Here's a guide to everything USB-C can do, and which of its features you should look for when buying your next USB-C device. USB-C is electrically compatible with older USB 3.0 ports. But because of the shape of the newer port, adapters or cables with appropriate plugs are indeed required if you want to connect anything that doesn't have the USB-C oval shape. We then looked at how fast the cable would charge and transfer data, and whether it supported an alternate mode to run a monitor, using real-world hardware. DisplayPort --- as the name might suggest --- is specifically designed to transmit video signals between your computer and a display of some kind, like a monitor, TV, or projector. Typically, that requires both a DisplayPort port, and a DisplayPort cable, but USB-C changes that. We didn’t test the temperature of each cable’s housing, but we did test the cheapest cable by running it at 5 amps and 20 volts for an hour. The housing heated up by 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and the cable itself became relatively warm (see the thermal image below). Not ideal, but it did this without failure. We subjected other cables to two-hour loads without failure, as well.

In addition to his extensive writing experience, Chris has been interviewed as a technology expert on TV news and radio shows. He gave advice on dark web scans on Miami's NBC 6, discussed Windows XP's demise on WGN-TV's Midday News in Chicago, and shared his CES experiences on WJR-AM's Guy Gordon Show in Detroit. BTW, 10Gbps USB3 introduces a new channel encoding which is more efficient. So while the 5Gbps variant translates to at most ~450MB/s real data (after accounting for channel encoding and protocol overhead), with 10Gbps you get ~1100MB/s. Consequently, Gen1x2 is slower (2x450 = 900MB/s) than Gen2x1 (1100MB/s). But it might work over longer distances. This broad acceptance by the big dogs is important, because it's part of why USB-C has been so readily accepted by PC manufacturers. Contrast this with the earlier Apple-promoted (and developed) Lightning connector, which had limited acceptance beyond Apple products and is facing obsolescence, thanks in no small part to USB-C. USB-C is so broadly accepted that the European Union, hoping to simplify digital life, will require devices to use it for battery charging starting in 2024.If you're using a USB hub, you'll want at least a 5 Gbps connection, because all of the peripherals connected to that hub will be sharing that bandwidth. So, if you have a mouse, a keyboard and a webcam all plugged into the same hub, they will definitely need at least the 5 Gbps that USB 3.2 Gen 1 / USB 3.1 Gen 1 provides. USB 4 has tried to avoid falling into the naming trap. There are only two versions of USB 4: USB 4, and USB 4 v2.0. Regular USB 4 has a maximum transfer rate of 40 gigabits per second, and USB v2.0 has a maximum transfer rate of 80 gigabits per second. Another cable that brings twice the speed and is built to last is the Anker Powerline II. These are USB-IF certified cables and are tested for both their performance and safety. It’s a USB 3.2 Gen 2 cable and bundles the same transfer speed as the one above. But the feature which sets it apart from the rest is its power output. Obviously, you want USB3+ for anything data intensive. Apart from the speed, it has the added advantage that it's full duplex, so data can flow simultaneously in both directions, like on Ethernet networks or PCIe. USB Type-C connectors have been around for a while now and are found on modern Android devices, headphones, and gaming consoles. They’re pretty much the same size as a micro USB connector that you see on mobile devices. How is USB Type-C Better?

To reduce confusion, the USB-IF also intends to do away with numbered USB versions in the future, instead encouraging device makers to refer to a port's top speed, as in "USB 20Gbps." We're in favor of that. Physically, the cable is a flat design with a rubbery outer sheath. The strain relief where the cable connects to the housing is minimal, as well, which makes us question its durability over time. If your device (like a modern Mac) offers Thunderbolt compatibility and you don’t mind splurging a little extra on Thunderbolt-equipped accessories, you should consider investing in a Thunderbolt accessory for top-notch performance. If you’re looking for a high-quality USB-C cable that will give you excellent performance, it’s hard to beat Cable Matters 6-foot USB-C cable. The cable can do it all and do it all well (well, almost) from charging at up to 100 watts, transferring data from your USB 3.1 SSD, or running a monitor. The only area where it doesn’t excel is in Thunderbolt performance, which is limited to 20Gbps. That’s not a ding in our book because that’s the tradeoff of a 6-foot cable. To hit 40Gbps, you’d have to step down to a shorter cable.

USB-C includes support for DisplayPort Alt Mode, which allows USB-C cables to transmit video signals directly between your computer and display via the DisplayPort standard. That means your ultra-thin laptop doesn't need a chunky DisplayPort port, manufacturers can opt for a small USB-C port instead. Starting in 2015, Chris attended the Computer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas for five years running. At CES 2018, he broke the news about Kodak's "KashMiner" Bitcoin mining scheme with a viral tweet. A wave of negative publicity ensued, with coverage on BuzzFeed News, CNBC, the BBC, and TechCrunch. The company's project was later reportedly shut down by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. He enjoys DIY projects, especially if they involve technology. He regularly repairs and repurposes old computers and hardware for whatever new project is at hand. He has designed crossovers for homemade speakers all the way from the basic design to the PCB. However, the most recent USB 4.0 spec can reach up to 40Gbps and is only available in USB-C form. USB-A vs. USB-C: Which is better? USB-C is the emerging standard for charging and transferring data. Right now, it's included in devices like laptops, phones, and tablets and --- given time --- it'll spread to pretty much everything that currently uses the older, larger USB connector. What Is USB Type-C?

You don’t need to worry about USB 3 or USB type C rendering one of your devices with an older standard or type useless. You don’t need to worry about upgrading your USB Type-A or USB Type-B connectors anytime soon. pixelpusher220 said:At least for me this was helpful. Basically all that's important is the Gen 1/2 for the Type A, and only Gen2x2 for the zippy zippy. USB-C (or USB Type-C) is slowly becoming the standard port for consumer devices. Almost every new laptop, tablet or phone has USB-C connectivity. This is because the connection type fixes many of the problems associated with USB-A. It also has many features that surpass its predecessor. USB 2.0 is USB 2.0, and anywhere you see it you can be sure that you'll have a maximum transfer speed of 480 megabits per second.

Na co se zaměřit, vybíráte-li Redukce USB C na USB?

Even though Thunderbolt offered better performance, it didn’t see a lot of traction because of its high price. If you're using a USB Type-C cable and port, the charger / host device could support USB Power Delivery (USB PD), which can go as high as 240 watts in some cases. But the wattage has nothing to do with data speeds as a USB 2.0 port could have power delivery while a USB 3.2 port might not. Video Over USB 3.2 / USB 3.1

Chris was a PCWorld columnist for two years. He founded PCWorld's "World Beyond Windows" column, which covered the latest developments in open-source operating systems like Linux and Chrome OS. Beyond the column, he wrote about everything from Windows to tech travel tips. The presence (or absence) of a USB-C port is increasingly becoming a consideration when buying a PC. If you buy an ultrathin laptop, it will almost certainly have at least one USB-C port, which will catapult you into the ecosystem automatically. If you're more of a lover of desktops, you're certain to find the ports there, too, with at least one on the motherboard-side I/O panel and likely more on high-end and gaming desktops. Some desktops and aftermarket PC cases are putting one on the front panel, too. (Desktop DIY types should know, though, that a USB-C port on a PC case's front or top will require a specific USB-C header connector at the motherboard end, and only late-model motherboards will have these.) I've appeared on CBS News, in USA Today, and at many other outlets to offer analysis on breaking technology news.Like Lightning and MagSafe, the USB-C connector has no up or down orientation. Line up the connector properly, and you never have to flip it over to plug it in; the "right way" is always up. The standard cables also have the same connector on both ends, so you don't have to figure out which end goes where. That has not been the case with all the USB cables we've been using for the past 20 years. Most of the time, you have different connectors at each end. In 2013, USB-IF announced that it was taking USB up to 10 Gbps and, in doing so, changed the version number for all USB 3.x products. So USB 3.0 (5 Gbps) became USB 3.1 Gen 1 and the new, 10 Gbps speed became USB 3.1 Gen 2. Obviously, as a charge cable it’s terrible for data transfer and can’t drive Thunderbolt devices nor your monitor, but as a charging cable it’s excellent.