In the past two decades, TVs have evolved significantly. They’re slimmer, brighter, more colorful, and now use advanced panel technologies like Mini-LED, OLED, and RGB to deliver an even sharper, richer image. But one area where I’ve always been amazed that TVs are falling behind, despite all the changes happening elsewhere, is port selection.
When you look at the back of most smart TVs today, you’ll often find a mix of HDMI 2.1 and HDMI 2.0 ports, even though HDMI 2.1 is far better and has been around for almost a decade. Ethernet ports are another example. Most TVs still use 10/100 Ethernet, which is capped at 100 Mbps, even though Gigabit Ethernet (up to 1 Gbps) has been around since 1999 and is widely used by PCs, consoles, and even some streaming devices like the Google TV Streamer and Apple TV 4K.
Another big issue, and the one I want to focus on in particular, is USB ports. When you spend hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on a new TV, you’d expect the USB ports to at least be somewhat modern. But on the vast majority of TVs, that simply isn’t the case, and it’s holding your TV back from being much more useful than it could be.
Here’s how the USB ports on TVs are so limiting, what you’re missing out on because of it, and what needs to change.
It’s time for TVs to move on from USB 2.0
USB 2.0 has its uses, but its limitations are too significant
When I bought my LG C5 TV last year, I was amazed to look at the back and find it had only USB 2.0 ports. For a TV I just spent over $1,000 on, and that came out in 2025, I made the mistake of assuming it would have at least one more modern, fast USB port, but I sure learned my lesson.
Don’t get me wrong, USB 2.0 ports do have their uses, but it’s hard not to be limited by how old the format’s specs are. The USB 2.0 standard dates back to 2000 and has a data transmission speed limit of just 480 Mbps, and tops out at just 2.5W of power.
Despite it being much slower and less powerful than more modern standards, like USB 3.0 or USB 4, you can still use the USB 2.0 port on your TV for a bunch of things, like plugging in an external storage device to play local media you have saved, such as old movies or shows, or even for plugging in streaming sticks that don’t consume that much power, such as a Fire TV Stick HD or a Roku Streaming Stick. I’ve even used the USB 2.0 port on my TV to power an Ethernet adapter to get faster Ethernet.
QuizUSB cables and connectors
Trivia challenge
Think you know your USB-A from your USB-C? Put your connector knowledge to the test.
HistoryHardwareStandardsConnectorsSpeed
In what year was the original USB 1.0 standard officially released?
Correct! USB 1.0 was released in January 1996, developed by a consortium of companies including Intel, IBM, and Microsoft. It was designed to standardize the connection of peripherals and replace the messy mix of serial and parallel ports.
Not quite — USB 1.0 launched in January 1996. It was the result of collaboration between tech giants like Intel, IBM, and Microsoft who wanted to create a single, universal connector to replace the tangle of serial, parallel, and PS/2 ports of the era.
What is the maximum theoretical data transfer speed of USB 3.0?
Correct! USB 3.0, also known as SuperSpeed USB, offers a maximum theoretical transfer rate of 5 Gbps. That’s roughly ten times faster than USB 2.0’s 480 Mbps, making it a major leap forward when it launched in 2008.
The correct answer is 5 Gbps. USB 3.0 — branded as SuperSpeed USB — was introduced in 2008 and offered a tenfold speed increase over USB 2.0’s 480 Mbps ceiling. The 10 Gbps figure belongs to the later USB 3.1 Gen 2 standard.
Which USB connector type is reversible, meaning it can be plugged in either way up?
Correct! USB-C features a symmetrical, oval-shaped connector that can be inserted in either orientation. Introduced in 2014, it was one of the most celebrated design improvements in USB history and eliminated the frustration of plugging in the wrong way.
The answer is USB-C. Introduced in 2014, the USB-C connector has a symmetrical oval shape that works whichever way you plug it in. It was a landmark design change after years of users struggling to insert USB-A connectors the right way on the first try.
What was the maximum data transfer speed of USB 2.0, also known as Hi-Speed USB?
Correct! USB 2.0 introduced a maximum theoretical speed of 480 Mbps when it launched in 2000. While real-world speeds were lower, it was a massive improvement over USB 1.1’s 12 Mbps and dominated the market for nearly a decade.
The correct answer is 480 Mbps. USB 2.0, released in 2000, topped out at 480 Mbps — earning the nickname Hi-Speed USB. The 12 Mbps figure actually belongs to USB 1.1’s Full-Speed mode, which predated USB 2.0 by several years.
What color is the plastic insert inside a standard USB 3.0 Type-A port used to distinguish it from USB 2.0?
Correct! USB 3.0 Type-A ports are identified by their distinctive blue plastic insert, making it easy to visually distinguish them from the black or white inserts found in USB 2.0 ports. This color coding became an industry-wide convention.
The answer is blue. USB 3.0 ports use a blue plastic insert as a quick visual indicator of the higher-speed standard. Yellow is sometimes used for charging-only ports that provide power even when a device is off, while red can indicate always-on USB ports on some motherboards.
Which company is widely credited as the primary driving force behind the creation of the original USB standard?
Correct! Intel was the primary architect of USB, with engineer Ajay Bhatt leading the development effort. Bhatt wanted to solve the nightmare of incompatible PC peripherals, and Intel championed the standard through the industry consortium that brought it to life.
The answer is Intel. Engineer Ajay Bhatt at Intel is widely credited as the driving force behind USB’s creation. While companies like IBM, Microsoft, and Compaq were part of the founding consortium, Intel led the charge to develop a universal connector that would simplify PC peripherals for everyone.
Which USB connector type is most commonly found on the device end of older Android smartphone charging cables?
Correct! USB Micro-B was the connector of choice for Android smartphones and many other devices throughout the late 2000s and 2010s. It became so dominant that the EU mandated it as a common charger standard, before USB-C eventually took over that role.
The correct answer is USB Micro-B. That small, trapezoid-shaped connector became the default charging port for Android phones and countless other gadgets throughout the 2010s. Mini-USB preceded it and was common on digital cameras and older devices before Micro-USB took over.
USB4, which is based on the Thunderbolt 3 protocol, can reach a maximum data transfer speed of how much?
Correct! USB4 supports speeds of up to 40 Gbps, matching Thunderbolt 3, on which it is based. Intel contributed the Thunderbolt 3 specification royalty-free to make USB4 possible, and all USB4 connections use the USB-C connector form factor.
The answer is 40 Gbps. USB4 was built on Intel’s Thunderbolt 3 protocol, which Intel donated royalty-free to the USB Implementers Forum. This gave USB4 a maximum theoretical speed of 40 Gbps — double that of USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 — and it exclusively uses the USB-C connector.
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But the big problem is that, because of USB 2.0’s limitations, you’re not getting the capabilities out of your TV’s USB port that you should be. In my experience, USB 2.0 struggles to play large 4K movie files due to its slower data transmission speed, and you also can’t use it to deliver power to stronger streaming sticks, such as the Fire TV Stick 4K Max or Roku Streaming Stick 4K, as the TV can’t deliver enough power to them, and it severely hinders their performance. Even with an Ethernet adapter, I only got around 300 Mbps download speed instead of Gigabit, purely because of USB 2.0’s slower data rate.
The frustrating thing is that, like with the Ethernet and HDMI issue, a solution already exists: faster USB technologies like USB 3.0 and USB 3.1 Gen 2 have been around for ages, and TV makers could easily implement them to hugely upgrade USB capabilities, but they’re simply choosing not to. And if I had to throw out a guess as to why, it likely has to do with their bottom line, as skimping out on USB ports saves TV makers money. Just like it does for them by using slower Ethernet ports and limiting HDMI 2.1 to one or two ports, rather than all of them.
Some TVs have faster USB ports, but not enough have them
USB 3.0 should be the standard for TVs
To be fair, not every smart TV on the market only has USB 2.0, but the number of TVs with better USB ports is extremely limited. One example is the Sony Bravia 3 II, which starts at $600 for the 43-inch model and has one USB 3.0 port alongside one USB 2.0 port. That just goes to show that USB 3.0 is a capability TVs can have, and it doesn’t have to be reserved for expensive models.
USB 3.0 isn’t some new technology, either. It’s been around since 2008 and has a maximum data transfer speed of 5 Gbps, which is about 10 times faster than USB 2.0. While it’s not nearly as fast as newer standards like USB 3.1 Gen 2 at 10 Gbps or USB 4 at up to 40 Gbps, it’s still a huge upgrade over USB 2.0. It’s also probably the USB port you’ve seen on laptops and PCs before, as USB 3.0 ports are often blue on the inside.
The biggest advantage of having USB 3.0 on a smart TV is that it would make it much easier to play large 4K files without lag or stuttering. It would also let you use a USB Ethernet adapter to its full potential and actually take advantage of Gigabit speeds. USB 3.0 can deliver more power, too, with up to 4.5W, meaning it could better handle more power-hungry devices like portable SSDs and 4K streaming sticks.
It’s a shame how far behind the ports on smart TVs have fallen, and I don’t think it’s asking too much for more TVs to come with at least one USB 3.0 port. I’d also love to see USB 3.1 Gen 2, or even USB 4, make its way onto TVs someday. But considering how long TV makers have held out on USB 2.0, I have a feeling it could be a while before we see that happen.
It’s about time USB 3.0 became the standard on smart TVs, and I hope that change comes sooner rather than later.
