to carry around. The
convenience of being able to plug it in either way and the improved
power support will likely make many consumers change their minds though.
Let's just hope that the adoption of the new standard will be faster
than USB 3.0 but once again it will likely take Intel and AMD
integrating it into their chipsets in order for it to really take off.
By Mark Kyrnin
PC Reviews Expert
