Please Help With Usb Confusion

System: Microsoft Windows 11 Home

My old laptop is broke & New laptop to be delivered next week. I am confused about the various USB ports on the new laptop, and am unsure on how to connect my backup external hard drives to the new laptop.

Old laptop: The attached picture shows the cable that I use to connect an external hard drive to the old laptop. One end of the cable connects to the drive & the other end is a male USB A connector that plugs into the USB A port on the laptop.

New laptop:
(1) Has 2 USB 3.2 gen 1 ports:
-- Are these ports essentially a newer generation - faster speed - of the USB A specification?
-- Can the male USB A connector from the cable plug into these ports?
-- Will the external drive still function properly with this configuration?

(2) Has 1 USB 3.2 type C port:
-- Am I correct that to connect the male USB A connector from the cable into the type C port, I need a second cable with a USB A female on one end that connects to the old cable & a male type C connector on the other end to connect to the type C port on the new laptop?
-- Will the external drive still function properly with this configuration?

Thank you for your help!!

 

"In theory" when it comes to USB, if the connector fits, the device will work. It will just operate at the speed of the slowest link. So again, "in theory", if your drive uses a USB A connector, it will work just fine in a USB 3.2 gen 1 port.

I emphasize "in theory" because sometimes, those "universal" ports don't always work as expected. That said, I suspect you will not have any problems - assuming the cable itself is not damaged and the drive otherwise works fine now.

In any event, it serves no purpose to worry about it now because there is nothing you can do but "hurry up and wait" for your new computer to arrive.

 

Thank you!!!