Re:Apple Finally Updates MacBook Air with Retina Display, To...
by dragonwriter on Tuesday October 30, 2018 @03:27PM
(#18340446)
> Is a USB-C enclosure actually faster than USB 3.1 was with the old conenctors?
As I understand it, USB-C-to-USB-C (with USB 3.2) is the only connector combination supporting Gen 2×2, 20Gb/s mode (since it leverages the pins included to support flipping the connector; it's also the only combination to support Gen 1×2, but that's the same speed as Gen 2×1, so it's unclear why you'd do that.)
USB A (w/USB 3.1+) can support Gen 2×1 (SuperSpeed+) at 10Gb/s. USB B (w/USB 3.0+), AFAIK, only supports Gen 1 (SuperSpeed) (5Gb/s).
Re:Apple Finally Updates MacBook Air with Retina Display, To...
by wlesieutre on Tuesday October 30, 2018 @03:58PM
(#18340758)
Ah you're right. First I've heard of USB 3.2, but here's news from 2017: https://www.anandtech.com/show/11667/usb32-update
I have a USB-C drive enclosure, but looking at the specs it's only USB 3.1. Newegg doesn't even have 3.2 as an option when searching by external interface in their hard drive enclosures section. The day when you're actually losing anything by not having USB-C devices seems a ways off still.
On the device end (for hard drives and hubs) you'd generally have a type-B connector (don't think I've ever seen one with USB-A, but I haven't had that many external drives). Type-B got got a bulkier version for superspeed, it looks silly but for something that lives at your desk, who cares?
https://www.google.com/search?q=usb+3+type+b&tbm=isch
If you get a new computer with USB-C, you can replace a single cable with USB-C to USB-B to keep using the same hub and the same USB-A devices plugged into it at the same speed as before:
https://www.amazon.com/TNP-USB-C-USB-B-Cable-Black/dp/B011BG...