What is the difference between usb 2.0 and usb 3.0?

USB 3.0 is backward compatible with USB 2.0 devices; however, data transfer speeds are limited to USB 2.0 levels when these devices inter-operate. In 2014, a new standard, USB 3.1, was released and is expected to be in widespread use by 2015. read more

USB 3.0 was released in November 2008, almost eight years after the release of USB 2.0. USB 3.0 is compatible with USB 2.0. However, the USB 3.0 product will perform at the same level as a USB 2.0 product, so speed and power benefits will not be fully realized. read more

The biggest difference between USB 2.0 and 3.0 is the speed at which each can communicate with the computer's host controller. USB 2.0 offers a transfer rate of 480 Mbps. USB 3.0 offers a transfer rate of 4.8 Gbps, which is 10 times faster than 2.0, thus revolutionizing data transfer between devices and the computer. read more