Blue USB Port Meaning The blue USB port is also known as USB 3.0 or SuperSpeed (SS) USB. It was introduced in 2008 and offers a data transfer speed of up to 5 Gbps, which is more than 10 times faster than USB 2.0.
USB 3.0 (blue ports) have higher data transfer rates than the older, USB 2.0, ports. USB 3.0 ports are great for storage devices such as flash drives, external hard drives, or video input devices that are USB 3.0 capable and require faster speeds.
USB 2.0 vs 3.0: Ports and Cables
Standard USB cables follow the same color scheme as well. In the image below, we can see that USB 2.0 connectors are white (or black), while USB 3.0 connectors are blue in color. It is also common to find a "SS" (SuperSpeed) label on USB 3.0 cables.
First, check the physical ports on your computer - USB 3.0 ports are sometimes (but not always) blue in color so if any of your USB ports are blue then your computer is equipped with USB 3.0. You can also check the logo above the port for the USB 3.0 SuperSpeed logo (pictured below).
USB 1.0 and 2.0 ports and plugs can be white or black. USB 3.0 ports and plugs are blue. USB 3.1 ports and plugs are teal blue. USB sleep-and-charge ports are often yellow, orange, or red. These ports can charge phones or electronic devices even when the computer is switched off.
USB 3.1 ports come in Teal Blue. These ports support transfer speed up to 10 Gbit/s. Some people may see this port as green. Red color is normally used for USB 3.1 Gen 2 and USB 3.2 ports that can support transfer speed up to 20 Gbit/s.
Black ports are the older USB 2.0 ports while the Blue ones are the newer USB 3.0 ports. USB 3.0 ports have a much higher transfer rate and is referred to as SuperSpeed USB (SS) that can transfer data at up to 5 Gbit/s (625 MB/s), which is about ten times as fast as the USB 2.0 standard.
Interior Color -- To tell the difference between these two technologies with a quick glance, look for a black or blue block inside the port. The black interior indicates USB 2.0, while the blue one indicates 3.0.
USB 2.0 has power current potential of up to 500 mA, and USB 3.0 has up to 900 mA. This translates to a difference of power from 2.5 W for USB 2.0 to 4.5 W for USB 3.0, at 5 V. USB 3.0 devices will charge faster, and USB 3.0 ports will be able to charge devices that consume greater amounts of power.
Black USB Port Meaning
It is significantly faster than the white USB port, with a data transfer speed of up to 480 Mbps. However, it can still only transfer data in one direction. The black USB port offers all of the features of the white USB port but with greater reliability.
The USB 3.0 and USB 3.1 versions, or according to the new nomenclature USB 3.2 Gen 1 and 2, have a blue interior. Not always, but they can vary slightly in shade. The USB Super Speed version is darker than the USB Super Speed+ version, which has a light blue colour.
Does USB 3.0 work with USB 2.0? — A guide to USB versions and compatibility. The short answer is yes—USB 3.0 does work with USB 2.0, but you won't get the speeds of USB 3.0 technology.
Generally, you can plug standard devices like mice and keyboards into a USB 2.0 port, as speed isn't a priority for them. But any devices that will transfer data, like an external hard drive, should be plugged into a USB 3 port for best results.
Since USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports may coexist on the same machine and they look similar, the USB 3.0 specification recommends that the Standard-A USB 3.0 receptacle have a blue insert (Pantone 300C color). The same color-coding applies to the USB 3.0 Standard-A plug.
Check the physical ports on your computer:
If you see a blue USB port, it's USB 3.0. It may also be marked on the outside of the port with either “SS” or “3.0.
The design isn't the only difference you will notice between USB-A and USB-C. USB-C can handle a lot more power delivery, and it can even be used to attach various peripherals to your computer, including HDMI, DisplayPort, VGA or DVI cables and an ethernet port through adapters.
Typically white connectors are USB 1. x, but quite a few are USB 2. x compatible.
As with all things USB, USB 3.2 and USB 3.1 are backward compatible with older USB standards. So, if you use a USB 2.0 device or cable and plug it into a USB 3.2 port, you'll get a connection but at the speed of the slowest link in the chain (in this case 480 Mbps).
A USB 3.0 connection requires five conductors, and the connectors are blue in color.
A USB-C connection can charge devices up to 20 times faster than basic USB. USB-C ports support USB Power Delivery, a fast-charging standard that can deliver 100 watts of power to compatible devices. Charging speeds depend on the USB protocol built into the device you're charging.
USB 2.0 devices may not work with USB 3.0 port because: USB controllers may not have the correct configuration. The USB controller drivers on your PC may have been outdated. The USB legacy support might be disabled.