USB 2.0 or USB 3.2 – What is the difference?

When choosing a USB flash drive, you will often come across labels such as USB 2.0, USB 3.0 or USB 3.2. At first glance, they may seem like just numbers, but the USB standard plays an important role in determining the capabilities of the connection and data transfer.

For most USB flash drive users today, the two most relevant standards are USB 2.0 and USB 3.2 Gen 1, which is still commonly known by its former name, USB 3.0.

USB 2.0 – A proven and still useful standard

USB 2.0 was introduced back in 2000, but thanks to its widespread compatibility and affordable cost, it is still commonly used today.

The standard supports a maximum theoretical data transfer rate of 480 Mb/s, or 60 MB/s.

For storing and transferring documents, presentations, catalogues and other smaller files, USB 2.0 is still a perfectly suitable solution.

However, when transferring larger files, photos and videos, its speed limitations become more noticeable.

USB 3.2 Gen 1 – The next step

USB 3.2 Gen 1 supports a theoretical data transfer rate of up to 5 Gb/s, or 625 MB/s, which represents more than ten times the theoretical bandwidth of USB 2.0.

You will still frequently see the designation USB 3.0 on products. This standard was later renamed and is now known as USB 3.2 Gen 1. Its maximum connection speed remains 5 Gb/s.

USB 3.2 is therefore a better choice for users who regularly transfer larger amounts of data, photos, videos or large presentations.

USB 2.0 vs USB 3.2

It is important to note that these speeds represent the theoretical capabilities of the USB standard. They do not represent the actual speed of a USB flash drive. Why real-world speeds are significantly lower is explained in more detail in our article about USB read and write speeds.

What About USB-A and USB-C?

The USB standard and the physical connector type are not the same thing.

USB-A is the traditional rectangular USB connector that has been widely used on computers and USB flash drives for many years.

USB-C, or Type-C, is a smaller, more modern and reversible connector, meaning that it can be inserted either way. It is increasingly common on laptops, smartphones, tablets and other modern devices.

It is important to understand that USB-C does not automatically mean higher speed. The connector type and USB standard are two separate characteristics of a device.

USB 2.0 or USB 3.2 – Which should you choose?

If you mainly use a USB flash drive for documents, catalogues, price lists, presentations and similar files, USB 2.0 remains an affordable and perfectly adequate solution for many users.

If you regularly transfer larger amounts of data, photos or videos, USB 3.2 is the better choice.

However, the USB standard is not the only factor that determines speed. Two USB 3.2 flash drives can perform very differently in real-world use despite supporting the same standard. We explain these differences in more detail in the next article.