Cable Connectors

The other day I was able to get my hands on a used KVM switch with some assorted miscellaneous cables and I was absolutely ecstatic. That is, until I went to plug in what I thought to be a USB-B cable into one of its output ports, only to discover that it didn't fit. It was actually a USB-B 3.0 cable which doesn't fit in a USB-B receptacle.

I had no idea a USB-B 3.0 even existed before I looked it up.

There's so many different types of cables and cable connectors nowadays that it's hard to keep track of the names of each connector, and even harder to know if we should even still be using them in 2025. For my own sanity I've put together a quick cheatsheet of most of the different types of cable connectors you might see today and whether you should use them. If I recommend using these connectors, the sections will be highlighted a faint green color.

Data Connectors ¶

  1. USB-A
    This is probably the connector you normally think of when you hear the word "USB". Originally created in the 90s, the maximum data transfer rates for this connector are relatively low. It was upgraded to 2.0 to increase the data transfer rates, but still does not compare to other connectors of the modern age. The lifetime on these are pretty low at around 1500 cycles so I wouldn't recommend buying any new hardware with these ports if you can help it. That being said, USBs are very prominent today on a lot of old and new hardware.
  2. USB-A 3.0
    USB-A 3.0 is the direct successor of USB-A 1.0-2.0. At first glance, it looks nearly identical to its predecessor except for its characteristic blue color. It has higher data transfer speeds and a much longer lifetime. If you have a choice between USB-A 1.0, USB-A 2.0, or USB-A 3.0, you should definitely choose the 3.0 variant as it will stand the test of time.
  3. Mini USB-A
    Mini USB-A was created for smaller devices such as mobile phones but were very short-lived and are now deprecated technology. They've more or less been completely replaced by Micro USB connectors now so there's no reason to use them today.
  4. Micro USB-A
    The Micro USB-A was created for a similar purpose as the Mini USB-A, but USB-B connectors had already taken off by the time this reached critical mass. I've never even seen one of these connectors before. I highly discourage trying to use these unless you already have some lying around.
  5. USB-B
    USB-B was created to improve on the original USB-A's physical port design and provide better throughput. While it delivers on both of those promises, its form factor is pretty unwieldy. As a result, you really only see USB-B used for specialized devices such as printers and IoT machines.
  6. USB-B 3.0
    Similar to USB-A 3.0, USB-B 3.0 is a modernized version of USB-B with its characteristic blue color. Although it's not very common to see this connector, this is still a perfectly fine choice for peripherals and smaller devices.
  7. Mini USB-B
    This connector is so similar to Mini USB-A I wonder why they even released two. It's meant for mobile devices, but like Mini USB-A, it's already been deprecated in favor of Micro USB-B. You'll never use this connector unless you happen to have a TI-84 graphing calculator lying around.
  8. Micro USB-B
    Micro USB-B is the popularized version of the Mini USB-B connector. It provides reasonable data transfer speeds for smaller devices, but with the advent of USB-C there's not much of a need for this connector anymore. It was the default Android smartphone charging port for a while.
  9. Micro USB-B 3.0
    The only reason a different form factor is used to differentiate Micro USB-B and the Micro USB-B 3.0 connectors is to indicate the upgraded protocol. Otherwise, it has no real-world purpose. It isn't even blue like other USB 3.0 connectors. Hardware folks, please never ever use this form factor in devices ever again.
  10. USB-C
    USB-C is the form factor everyone should be using. It is direction-agnostic, meaning we no longer need to worry about plugging in a USB the "wrong way". It has lightning fast data transfer speeds and can even be used for PCIe and Thunderbolt. I'm optimistic this will only improve as time goes on.
  11. Lightning
    Lightning is a proprietary connector form factor created by Apple and only used for iPhones. For that reason alone it's not worth supporting or using. It only exists for Apple to maintain control over their userbase. Luckily, recent legislation has forced Apple to join the USB-C standard like everyone else. And they had the audacity to claim it was a feature they chose to add.

Network Connectors ¶

  1. RJ11
    RJ11 is an older network connector that was used to connect landline phones in a house. It can be adapted for ethernet but that's not really necessary anymore as better RJ45 cables come relatively cheap. It's still pretty common to find ports for these in older buildings and homes (including mine).
  2. RJ45
    This connector is commonly referred to as an ethernet connector and primarily used for wired network access. Fortunately people have learned from the USB fiasco and have kept the form factor the same as higher category cables make their way mainstream.

Video and Audio Connectors ¶

  1. VGA
    VGA was created in the 80s as a standardized way to transmit video data. However, its age really shows - it cannot transmit audio data and the resolution is severely limited. You also need to tighten two screws to properly secure the connection which can be a absolute pain in tight spaces. It's still common to see these connectors being used but it should be avoided when possible.
  2. DVI
    DVI is an alternative to VGA. There are three different variations: DVI-I, DVI-D (pictured), and DVI-A, which pertain to integrated, digital, and analog, respectively. Like VGA, it only supports RGB color channels, but it can include analog. However, there are better alternatives you might as well use instead. It's unlikely you'll encounter DVI today.
  3. Display
    Port
    DisplayPort provides higher resolutions than both VGA and DVI, also allowing multiple displays with one connection. It also boasts a huge bandwidth over its predecessors, in some cases overshadowing HDMI.
  4. Mini Display
    Port
    Mini DisplayPort is not particularly related to DisplayPort except in name only. It was created by Apple but licensed freely (how nice of them). While it's still prevalent in a lot of devices, it's better to use USB-C with Thunderbolt instead.
  5. HDMI
    HDMI is the current standard for delivering video and audio. It only supports digital signals and very high resolutions. HDMI's data transfer and resolution capabilities are on par with DisplayPort in most cases. HDMI is a fine choice for displaying video.