[SOLVED] USB Compatibility with New Motherboards

Rgcraig

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I am building a new system and have had great comments, thank you!

I have an issue with USB ports that I need help understanding. I have purchased an i9-12900K processor and a Cool Master NR600P case. The Case has an I/O Panel with two USB Ports (1xUSB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C and 2xUSB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A). While trying to purchase an ASUS motherboard during Cyber Monday, I could not convenience myself that everything would work. Most of the motherboards I am researching use USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 port (1 x USB Type-C®) and USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (2 x Type-A). I have asked the case manufacture if there are other options on the I/O Panel, but no answers yet.

I have tried to locate suppliers where I can purchase later generation ports to install, but not able to determine where to get these parts. Also, I am not sure how easy it is to replace a port in a case. I am trying to research the difference, and so far it appears the difference in the ports (other than color and shape) is the gage of wires. This makes me think that I may be able to change our wires and that may successfully upgrade the ports. I prefer to replace the ports with new later generation ports that are compatible if that is possible.

Can anyone provide a good solution?
 
Solution
The USB people recommend that you should use the new Type C ports and sockets for all USB 3.2 Gen (whatever) because this connector system is better. HOWEVER, they also say that the older Type A ports system is expected to work just fine for the Gen1 version (5 Gb/s max data rate), but they cannot be sure Type A will work for Gen 2 (10 Gb/s rate), and really recommend you must use Type C for Gen 2.2 (20 Gb/s rate). If you use a connector system that simply is not up to the job, very likely the system will simply fall back to a data rate that DOES work, so you don't get the max speed of the mobo header in that case. Of course, that does not matter at all if the device you plug in is a Gen 1 or slower item, anyway! It also is recognized...

Eximo

Titan
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Only if you have a need for those ports to go that fast should you bother. Type-A ports will do fine. If the cabling between the case and front I/O is good enough, it may just work.

Typically it is more shielding that allows for faster communications, not necessarily thick gauge wires.
 
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Rgcraig

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Only if you have a need for those ports to go that fast should you bother. Type-A ports will do fine. If the cabling between the case and front I/O is good enough, it may just work.

Typically it is more shielding that allows for faster communications, not necessarily thick gauge wires.

Thanks, I was thinking it may be something like that. It will have faster ports on the back so this should not be an issue. I am not building a cheap system and I would like for everything to work.
 

Paperdoc

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The USB people recommend that you should use the new Type C ports and sockets for all USB 3.2 Gen (whatever) because this connector system is better. HOWEVER, they also say that the older Type A ports system is expected to work just fine for the Gen1 version (5 Gb/s max data rate), but they cannot be sure Type A will work for Gen 2 (10 Gb/s rate), and really recommend you must use Type C for Gen 2.2 (20 Gb/s rate). If you use a connector system that simply is not up to the job, very likely the system will simply fall back to a data rate that DOES work, so you don't get the max speed of the mobo header in that case. Of course, that does not matter at all if the device you plug in is a Gen 1 or slower item, anyway! It also is recognized that may people have devices and/or cables with Type A connectors already so you don't have lots of choice with those. Case makers, particularly, are well aware that the majority of connections will be made for devices with Type A plugs, so that's the main type of socket they install.

Focus, then, on what internal cables are installed to make connections. For the CASE front ports there will be one or more cables already installed to the exposed ports, and this needs to plug into some suitable mobo header. The common mobo USB 3.2 Gen1 header is usually the place for this, and that type of mobo header supports two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports. So if you connect your case's cable to that, all the case ports will be Gen 1 speed. If your mobo uses the SAME type of header for a set of Gen 2 ports (also common now), then those case ports can perform at Gen 2 rates, although that speed is not guaranteed for the Type A ports connected that way. Any mobo that has a header for USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 ports will be using a totally different new header called the Type E. To make any use of that you MUST have a cable to run from it to a single Type C exposed port. Most cases today have NOT included that, but that matters only if you really have a device (or a Hub) that DOES handle that max speed. There are few of those yet!

Your most likely scenario is that you can plug the cable from your case's front ports into a mobo USB 3.2 Gen 2 (or maybe Gen 1) header and probably get that performance from your case's front sockets. Even if your mobo has a Type E socket to feed to a Gen 2x2 port, your case probably does NOT have the right cable and exposed Type C socket for that, and you probably have nothing to use that performance, anyway.
 
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Solution

Rgcraig

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Aug 5, 2011
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The USB people recommend that you should use the new Type C ports and sockets for all USB 3.2 Gen (whatever) because this connector system is better. HOWEVER, they also say that the older Type A ports system is expected to work just fine for the Gen1 version (5 Gb/s max data rate), but they cannot be sure Type A will work for Gen 2 (10 Gb/s rate), and really recommend you must use Type C for Gen 2.2 (20 Gb/s rate). If you use a connector system that simply is not up to the job, very likely the system will simply fall back to a data rate that DOES work, so you don't get the max speed of the mobo header in that case. Of course, that does not matter at all if the device you plug in is a Gen 1 or slower item, anyway! It also is recognized that may people have devices and/or cables with Type A connectors already so you don't have lots of choice with those. Case makers, particularly, are well aware that the majority of connections will be made for devices with Type A plugs, so that's the main type of socket they install.

Focus, then, on what internal cables are installed to make connections. For the CASE front ports there will be one or more cables already installed to the exposed ports, and this needs to plug into some suitable mobo header. The common mobo USB 3.2 Gen1 header is usually the place for this, and that type of mobo header supports two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports. So if you connect your case's cable to that, all the case ports will be Gen 1 speed. If your mobo uses the SAME type of header for a set of Gen 2 ports (also common now), then those case ports can perform at Gen 2 rates, although that speed is not guaranteed for the Type A ports connected that way. Any mobo that has a header for USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 ports will be using a totally different new header called the Type E. To make any use of that you MUST have a cable to run from it to a single Type C exposed port. Most cases today have NOT included that, but that matters only if you really have a device (or a Hub) that DOES handle that max speed. There are few of those yet!

Your most likely scenario is that you can plug the cable from your case's front ports into a mobo USB 3.2 Gen 2 (or maybe Gen 1) header and probably get that performance from your case's front sockets. Even if your mobo has a Type E socket to feed to a Gen 2x2 port, your case probably does NOT have the right cable and exposed Type C socket for that, and you probably have nothing to use that performance, anyway.
Thank you. Very good explanation.
I have limited knowledge and trying to research as I build the system. Not in a hurry, but need a way to find out what I don't know. This helps a lot. It is what I expected to find out, but didn't know the specifics.