When it comes to computer hardware, having the proper cables attached to your devices can make a substantial difference in overall performance. USB (Universal Serial Bus) cables are a very common type, but they are not all made equal.

Recognizing Differences

In a nutshell, there is not really any physical, outward difference between a USB 1.1 cable and a USB 2.0 cable. Internally, however, a USB 2.0 cable has more wires and usually thicker shielding (to reduce interference and allow for longer cables).

Testing a Cable

Therefore, if you want to determine the speed of your cable, you have to attach it to a USB port and attach a USB 2.0 device to the cable. Some USB computer ports are only USB 1.1, but the ones on the back of the computer connected directly to the motherboard are usually USB 2.0.

2.0 Speeds

Once you have attached your cable and your device, transfer some files to this device--preferably about 100MB worth, so you can see several seconds of transfer.

Examining Speed

A window should appear showing you how fast the files are being transferred. If it is a USB 1.1 cable, it will max out at 12 megabits per second, or about 1.5 megabytes per second. If it is USB 2.0, you can get speeds as fast as 60 megabytes per second (but usually less because of communication overhead).

Timing the Transfer

If your transfer window does not display transfer speed, you may have to time it with your watch. But if it only takes a few seconds to move that 100-megabyte chunk of files, you have a USB 2.0 cable.

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Determining USB Cable Type

USB Frequently Asked Questions