Not is USB 3.0 here in full force, but it’s being adopted by hard disk drive manufacturers across the board. USB 3.0 connectors for data transfer, dubbed “SuperSpeed,” are not only 10 times faster than USB 2.0 protocols, they also offer other benefits to computer users who need to transmit data quickly and easily.

 1. Not just faster — 10 times faster. – Old USB 2.0 lines transmitted data at a rate of 4.8 Gbps. New USB 3.0 lines work at speeds up to 480Mbps, thanks to two additional, dedicated data lanes for receiving data and another two for transmitting data. This permits bi-directional data transfer and saves times, especially when syncing information or performing back-ups to an external hard drive.

USB 3.0 protocol actually has nine lines, as opposed to four in USB 2.0. A side effect of this technology is that the new cables look slightly different than USB 2.0, so you can spot them at a glance.

 2. Backwards compatibility. – Although USB 3.0 cables are thicker than their predecessor, the connector is the same, and the cables work in all existing technology with regular USB or USB 2.0 ports. Of course, you’ll need a USB 3.0 port on your device to take advantage of the increased speed. Many hard drive manufacturers are already introducing USB 3.0 HDDs.

 3. More efficient. – New USB 3.0 drives won’t permit the host controller, such as your PC, to drain idle devices (like smartphones, iPods or cameras) if they remain connected. This is thanks to the interrupt-driven protocol built into USB 3.0 devices, which replaces the device polling system used by USB 2.0 cables and devices. The best part? The feature is backwards-compatible with USB 2.0 devices, too.