While not that common today, you'll still see these on some devices, which are mostly from Sony. Mini-USB: A smaller connector type that was standard for mobile devices a while back. They're not very common these days, as most devices have moved onto a smaller connection. Type-B: An almost-square connector, mostly used for printers and other powered devices that connect to a computer.How to create a USB rescue kit for your PCFor specific details regarding legacy USB connector compliance tests please refer to the USB 2.0 Cable and Connector Class document found here and the USB 3.0. Let's discuss the various iterations of USB so you know what type of connection to expect with what devices. But the universal in its name can be a bit misleading, as there are many different types of USB connectors and a few different standards.
Co-developed by Intel and Apple, Thunderbolt 3 is currently the most advanced USB connection standard available, offering 40Gb/sec maximum connection speeds.What this means for users, aside from faster data transfers, is the ability to do things like connect multiple daisy-chained 4K monitors via a single port, or to connect an external GPU to beef up a laptop's rendering power.Thunderbolt 3 ports are usually designated by a lightning bolt icon next to the port, and are compatible with other USB-C devices, as well as backwards-compatible with earlier Thunderbolt generations via adapters. Technically speaking, it's a USB connection type, like USB Type-A (the classic full-size USB connection) and USB Type-B (the squarer variety commonly found on printers) before it.USB standards are designated by a numerical indicator such as USB 2.0 or USB 3.2, and relate primarily to the maximum data transfer speed they support. However, because most USB-C hardware tends to also use the 10Gb/sec USB 3.2 Gen 2 standard (also known USB 3.1 or USB 3.1 Gen 2), people often mistaken view the two terms as interchangeable.As if the world of USB-C standards wasn't confusing enough, there's also another connection standard that also uses the USB-C connector: the Thunderbolt 3 standard. What is USB-C?USB-C isn't actually a USB standard (which has more to do with data-transfer speeds rather than shape and size of the connector). If you haven't encountered it yet, chances are you soon will. Most USB-C connections will support 10Gb/sec transfers, although older ports may be capped at 5Gb/secAlthough it still lags behind Thunderbolt 3, the latest standard, USB 3.2, promises speeds up to 20Gb/sec. The actual speeds you can reach over USB-C are determined by a number of factors, but mostly by the capability of the hardware you're connecting. USB-C data transfer speedsAs mentioned, a major benefit of USB-C is its transfer speed. This means that it can power all but the most demanding of laptops, while also providing an internet connection and connecting them to external devices like monitors and docking stations. USB-C, however, supports a newer version of the USB Power Delivery specification, which can output at up to 100W. You can plug it in either way with no risk of damage caused by stubbornly trying to force it in the port the wrong way up. How many times have you fumbled while plugging in a USB cable, turned it around to try it the other way, only to realise you had it right the first time? USB-C finally removes this annoyance by being totally reversible. As USB-C becomes more common, you'll only need one type of cable for all your devices - although bear in mind that you may need a more powerful wall adapter to charge larger products.One annoyance with older USB connectors is that they only fit one way around. USB-C is therefore small and discrete, specifically designed to suit all types of devices, from PCs and tablets to cameras and phones (though not the iPhone). You wouldn't want a full-size USB-A socket on your sleek smartphone, for example - it just wouldn't fit. USB-C reversible connectionsOne reason there are so many types of USB connections is that devices now come in so many different shapes and sizes. For example, Dell's D6000 ( 159) will power and charge your laptop, as well as provide outputs to multiple HDMI monitors and connect it to a USB keyboard and mouse, and Gigabit Ethernet. It also means you can use a single USB-C cable to quickly connect your laptop to a docking station. This is particularly useful for slim laptops, where one USB-C port can be used to connect multiple devices. USB-C dockingUSB-C's support for different types of connection protocols (such as HDMI and DisplayPort) removes the need for multiple ports on PCs and other devices. Charlie higson books in orderBear in mind, though, that devices whose ports use older standards will only connect at the maximum speeds those standards support - connecting them to a USB-C device won't make them work any faster. However, since the USB standard is fully backwards compatible, all you need is an adapter to connect a USB-C phone, for example, to a laptop that only has USB-A ports. USB-C backwards compatibilityClearly, you can't plug a USB-C cable into an original (USB-A) socket or vice versa. Although this won't power your laptop, it lets you connect a monitor and provides three USB ports and two memory card readers - all via one USB-C cable. Usb Adapter Types Install A USBAlternatively, you could use an existing USB cable, with an adapter like Ailun's Type C Adapter ( 5.91) to convert the USB-A connection at one end to a USB-C.Upgrade an existing PC: If you want to add full USB-C capability to a desktop PC, you can install a USB-C PCIe card directly into your PC's motherboard. In most cases, a USB-C-to-USB-A cable (such as this one for 6.49) is all you'll need. Here are the three main ways to add USB-C support:Buy an adapter: If you want to connect a USB-C device to a PC/laptop that lacks USB-C ports (or vice versa), you can use a simple adapter. ![]() Last year, for example, Microsoft filed a patent in the US for a type of USB-C connector with a magnetic latch system that should reduce the risk of damage if you forget to disconnect the cable when moving the device it's attached to. Rumour has it that the iPhone 11 may finally ditch Lightning in favour of USB-C.It's also possible that manufacturers will start adding their own features to USB-C. Apple, for example, recently began to include USB-C ports on iPad Pros and MacBooks, but even the latest iPhones still use Apple's Lightning connection instead. Between now and then, USB-C is likely to spread to even more devices. USB 3.2 promises to double the data speeds of older standards and we expect to see USB 3.2 devices emerging on the market next year.
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