One piece of technology that's hard to avoid every day, besides your phone, is a USB port. They're everywhere -- on your laptop, phone, tablet, PlayStation, or even in your car or on your couch. Chances are, while you're reading this, there's a USB port within inches of you. USB ports are common for a good reason: they enable us to charge devices, connect peripherals, or transfer and access data using USB sticks and external hard drives.
A USB port color that recently surprised me when I got a new case for my desktop PC was a yellow USB port. I've seen a blue USB port before, which indicates it supports USB 3.0 speeds -- a feature common on many modern laptops, smartphones, and charging banks. However, I had never seen a yellow USB port before. After doing some research and actually using it, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it's one of the best USB ports I've ever used.
What does a yellow USB port mean?
It makes charging your devices much easier
The meaning of the yellow color-coding on a USB port indicates that it supports Always On and Passive Power Delivery (via Corsair). This means that even if your PC is turned off, the USB port continues to supply power. Therefore, if you want to power or charge a device using a yellow USB port when your computer is turned off, you can do so.
I recently upgraded my PC's case to a Corsair 7000X, and the front I/O panel features four of these yellow USB ports, which I've now found to be super useful for charging all my devices at my desk, such as my SteelSeries wireless headset, my iPhone and even my Kindle. And since I power off my PC every night, my devices still charge since yellow USB ports support Passive Power Delivery.
Some yellow USB ports are USB 2.0, which means they support data transfer speeds of up to 480 Mbps, while others are USB 3.0, supporting speeds of up to 5 Gbps.
However, while yellow USB ports support Always On and Passive Power Delivery, not all of them have the same USB speeds. Some yellow USB ports are USB 2.0, which means they support data transfer speeds of up to 480 Mbps, while others are USB 3.0, supporting speeds of up to 5Gbps.
If you have a device with a yellow USB port, the simplest way to find out its speed is to check your device's spec list or manual, as it should be listed there. For example, when I checked for my Corsair 7000X, I learned that all four yellow USB ports on the front I/O support USB 3.0, which enables a faster 5Gbps speed. This is quite handy, as I often plug my external hard drive into my front I/O, and the faster USB 3.0 speed means I can read and transfer data much faster.
It's worth noting that yellow USB ports aren't alone in their support of Always On and Passive Power Delivery. Orange USB ports also support both of these features, but all orange USB ports are USB 3.0, so you don't have to question the speed, unlike with a yellow USB port. However, orange USB ports are quite rare, and you're more likely to come across a yellow one on a laptop or desktop PC.
What do all the other USB port colors mean?
The two colors you will likely see the most are black and blue
If you're now wondering what the other USB port colors mean, I've got you covered. In total, there are seven common colors: white, black, blue, teal, red, yellow, and orange, with the major differences between them being speed and special features. Here's what each color of USB means:
White: This is a first-generation USB-A port, meaning it supports USB 1.x, with speeds ranging from 1.5Mbps to 12Mbps.
Black: Probably the USB port color you'll see most often on laptops and desktops. They support USB 2.0 Hi-Speed, with speeds up to 480Mbps.
Blue: You've likely seen blue USB ports on your desktop PC, laptop, external storage device, or power bank. They support USB 3.0 SuperSpeed, with speeds up to 5Gbps, a significant increase in speed compared to USB 2.0 and USB 1.x.
Teal: Sometimes you may see a teal or turquoise USB port on the back of your PC. These are less common than blue and indicate that the port supports USB 3.1 Gen 2, which offers speeds up to 10Gbps, twice as fast as USB 3.0.
Red: Red USB ports are less common than blue or black ones and are typically found on higher-end motherboards. They support USB 3.1 Gen 2, with speeds up to 10Gbps or USB 3.2, which can reach speeds of up to 20Gbps.
Yellow: As I mentioned earlier, yellow USB ports can support either USB 2.0 (up to 480Mbps) or USB 3.0 (up to 5Gbps). The special features they have are Always On and Passive Power Delivery, which means they can power or charge a device, even when your PC is turned off.
Orange: Same Always On and Passive Power Delivery features as yellow USB ports, but with guaranteed USB 3.0 speeds (up to 5Gbps).
Only USB-A ports follow this color-coding guide. USB-C ports don't follow this, and the color of a USB-C port doesn't indicate its speed or features. To determine how fast a USB-C port is on one of your devices, refer to its manual or spec list.