Why are internal USB 3.0 connectors always so large?

[Kevin_Walter]

 

There just doesn't seem to be any logic to it. Other connectors aren't this large. It looks more like something you would plug into your wall than an internal motherboard header.

 

In other news... why the hell aren't the system power and led cables standardized yet!? 2015 and I still have to plug in each individual little plug with my big fat fingers!

 

:unsure:

[cragger89]

Because USB 3 ports have more pins, so the connections will take up more room.

 

There is the logic.

[slightlyjaded]

USB 3.0 not only carries more bandwidth, but way, way more power....more power, more wires.....MAWH!!!!!!!!

[Kevin_Walter]

Because USB 3 ports have more pins, so the connections will take up more room.

 

There is the logic.

 

It's not valid logic though. Not for the giant plastic plug they use for them.

[You_are_a_cunt]

It's not valid logic though. Not for the giant plastic plug they use for them.

so you don't have to connect individual wires into the plug. And because of the raisins.

[79 Potatoes]

It's not valid logic though. Not for the giant plastic plug they use for them.

Each port has 9 Pins, headers are made to give 2 ports, so 18 Pins + 1 for keying (so you don't plug it wrongly)

[cragger89]

It's not valid logic though. Not for the giant plastic plug they use for them.

 

WTF? It's 1 plug which is easy to plug in instead of several smaller ones and it has MORE pins.

 

Don't be so butt hurt over something which is better than another problem you're bitching about in the same post

[79 Potatoes]

WTF? It's 1 plug which is easy to plug in instead of several smaller ones and it has MORE pins.

 

Don't be so butt hurt over something which is better than another problem you're bitching about in the same post

It was insane to plug pin by pin in 2.0 imagine in 3.0...

[slightlyjaded]

WTF? It's 1 plug which is easy to plug in instead of several smaller ones and it has MORE pins.

 

Don't be so butt hurt over something which is better than another problem you're bitching about in the same post

Why Is ESATA red? It ruins my blue on sliver look for my rear I/O........(grin)

[cragger89]

Why Is ESATA red? It ruins my blue on sliver look for my rear I/O........(grin)

 

DAMN MAN

[Kevin_Walter]

so you don't have to connect individual wires into the plug. And because of the raisins.

 

 

Each port has 9 Pins, headers are made to give 2 ports, so 18 Pins + 1 for keying (so you don't plug it wrongly)

 

 

WTF? It's 1 plug which is easy to plug in instead of several smaller ones and it has MORE pins.

 

Don't be so butt hurt over something which is better than another problem you're bitching about in the same post

 

 

You're all missing the point. It's not about why there are 18 pins or why the connector itself is so large. The point is that the giant molded plastic housing for the plug is ridiculously large.

 

Compare.

 

 

[Blebekblebek]

have you ever seen LPT Port jack?

[cragger89]

You're all missing the point. It's not about why there are 18 pins or why the connector itself is so large. The point is that the giant molded plastic housing for the plug is ridiculously large.

 

Compare.

 

 

 

You're missing the point I made on: don't be so butt hurt.

What are you wishing you could do with the space if it wasn't taken up by the required plastic moulding?

[Kevin_Walter]

You're missing the point I made on: don't be so butt hurt.

What are you wishing you could do with the space if it wasn't taken up by the required plastic moulding?

 

You're seriously going to ask that question on a forum filled with people who are anal about cable management?

 

"butthurt"

 

Go back to youtube, dude.

[iPhoenix]

You're all missing the point. It's not about why there are 18 pins or why the connector itself is so large. The point is that the giant molded plastic housing for the plug is ridiculously large.

 

Compare.

It's a matter of standard.  Likely the connector is "overbuilt" for the current signaling so that USB 3.2 and beyond can use the same one without violating future compatability. 

 

It is quite the pain, but I've noticed the good manufacturers create right-angled internal USB 3 headers which can alleviate routing issues.  

 

That being said, there are often "out of spec" versions - similar to the way how intel bundles super flexible thin SATA cables that are technically not within spec. 

[Kevin_Walter]

It's a matter of standard.  Likely the connector is "overbuilt" for the current signaling so that USB 3.2 and beyond can use the same one without violating future compatability. 

 

It is quite the pain, but I've noticed the good manufacturers create right-angled internal USB 3 headers which can alleviate routing issues.  

 

That being said, there are often "out of spec" versions - similar to the way how intel bundles super flexible thin SATA cables that are technically not within spec. 

 

Yeah? You know of any extensions maybe? I did a quick search yesterday but all I saw were normal USB extensions. Nothing for the internal plugs. Admittedly didn't search very hard though.

[iPhoenix]

Yeah? You know of any extensions maybe? I did a quick search yesterday but all I saw were normal USB extensions. Nothing for the internal plugs. Admittedly didn't search very hard though.

I've not seen any that do away with the "bulk" of the connector - there are extensions, but they're just as bulky and hard to bend into nice easy runs.  

 

Based on how new the connector is to the mainstream, expect to see newer connectors trickle down soon.  Don't forget that nobody had a complaint about the USB 2.0 header so there was kind of no market for this before - even SATA cables took a LOOOOOOOoooong time to get the "out of spec" thin cables (10+ years).  Engineering these cables so that they don't instantly fail and fry your board/device is no easy feat and when people expect to pay <$5 for these types of cables, nobody's willing to invest for marginal returns. 

[cragger89]

You're seriously going to ask that question on a forum filled with people who are anal about cable management?

 

"butthurt"

 

Go back to youtube, dude.

 

HAHAHA.

[flibberdipper]

At least your USB 3 cable has flat cables. Mine has round ones the size of a dildo.

[ManWithBeard1990]

Each port has 9 Pins, headers are made to give 2 ports, so 18 Pins + 1 for keying (so you don't plug it wrongly)

A connector that carries two identical signals shouldn't be keyed. Who cares if the motherboard knows which USB port is which?

[Stefan1024]

They are using the standart 2.54 mm pitch. It is wide spread and very cheap.

And it was normalized a looooong tine ago. There in so simple way to chang it.

[79 Potatoes]

A connector that carries two identical signals shouldn't be keyed. Who cares if the motherboard knows which USB port is which?

If you rotate the connector 180 it'd connect things like some data pin with power input

[ManWithBeard1990]

If you rotate the connector 180 it'd connect things like some data pin with power input

It shouldn't. That's a hallmark of poor engineering in my book. It should just switch around which ports the mobo thinks are the left and right ones.

[79 Potatoes]

It shouldn't. That's a hallmark of poor engineering in my book. It should just switch around which ports the mobo thinks are the left and right ones.

Sadly the header isn't designed to be reversed (even though it'd be pretty simple by just moving some pins)

why? I don't really know...

[ManWithBeard1990]

Sadly the header isn't designed to be reversed (even though it'd be pretty simple by just moving some pins)

why? I don't really know...

Exactly.