# USB question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-question/486708>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 20, 2009, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-question/486708 "2009-02-20T13:27:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Joe\_Mahma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@Joe\_Mahma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Mahma)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-question/486708/1 "2009-02-20T13:27:14Z")

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Does USB 2.0 require a different cable than 1.0?

Thanks in advance for any help.

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**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-question/486708/2 "2009-02-20T13:59:04Z")

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I’ve never had any issues using the same cables for both.

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**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-question/486708/3 "2009-02-20T19:14:36Z")

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In theory USB 2 requires somewhat better quality and, in theory, cables need to be certified to be 2.0 but in practice most cables will work. I suppose if you use low quality cable with an extension then you might start to notice something. I suppose everything manufactired lately is USB 2. I bought a bunch of “USB 1” cables on ebay for close to nothing and they have worked fine.