Micro-USB vs. USB Power Delivery
Comparing 2 standards across 8 specifications. 8 key differences identified.
Micro-USB (Micro-B) was the dominant charging and data connector on non-Apple smartphones and small electronics from the late 2000s through the mid-2010s. Its USB 3.0 variant added a second, wider tab beside the standard 5-pin plug for extra SuperSpeed pins -- a design most phone makers skipped, keeping plain USB 2.0 Micro-B nearly universal in practice.
USB Power Delivery (USB PD) is a separate negotiation protocol governing how much power flows over a USB-C cable -- independent of the cable's data speed. Standard Power Range tops out at 100W (20V/5A); PD 3.1's Extended Power Range (2021) raised that ceiling to 240W (48V/5A), requiring cables with a built-in identification chip.
Specification Comparison Table
8 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Pin Count
|
5 (USB 2.0) or 10 (USB 3.0, wider stepped shape) | — |
|
Standard Base Dimensions
|
~6.85 x 1.8 mm | — |
|
Reversible
|
No | — |
|
Status
|
Largely superseded by USB-C | — |
|
PD 1.0
|
— | 2012 -- up to 60W |
|
PD 2.0
|
— | 2013 -- up to 100W (Standard Power Range, 20V/5A) |
|
PD 3.1 (EPR)
|
— | 2021 -- up to 240W (Extended Power Range, 48V/5A) |
|
EPR Cable Requirement
|
— | Built-in E-Marker identification chip |