[SOLVED] USB 3.1 Gen 2 Thumb Drives - Real or Fake?

voyager1

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Apr 17, 2010
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I purchased a new mobo that has several USB 3.1 Gen 2 mixed type A and C plugins on the back and outlets for more on the mobo.
I'm presently researching how I want to assemble and equip myself a new PC.
I'll be upgrading to an M.2 boot drive for my OS installation.

I'm having trouble with figuring out how to use thumb drives [flash drives] with the USB 3.1 Gen 2 plug-ins and use their full speed capability.

I can't find any USB 3.1 Gen 2 flash drives on Amazon.
There are USB 3.1 Gen 1 and 2 Type C SSDs, but no USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type A or C flash drives.

Confusion reigns partially becasuse of the name change for USB 3.0 to USB 3.1 Gen 1 and the dropping of the Gen number in many of the ads.
I'm assuming it's get people to buy Gen 1 thinking they're getting Gen 2.
If they were selling Gen 2, they'd say so.

Are USB 3.1 Gen 2 flash drives non-existent, only the larger SSD category now being used?
If so, why so many USB 3.1 Gen 2 plugins on the new mobo?
Are the flash drives just not available yet?
It's been over a year since I bought the mobo.

I'm stumped that I cannot find flash drives for USB 3.1 Gen 2 yet.
I want the speed.
Am I expecting more than will be?
 
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voyager1

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Apr 17, 2010
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Amazon, eBay, and Panasonic [the mfgr.] all call the Fit Plus a USB 3.1 Flash Drive, no Gen2 designation.
Only B&H calls it a Gen2, probably a vendor error.
That tells me it is simply a 3.0 renamed to 3.1, not having the Gen2 abilities.
Repeating myself: If it was a 3.1 Gen2 thumb flash drive they'd say so.

The Verbatim is designated as being a USB 3.1 Gen2 SSD, connecting by a USB micro [mini?] cord like my mp3 player and cell phone do.

Still, no one has shown me a USB 3,1 Gen2 thumb drive that replaces the use of USB 2.0 and 3.0 [now 3.1] thumb drives.

Having 4 ea USB 3.1 Gen2 type A & C plugins on my mobo, still looks to be an absolute waste.

Please, prove me wrong.
I'm beginning to think renaming 3.0 to 3.1 was meant to confuse the issue so that people would think they were getting a Gen2 when they weren't, ... advertising hype, ...smoke and mirrors.
 
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