What is Mini USB?

Mini USB hit the scene in the early 2000s and works in the same way as regular USB cables. With an anvil-shaped five-pin connector, the Mini USB cable changed the physical form factor, which is half the width of USB-A. It is twice as thick as Micro USB but smaller than USB Type-A and B. It is widely used in among smaller devices, such as MP3 players, cameras.

Types

There are three types of Mini USB: type-A, type-B, and type-AB.

1. Mini-A

• It is superseded by Type-B micro and USB Type-B Mini connectors.
• It allows On-The-Go (OTG) peripheral devices, like tablets and smartphones, to function as host devices for mice and keyboards.

2. Mini-B

• It is Used by USB 1.1 and 2.0.
• It can be found in digital cameras, USB hubs, external hard drives, and other equipment.

3. Mini-AB

• It is made obsolete for USB On-The-Go

Mini USB vs. Micro USB

1. Mini USB

• The size of a Mini USB is approximately 3 x 7 mm.
• It has a 5,000 cycle life.
• It plays the role in transferring or storing data.
• It is less durable and not mobile-friendly.

2. Micro USB

• The Micro USB is smaller than Mini USB, which has an approximate size of 6.85 x 1.8 mm. (Yes, the smallest type of the USB connector!)
• It has a 10,000 cycle life.
• It also can be used as a charger connector.
• It is more durable and mobile-friendly.

Functions

The Mini USB can be applied to various devices and applications.

• It can be used for transferring data between PC and kinds of mobile devices.
• It can connect mobile devices, such as cameras, mobile phones, MP3 players, etc.
• The connection of Mini USB allows data to be read without a computer.

Bottom Line

Though Mini-USB was popular, on new devices as of 2013, it has been replaced by Micro-USB. There are almost no new devices that include the Mini size connector.