One of the first things you should know is that USB 3.0 and up ports have 9 pins and have a transfer rate of 5 Gbit/s; So a quick visual check can tell you the differences of the port. You can also identify the physical ports on your computer, which will either be blue or marked with a “SS” (SuperSpeed) logo.
Keep in mind that; even though many computers identify USB 3.0 with blue ports, some newer PC’s typically don’t. Mac computers rarely ever do.
So if you don't want to be down there counting pins or color matching there is a simpler way to get this info.
On a windows Pc
Right-click the Windows icon (bottom left) and select Device Manager.
2. In the Device Manager window, select Universal Serial Bus controllers.
3. Locate the USB port by its type (e.g. 3.0, 3.1). If there are no 3.0 or above ports, your computer is not USB 3 enabled.
On a mac
1. Click the Apple icon (top left) and select About This Mac.
2. Within the About This Mac window, click System Report.
(optional) For OS X 10.9 or below, click More Info….
3. In the System Information window, click Hardware and select USB.
4. Locate the USB port by its type (e.g. 3.0, 3.1). If there are no 3.0 or above ports, your computer is not USB 3 enabled.
Now, what about a USB C Port; is that 3.0?
While not technically a USB 3 port, the USB-C connector supports USB versions 3.1 and 3.2 and can connect to USB 3 ports with the correct cable or adapter. So if your device requires a UBS 3.0 a USB C port should work just fine.
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