At what speed does USB 3.0 operate?

USB 3.0 operates at a speed of 5 Gb/s, which is commonly referred to as SuperSpeed USB. This standard dramatically increased the data transfer rate compared to its predecessor, USB 2.0, which operates at a maximum speed of 480 Mb/s. The introduction of USB 3.0 was designed to support higher bandwidth requirements, making it suitable for a wide range of devices that require faster data transfer, such as external hard drives and high-definition webcams.

The 5 Gb/s speed is theoretical and represents the maximum achievable under optimal conditions. In practice, actual speeds may be lower due to various factors, including cable quality, device compatibility, and the overhead of data protocols. Nevertheless, USB 3.0 marked a significant advancement in USB technology, allowing users to transfer large files and perform data-intensive tasks more efficiently than before.

The other options represent speeds that are either not aligned with the USB 3.0 specification or belong to later iterations like USB 3.1, which offers speeds up to 10 Gb/s, and USB 3.2, which can achieve even higher rates.