Hello, dear readers! Many people often have a problem: there is no suitable cable to “hook up” the desired device to a computer, smartphone or tablet, especially if they use, for example, mini USB.
In this article you will find information about what to do if a suitable cable/adapter/extension cable is not at hand and how to understand the USB classification.
Now, for some reason, many new ultrabooks and transformable tablets add only 1-2 USB connectors. But think for yourself: connected a mouse, inserted a flash drive or external HDD, and the phone dies and there’s no way to charge it, and you decide - either transfer everything from the flash drive, or fiddle with the touchpad.
In my case, everything was better - 3 connectors, but you know what? The third connector, of course, USB Type-C. And I wanted to connect one ancient camera with mini usb.
In any other case, I would just buy an adapter cable and not bother. But even on AliExpress, where I usually buy cables and adapters, they asked too much for it. So the inner Jewish man in me won, who strives to fix and do everything himself, just so as not to pay extra rubles.
So, picking up a soldering iron... Okay, but what if you don’t have a soldering iron (or are too lazy to bother) but have an extra USB Type-C cable? For example, we have USB C - microUSB, and, accordingly, native USB - mini USB. How to turn them into USB Type-C - mini USB (and, if desired, also get USB - mini USB)?
There is no magic - you just need to barbarically cut the wires - you can right in the middle if you want to end up with two cables. Inside you will see four insulated wires - black, pink, green and white. There are no differences between mini and micro usb in wiring and pinout, so nothing complicated. We remove the insulation, tin, wind, solder if desired, wind back and voila!
The main thing is not to forget about re-insulation - first insulate the wires separately, and then all together. Regular foil and electrical tape are quite suitable for this, but you can also buy heat-shrinkable tubes to fit the diameter of the cable.
Imagine my joy when the old camera managed to charge and dump all its photo masterpieces onto the laptop, while leaving the mouse and hard drive - my inner Jewish man is not so bad, it turns out.
So, we list all the options with which you can solve the problem of not having the necessary cable:
The last option has a right to life. If not on sale the required cable, then it is often easier to buy a plug instead of a whole donor cable. You can always find the necessary pinout on the Internet. In order to restore or charge with a suitable connector, you will have to solder only two wires (red - plus and black - minus).
I would personally advise you: if you are not a professional, do not try to re-solder USB with HDMI, eSATA, 30pin, Lightning and others connectors, because there is a high chance of simply ruining the wires. In this case, it is better to throw off the toad that is strangling you and fork out for a normal wire than to overpay twice.
Many people are often frightened by the incomprehensibility of the names of connectors. This becomes the reason for buying cables in local electronics stores at a huge markup, although you could buy them on AliExpress.
Let's clarify what these numbers and letters on USB cables mean.
M and F are, respectively, Male and Female, “father” and “mother”, “exit” and “input”. Accordingly, any plug by definition is M, and any connector is F. You need an adapter with USB input and microUSB output? Feel free to turn on the F/M filter!
A, B and C - speaking in simple terms, then this is, respectively, “suitable for a computer”, “suitable for peripherals (phone, tablet, printer)” and “universal” (if, of course, the device has one). You may be surprised to see USB B - it is completely different from the usual USB A, which is literally everywhere.
USB B is most often used to connect, for example, old and not very old printers, scanners, faxes, etc. Also, micro- and mini-USB A-types are used almost nowhere, because very rare PCs have such a connector, and micro- and mini-USB B-types have taken over the world of portable electronics.
By the way, in terms of pinouts, micro- and mini-USB A and B differ only in that in the A version the fourth and fifth contacts are connected, and in the B version the fourth contact remains unused. Thus, with the right skill, you can transform them from one to another.
1, 2 and 3 are USB versions. Version 1 is practically not found on sale, 2 and 3 are widespread and fully compatible (with the possible exception of USB B 2 and 3, which are used for peripheral devices).
The main difference between the different versions is the data transfer speed. USB version 3 is equipped with an additional five contacts for faster data transfer, however, when using, for example, a drive that supports USB 3 in a connector that only supports the second version, the additional contacts simply will not be used.
Interesting fact: almost all USB third versions are marked - their internal “gasket” is colored blue instead of the usual white one, which will allow you to quickly determine which connectors you have on your PC and whether your flash drive supports USB 3.0.
Knowing this, it is much easier to save money by buying cables, adapters and plugs in online stores. Router for wireless wifi The connection can easily be converted into a wired one by simply purchasing an Ethernet cable, as we already know, M/M, that is, with two outputs.
Needs to be lengthened USB cable? Feel free to look for a USB F – USB M adapter with the length you need; with a long search, you can find options up to 10 meters! As they say, “let him who seeks find”:
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USB (Universal Side Bus) is a universal serial bus that is used to connect a variety of digital devices to a computer. Now used to connect almost all peripheral devices, for example, scanners, manipulators, etc.
The USB bus appeared in 1995 and since then has gained enormous popularity and become truly universal. The advent of the USB bus made it possible to replace such obsolete interfaces as PS/2, serial port and parallel port. On this moment, these interfaces are used very rarely.
Since 1995, the USB bus has received 3 major updates. Version USB 1.0 came out in early 1996 and could transfer data at speeds of up to 12 Mbit/s, and the maximum cable length was 5 m. Version USB 2.0 came out in the spring of 2000 and received a maximum data transfer speed of 480 Mbit/s. Exactly this version USB buses are now used everywhere. Last update USB bus number 3.0 was released in 2008. The data transfer rate in this version was 5 Gbit/s. Currently, USB 3.0 is being actively implemented by computer manufacturers and is gaining popularity.
The most a new version The USB 3.0 bus has received many innovations compared to USB 2.0. To increase the data transfer speed, we had to add 4 more conductors. Because of this, the USB 3.0 cable has become significantly thicker. The contacts of the new conductors are located in the connector in a separate contact row. The current was also increased from 500 mA to 900 mA. This allows you to supply power to more powerful devices. A distinctive feature of USB 3.0 is the blue connectors. This allows you to accurately distinguish the USB ports of the new version.
What is USB: USB Type A and USB Type B
One of the features of USB is Various types connectors. The first version of USB provided two types of connectors: USB Type A and USB Type B. The USB Type A connector type is intended for installation on the controller side, that is, for installation in a computer. The USB Type B connector is used for installation into a connected device.
Later, connectors for connecting devices with small dimensions appeared: Mini-USB and Micro-USB. These connectors are used in MP3 players and other mobile gadgets.
Just two decades ago, a USB socket was a novelty even for a desktop personal computer. But over time, the usual standard connector turned into a mini, and later a micro one appeared. Today, not a single mobile device can do without this type of interface. It is for this reason that it will not be superfluous to find out what USB and micro-USB ports are, how they are designed and what they are used for.
With the development of computer technology, the problem of prompt transmission of information between devices has become increasingly urgent. Existing serial and parallel port standards could no longer meet the growing needs and were extremely inconvenient to use. The designers were faced with the task of creating universal and, most importantly, easy to use port with high transmission speed. This is what the USB interface - the Universal Serial Bus - is well known to every user today.
The first version of the port - USB 1.0 - did not have a high data transfer speed (1.5 MB/s), but had the properties of versatility and ease of use. The interface was a great fit for working with a wide variety of peripherals and, most importantly, supported hot plugging and plug-and-play. True, the version turned out to be “crude” and worked unstable, so after 2 years another specification was released - USB 1.1. It fixed bugs in USB 1.0 version.
The USB 2.0 protocol retained all the advantages of the previous version and transferred data at speeds of up to 48 MB/s. This version of the specification was already much more useful than its older brother. She could support enough high-speed external drives and ensured the transfer of large amounts of information in a reasonable time. This version is considered the main version to this day - the vast majority of peripherals and mobile devices are produced with the USB 2.0 interface.
The USB 3.0 protocol version, which appeared 10 years ago, has even greater speeds (up to 600 MB/s) throughput and is able to service truly high-speed devices. Like their predecessors, the port is easy to use and has the same architectural structure, which means it allows you to connect external devices“on the fly” (hot pluggable) and independently recognizes them. Currently, the ultra-high-speed USB 3.2 protocol is being developed, which will allow devices to exchange information at speeds of up to 2.5 GB/s.
Along with the development of the specification, new types of USB connectors were also developed. This is due to the fact that similar interface began to supply not only PCs and their peripherals, but also a wide variety of gadgets, including miniature ones. The standard USB connector, originally developed, simply did not fit into the compact housings of mobile devices. Today there are 3 main types of ports:
Most peripheral devices and gadgets are designed for them.
Three main types of USB connectors today
Installed in PCs, laptops and their peripherals - printers, external drives, routers, etc. Universal network adapters have the same sockets.
Standard USB sockets in PC and wall charger
Peripheral devices are equipped with a plug for this type of socket - mice, keyboards, external drives, radio modules, etc. The same plugs can also be seen in adapter cables from one type of connector to another:
USB to micro USB cable
This type of interface was developed for miniature devices that require information transfer - a regular socket simply does not fit in them. This standard did not particularly take root due to rather bulky socket design, but even today there are many gadgets that use this type of connector. To pair with other types, as mentioned above, adapter cables are available.
Player with mini-USB and adapter cord for it
Today, this type of connector is standard for small-sized devices - almost all gadgets are equipped with it - from phones and tablets to players, navigators and cameras. Despite his compactness and apparent flimsiness, the design, when handled properly, is quite strong, reliable and durable. Following this standard, even devices that absolutely do not need to transmit information are equipped with such sockets - flashlights, radios, wireless headphones etc. What does a flashlight need a data transfer interface for? That's right, no use. And the socket in such devices is used to supply external power and charge the built-in batteries.
USB ports in ordinary flashlights serve only to charge batteries.
It’s a little strange to see a “cart with a jet engine,” but, you see, it’s convenient - the same flashlight can be charged using a standard cable from any PC, power bank or charger with the corresponding socket.
Special mention should be made of the micro version 3.0 interface. The sockets and plugs in it are slightly different from connectors 1.0 and 2.0:
USB 3.0 cables - regular, mini and micro
Since interface specifications appeared almost one after another, the problem of compatibility was quite acute and the designers coped with this task perfectly. All three versions of the specification are fully compatible using a bottom-up protocol. That is, users of old interfaces could connect their gadgets with newer developments. In this case, recognition of the slowest device on the network is performed automatically by the ports and does not require any action from the user.
As for the interface (pinout, shape of sockets and plugs), the first and second versions are completely compatible with each other. Version 3.0 is compatible with the previous ones only in the “regular USB” and “mini USB” types. The micro USB connector of the third version cannot be inserted into the sockets of the previous ones, but vice versa - please.
In addition to transmitting information, the ports are capable of powering external devices. For this purpose, in all modifications of the sockets there are two separate contacts (pin). This is convenient for working with external devices that do not have their own power source - flash memory, keyboard, radio modules, etc. This same interface property, as mentioned above, is often used in completely non-computer gadgets.
What’s interesting is that, depending on the task, the interface can either supply or receive power to external devices. If you, for example, connect the tablet to a power bank, the device will begin charging its own battery. Connect a flash drive or mouse to the same tablet, and the direction of the current will change - the gadget will supply power to the peripheral device. But if the user does not need to switch the power direction - all this is done automatically - then it is still necessary to know the load capacity of the ports. How much current can a particular socket produce?
According to the specification, the maximum currents for versions 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 are respectively 500, 500 and 900 mA. However, not all gadgets are able to provide such current, and some can provide more. Everything will depend on specific device and its mode of operation. How to determine whether, for example, a tablet will “pull” an external drive or whether a tablet connected to a PC will charge?
Of course, this information is in the accompanying documentation for every decent device, but you can also use the “poke method”. The USB port is universal and quite “smart”. After connecting the devices, they divide priorities among themselves and figure out what and how much each of them needs.
If the tablet is not able to provide normal current to, say, an external drive, then the peripheral device simply will not turn on. If the PC does not have enough strength to charge an energy-intensive tablet with full current, and the latter does not want to be content with little, then charging will not occur. In any case, you will not be able to burn ports equipped with protection against overload, polarity reversal and short circuit with such experiments.
Theoretically, the interface of the third version Samsung smartphone is designed for a current of 900 mA, but, most likely, the gadget itself cannot output that much
Well, in order for the picture of USB ports to be complete, it is necessary to consider the layout and purpose of the contacts of each type. This information will be useful not only to programmers and DIYers who repair interface cables and replace broken connectors in gadgets, but also to ordinary users who want to know what's what.
Due to the fact that one of the main tasks before the developers was the possibility of compatibility, the pinout and arrangement of contacts of sockets and plugs of all types, with a few exceptions, differ little from one another.
Diagram of the pinout on the USB 1.0, 2.0 plug and socket, where:
When unsoldering cables, each of the connector pins is assigned its own color. This helps avoid confusion during manufacturing and makes repairs easier. The standard colors of wires in a USB cable are as follows:
If you need to connect two devices via USB, but there is no suitable cable, you will have to buy one. But how to choose from all the above variety what you need? The selection criterion is extremely simple - if the cable plugs fit into the device sockets, then you have what you need in your hands. The only thing to remember is that if you use a 2.0 cable to connect devices with 3.0 sockets, then those devices will switch to the 2.0 protocol, but will work great. And one moment. If at least one of the devices does not support the 3.0 protocol, then there is no point in buying a very expensive “three-way” cable - you can get by with the usual one for the second version.
The laptop has version 2.0 sockets, which means that no matter what cable you connect these devices with, they will work using the 2.0 protocol
Well, when buying a cable, ask for an interface cable, not for charging. Some overly smart manufacturers save money and make two-wire USB cables for charging, soldering only the power bus. In appearance, they can be exactly the same as regular interface ones, but they are much cheaper because they do not have wires for transmitting information.
USB(USB, English) Universal Serial Bus- “universal serial bus”) - a serial interface for connecting peripheral devices to computer technology. It has become very widespread and has actually become the main interface for connecting peripherals to household digital equipment.
The interface allows not only to exchange data, but also to provide power to the peripheral device. Network architecture allows you to connect a large number of peripherals even to a device with one USB connector.
The development of USB specifications is carried out within the framework of the international non-profit organization USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), which unites developers and manufacturers of equipment with the USB bus. During the development process, several versions of the specifications were developed. Nevertheless, the developers managed to maintain a high degree of compatibility between equipment of different generations.
There are two types of connectors/slots for USB:
Each type is divided into three groups:
The first version of USB connectors (1.1). Its characteristic feature is a very low speed, at which all information is transmitted with a long delay.
The transfer speed is 12 Mbit/s. Its main purpose is to be used for interconnecting devices.
Second version of USB connectors (2.0).
Characterized by a data transfer rate of 480 Mbit/s. This corresponds to a speed of 48 MB/s.
The bulk of all modern technical instruments and devices are adapted to use this particular version. It is the most popular and well-known, and therefore is still in demand in the electrical goods market.
True, due to many factors, the real speed of this standard does not exceed 30 - 33 MB/s.
Third version of USB (3.0).
This version is characterized by the speed of information transfer - 5
Gbit/s – which is considered a fairly high figure.
This speed corresponds 500
MB/s This is much higher than the speed of the latest generation hard drives (150 - 170 MB/s).
USB 3.0 connectors are (sometimes) specially marked blue for recognition.
The power for which connected devices with USB connectors are designed is 2,5 W and also 4,5 W (for the third version). Based on this, USB connectors all versions require voltage 5 V. Current up to 0,5 Oh, and for the third version - 0.9 A.
Micro USB 3.0.
Modern high-speed external drives, as well as SSD-type drives, are basically all equipped with a connector that is characterized by a high speed of information exchange.
It is impossible to imagine a modern person without electronic devices. Smartphones, tablets, music players and laptops are found in almost every family today. Each of these devices has its own use and therefore each functions in its own unique way. However, there is something that in one form or another unites them all. And this is the presence of USB ports.
One day in 1994, 7 of the world's leading technology companies created a new standard for connecting computer peripherals. This is how the Universal Serial Bus appeared, which for short is called USB.
Today it is truly a universal standard, and it is difficult to find an electronic device that does not have a USB port of one type or another. But how do you know which cable is suitable for it? This guide will help you determine the type of USB connector and select the appropriate plug.
Almost everything modern computers And electronic devices have some form of USB connection and come complete with the appropriate cables. Does it matter which one is used, and what are all these differences for? This is really important for now, but it may change in the future.
In the mid-1990s. The universal bus became an industry standard, which made it possible to streamline the connection of computer peripherals. It has replaced a number of earlier interfaces and is now the most popular connector type in consumer devices.
However, it is still difficult to understand all the varieties of USB.
If the standard was meant to be universal, why are there so many different types? Each of them serves a different purpose, mainly ensuring compatibility when new devices with better specifications are released. Below are the most common types of USB connectors.
Most cables and peripherals (such as keyboards, mice, and joysticks) have a Type A connector. Personal computers, laptops and netbooks usually have several ports of this form. Additionally, many other devices and power adapters use them for data transfer and/or charging. The connector has a flat rectangular shape and is the most recognizable and used. The USB Type-A pinout is as follows:
All versions of USB standards retain the same form factor for Type-A, so they are mutually compatible. However, USB 3.0 connectors have 9 pins instead of 4, which are used to provide faster data transfer speeds. They are located so as not to interfere with the operation of pins of previous versions of the standard.
This is an almost square-shaped connector that is mainly used to connect printers, scanners and other devices with their own power to a computer. Sometimes it can be found on external drives. These days, this type of connector is much less common than Type-A connections.
The connection form in version 3.0 of the standard has been changed, so backward compatibility is not supported, although the new type of ports accepts older modifications of plugs. The reason for this is that Type-B USB 3.0 has 9 pins for faster data transfer, while Powered-B has 11 pins, 2 of which provide additional power.
Again, as with Type-A, physical compatibility different versions does not indicate speed or functionality support.
Before attempting to understand the differences between types A and B, it is necessary to understand the concepts of host, receptor, and port.
The slot located on the front or back of the computer case (host) into which one end of the USB cable is inserted is called a port. An electronic device that needs to be charged or to which data needs to be transferred (such as a smartphone or tablet) is called a receptor.
The most popular USB standard is Type A, which can be seen at the end of almost every USB cable inserted into a host slot today. Most often, Type-A ports are equipped desktop computers, game consoles and media players.
Type B connectors are found at the end of a regular USB cable that connects to a peripheral device, such as a smartphone, printer, or hard drive.
The standard simplifies the installation and replacement of equipment by reducing all communications to serial data transmission over twisted pair cables and identification of the connected device. If you add grounding and power here, you get a simple 4-wire cable, inexpensive and easy to manufacture.
The standard defines the way the peripheral interacts with the host. If you are not using USB On the Go (OTG), which allows you to limit the capabilities of the host, a direct connection is made. The USB device is not able to initiate communication, only the host can do this, so even if you have a cable with the appropriate connectors, the connection will not work without it. Additionally, since wires carry both power and data, connecting two hosts without an intermediary device can be disastrous, causing high currents, short circuits, and even fires.
The connector was standard for mobile devices before the advent of micro-USB. As the name suggests, mini-USB is smaller than normal and is still used in some cameras. The connector has 5 contacts, 1 of which serves as an identifier for OTG support, allowing mobile devices and other peripherals act as a host. Pinout USB Mini next:
This is the current connector standard for mobile and portable devices. It has been adopted by almost every manufacturer except Apple. Its physical dimensions are smaller than Mini-USB, but it supports high data transfer rates (up to 480 Mbps) and OTG capabilities. The shape is easily recognizable thanks to the compact 5-pin design.
The Lightning connector is not a USB standard, but rather an Apple proprietary connection for iPad and iPhone. It is similar to micro USB and is compatible with all Apple devices, made after September 2012. Older models use a different and much larger proprietary connector.
It is a reversible connector that promises faster data transfer and more power than previous types. It is increasingly used as a standard for laptops and even some phones and tablets, and has been approved by Apple for Thunderbolt 3.
Type C is a new solution and promises to be everything to everyone. It is smaller, faster and can receive and transmit much more power than previous versions.
Apple shocked the world when it introduced new MacBook with only one USB-C port. This will likely be the start of a trend.
You can read more about USB-C at the end of this article.
Those of you who have a phone or tablet on Android platform, definitely have a micro USB cable too. Even the most die-hard Apple fans can't avoid them, as they are the most common type of connector used for things like external power blocks, speakers, etc.
Owners of many gadgets may find that these cables become plentiful over time, and since they are usually interchangeable, you may never have to buy them separately unless they get lost or fail all at once.
When shopping for a micro-USB cable, it may be tempting to go for the cheapest option, but as is often the case, this is a bad idea. Poor quality wires and plugs can easily break and become useless. Therefore, it is better to save yourself from future problems by purchasing a quality product from a reputable manufacturer, even if it costs a little more.
Another thing worth mentioning is the cable length. The short ones are great for transport, but they often mean you have to sit on the floor next to an outlet while your phone charges. And on the contrary, too long cable may be difficult to carry, will become tangled, and may potentially cause injury.
0.9m is a good length for a charging cable. It allows you to keep your phone while connected to the battery in your bag or pocket, ideal for playing Pokemon Go or simply using your phone while traveling for long periods of time.
If you frequently charge from third-party USB ports to comply with safety precautions or when the device charges slowly, a special cable that prevents data transfer can solve the problem. An alternative is a network adapter.
Another issue that can be problematic is the fact that the connectors on most USB cables (except USB-C) are not interchangeable and often require several attempts to connect. correct connection. Some manufacturers have attempted to fix this. However, not all devices support this feature.
It is a standard that allows portable and mobile devices to act as hosts.
Let's say you have an external drive, a laptop and a smartphone. What do you need to do to copy files from the disk to your phone? The easiest way is to move them from external storage to a laptop, and from it to a smartphone. USB OTG allows you to connect the drive directly to your phone, thereby bypassing the need for an intermediary.
And that is not all! There are many other ways to use OTG. You can connect any device to your smartphone USB device, be it a flash drive, wireless mouse, keyboard, headphones, card readers, game controllers, etc.
In a connected world, wired connections between various electronic devices play an important role. The demand for them is so high that tens of millions of USB cables are produced every year around the world.
Technologies are constantly evolving and improving, as are the associated peripheral devices. The same update trend holds true for USB connectors, but with so many versions and types of USB standards, it becomes difficult to keep track of which USB is better suitable for performing certain functions. To do this, it is necessary to understand their basic differences.
Various versions USB, such as 2.0 and 3.0, are concerned with the functionality and speed of the USB cable, and their type (such as A or B) mainly refers to the physical design of the connectors and ports.
The USB 1.1 standard (1998) is designed for a throughput of 12 Mbps, a voltage of 2.5 V and a current of 500 mA.
USB 2.0 (2000) is distinguished by the “HI-SPEED” marking on the USB logo. Provides speeds of 480 Mbps at a voltage of 2.5 V and a current of 1.8 A.
Adopted in 2008, USB 3.0 supports 5 Gbps at 5 V and 1.8 A.
USB 3.1, available since 2015, provides speeds of 10 Gbps at 20 V and 5 A.
The latter standard provides higher throughput and is for the most part backward compatible with more earlier versions. Standard-A connectors are identical to previous versions of Type-A, but are usually colored blue to distinguish them. They are fully backwards compatible, but increased speeds are only available if all components are USB 3 compatible. Standard-B and micro versions have additional pins for increased bandwidth and are not compatible with USB 3. previous versions. Older USB Type-B and Micro-B cables and connectors can be used with USB ports 3.0, but the speed will not increase.
The name made headlines in technical magazines around the world when Apple company released 12" Macbook. This is the first laptop to include a Type-C design.
From a physical point of view, the connector is similar to the existing USB Micro-B variant. Its dimensions are 8.4 x 2.6 mm. Thanks to its small form factor, it can easily fit into even the smallest peripherals used today. One of the many advantages of Type-C over other existing solutions is that it allows connections in reverse orientation, meaning the plug will always be inserted correctly on the first try! The connector is designed in such a way that you don't have to worry about it being upside down.
Type-C supports the USB 3.1 standard and provides a maximum speed of 10 Gbps. It also has a significantly higher power output of up to 100W at 20V and 5A. Since laptops typically consume 40-70W, this means Type C easily covers their power requirements. Another functionality offered by USB Type-C is bidirectional power. In other words, you can not only charge your smartphone through a laptop, but also vice versa.
Type-C has received rave reviews from users around the world and has appeared in the popular Chromebook Pixel and Nexus 6P smartphones, as well as the Nokia N1 tablet.
We can confidently say that in the coming years all electronic devices will be equipped with ports of this type. This will make working with them easy and convenient. All you need is a single Type-C cable, which will eventually eliminate the tangled tangle of wires in your desk drawer.
Although the specifications were first published in 2014, the technology only really took off in 2016. Today, it has become a viable replacement not only for older USB standards, but also for others such as Thunderbolt and DisplayPort. The new Type-C audio solution is also a potential replacement for the 3.5mm headset jack. Type C is closely intertwined with other new standards: USB 3.1 provides greater bandwidth and USB Power Delivery - the best food delivery.
USB Type-C is a new tiny connector that's barely the size of a microUSB. It supports various new standards such as USB 3.1 and USB PD.
The usual connector that everyone is familiar with is Type-A. Even after the transition from USB 1.0 to 2.0 and further to modern devices, it remained the same. The connector is just as chunky as before and only connects when oriented correctly (which obviously never works the first time). But as devices got smaller and thinner, massive ports simply weren't suitable anymore. This led to many other forms of USB connectors such as Mini and Micro.
This inconvenient array of connectors of various shapes for devices of all sizes is finally becoming a thing of the past. Type C is the new standard of very small size. It is about a third of the old USB Type-A. This is a single standard that all devices must use, so to connect an external drive to a laptop or charge a smartphone from a charger, you only need one cable. This tiny connector is small enough to fit into an ultra-thin smartphone, but powerful enough to connect all your peripherals. The cable itself has identical Type C connectors on both ends.
Type-C has many advantages. The orientation of the connector doesn't matter, so you no longer have to flip the plug over and over again trying to find the right position. This is a single form of USB connector that everyone should accept, so for various devices no need to have a large number of different USB cables with different plugs. And there won’t be many different ports taking up scarce space on increasingly thin gadgets.
What's more, Type-C connectors can also support multiple protocols using "alternate modes" which allow you to have adapters capable of outputting HDMI, VGA, DisplayPort, or other types of connections from that single connection. A good example This is the Apple Multiport Adapter, which allows you to connect HDMI, VGA, USB Type-A and Type-C. Thus, the many connectors on regular laptops can be reduced to one type of port.
The USB PD specification is also closely intertwined with Type-C. Currently USB connection 2.0 provides up to 2.5 W of power. This is only enough to charge your phone or tablet. The specification, supported by the USB-C standard, provides power supply of up to 100 W. This connection is bidirectional, so the device can both charge and charge through it. In this case, data transmission can occur simultaneously. The port allows you to charge even a laptop, which usually requires up to 60 W.
On Apple MacBook and Chromebook Pixel Google The USB-C connector is used for charging, which allows you to finally do away with all branded power cables. At the same time, it becomes possible to charge laptops from portable batteries, which are usually used to charge smartphones and other electronics. And if you connect the laptop to an external display powered from the mains, then its battery will be charged.
However, please remember that the presence of a Type C connector does not automatically USB support P.D. Therefore, before purchasing devices and cables, you need to make sure that they are compatible with both standards.
USB 3.1 is the latest Universal Serial Bus standard with a theoretical throughput of 10 Gbps, which is twice the data transfer speed of first-generation Thunderbolt and USB 3.0.
But Type-C is not the same as USB 3.1. This is just the shape of the connector, and the technology behind it can be based on standards 2.0 or 3.0. For example, the Nokia N1 tablet uses USB Type C version 2.0. However, these technologies are closely related. When purchasing, you just need to pay attention to the details and make sure that the device or cable you are purchasing supports the USB 3.1 standard.
The physical Type C connector, unlike the basic standard, is not backward compatible. You can't plug older USB devices into today's tiny Type-C port, and you can't plug a USB-C plug into a larger, older port. But this does not mean that you will have to get rid of all the old peripherals. USB 3.1 is still compatible with previous versions, so you only need a physical USB-C adapter. And you can already connect old devices directly to it.
In the near future, many computers will have both Type-C USB connectors and larger Type-A connectors, like the Chromebook Pixel. This way, users will be able to gradually migrate from older devices by connecting new ones to USB Type-C. But even if the computer is manufactured with only Type C ports, adapters and hubs will fill this gap.
Type-C is a worthy upgrade. Although this port has already appeared in laptops and some smartphones, only they this technology not limited. Over time, all types of devices will be equipped with it. One day, the standard could even replace the Lightning connector used in iPhones and iPads. The Apple port doesn't have many advantages over USB Type-C, except that the technology is patented and the company may charge a licensing fee.
