I just bought a new iMac and got the wired keyboard with a USB port on either side. The USB ports on the back of the iMac itself are USB 3.0, but I wonder if the hub ports on the keyboard are USB 3 or just 2? It occured to me that they may have just continued to manufacture the keyboards the same as before and not updated the USB ports in them. Does anyone know?
iMac (27-inch, Late 2012)
from the Apple store online: iMac 27"
About the Apple Keyboard with Numeric Keypad
The wired Apple Keyboard with Numeric Keypad offers an extended layout that includes document navigation controls - page up, page down, home and end - and full-sized arrow keys for playing games and scrolling through documents. Its numeric keypad is perfect for spreadsheets and financial applications. And two USB 2.0 ports let you connect your mouse, as well as a high-speed peripheral such as a digital camera or printer.
Yes, USB 3 is backward compatible, which means I can use old USB 2 devices with my USB 3 ports. I might also be able to plug a USB 3 device into a USB 2 port and it will work, but at USB 2 speeds.
I would like to be able to plug USB 3 devices into the keyboard and get USB 3 speeds. That's what I'm unsure of. The keyboard may only be 2.0, in which case I've just cut my speed by about 90% by plugging into the keyboard insteadf of plugging directly into the back of the iMac.
Generally keyboard ports do not have enough power to support much more than maybe a flashdrive or card reader.
If you have a portable USB 3.0 device or two. You would do better using a 3.0 Hub or leaving a single USB cable plugged into the back of the iMac to connect those devices into.
USB 3 claims that it is backwards compatable with USB 2.
Allan
Hopefully the new Mac Pro to be released soon will come with a wired extended keyboard with built-in USB 3 hub.
USB ports on the latest keyboards — USB 3 or just USB 2?
