{
  "id": 18045653,
  "title": "Your desktop's front USB ports may be slowing down every device you plug into them",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/04/your-desktops-front-usb-ports-may-be-slowing-down-every-device-you",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-11-04T00:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Engadget",
    "slug": "engadget",
    "url": "https://www.engadget.com/2304285/desktop-front-usb-port-slowing-down-every-device/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Having USB ports on the front of your desktop can be convenient, but it may also impact the power and speed of every device you plug into them. While the rear USB ports are soldered directly to the motherboard, resulting in a shorter path for power and data, the front ports are connected via extension cables, causing signal loss and slower performance. Many high-end motherboards have multiple front ports, but they often share a single connector, leading to speed and power being divided among all connected devices. Furthermore, manufacturers frequently use slower USB standards for front-panel ports. For example, the ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero motherboard has two 40 Gbps Thunderbolt 4 ports and six 10 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports on the back, while the front panel has one USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gbps) port and four USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) ports. This means the available speed is shared among connected devices, potentially slowing down the transfer of data, especially for high-bandwidth peripherals like external SSDs and capture cards. Macs also face similar limitations, with the current baseline Mac mini featuring 10 Gbps USB-C ports on the front and Thunderbolt 4 ports on the back. While the front ports are generally sufficient for common devices like mice, keyboards, and headphones, they may not provide optimal performance for bandwidth-intensive or latency-sensitive peripherals. To ensure the best results, it is recommended to utilize rear USB ports for such devices and check your computer's specifications to determine the speed of each USB port.",
  "summary": "The front USB ports of your computer are useful, but they often can't compete with the rear ports.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}