Similarly, USB4 will include USB Power Delivery by default, which can dramatically boost device charging speeds and is inconsistently implemented currently.įor every generation prior to USB4, USB Power Delivery is distinct from the USB protocol, but it has a major impact on device charging with the ability to support 20 volts at 5 amps and a maximum output of 100 watts. What USB4 will also bring is some additional clarity to USB-C as it integrates Intel’s Thunderbolt technology, something that is only occasionally supported at present and should lead to savings on Thunderbolt accessory pricing going forward. We expect to see USB4 products sometime in 2020 and the headline feature is another data transfer speed doubling with up to 40Gbps. We also finally see the same bump on the power front with 5 volts at 3 amps with a maximum output of 15 watts. Predictably that leads to another speed doubling at up to 20Gbps. As the technical name (SuperSpeed USB 20GBps) suggests, this finally takes advantage of the dual-lane high-speed capabilities of USB-C. Only one previous name this time, USB 3.2. This is where USB-A and USB Micro ports top out. Again we don’t get quite the same jump on the charging side, but 5 volts at 1.5 amps yields 7.5 watts or about a two-thirds step up. As the more consumer-friendly name suggests this protocol doubles the speed from its predecessor with a max of 10Gbps. Similar story here on the naming, this was previously known as USB 3.1 and then USB 3.1 Gen 2. Charging doesn’t make as significant a leap, but it does nearly double going up to 5 volts at 0.9 amps for a maximum output of 4.5 watts. Whatever it’s called, it offers a tremendous boost in data speeds from USB 2.0, up to 5Gbps or almost 10 times faster. This is where things get a little confusing as this was originally known as USB 3.0 and then USB 3.1 Gen 1, but in early 2019 the USB-IF announced the new naming convention with the release of the 3.2 protocol. That makes them less than ideal for charging devices like a modern flagship smartphone and virtually useless for charging a laptop. Additionally charging speeds will be slower with 5 volts at 0.5 amps for a maximum output of 2.5 watts. This can cap your data transfer speeds, maxing out at 480Mbps. While not the most common, it does still pop up in some USB-C cables or adapters, typically the USB-A to USB-C variety. This protocol has been around since 2000 and most will associate it with the familiar and still ubiquitous rectangular USB-A ports or the smaller micro USB ports. Here’s a quick overview of those protocols. At present most USB-C devices and cables support at least USB 3.2 Gen 2, but they can fall back to USB 2.0 and will ultimately be able to support USB4 which should arrive in mid- to late 2020. The USB protocol is the crucial piece of information that will let you know what a specific USB-C port or cable can do. Similarly thanks to the up to 40Gbps data transfer speeds possible via USB-C you can plug in an external hard drive to vastly expand your storage and see speeds comparable to your internal drive. That means you don’t need to wedge a massive gaming laptop into your bag if you want to enjoy high-end PC gaming. If you need to boost your laptop’s performance on occasion, a USB-C port that supports Thunderbolt 3 or USB4 will allow you to add an external GPU. An easy example is the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus charging another smartphone. Another useful feature with some USB-C devices is bidirectional charging, which allows one device to charge another. Not only is USB-C able to supply considerably more power than its predecessors, but it can do so while still transferring data at high speeds over the same cable. It was in direct response to devices dropping the traditional headphone jack and offered standardization around an existing port along with new features like hotword detection and support for noise cancellation. While earlier versions suffered from a variety of issues including power drain, USB Audio Device Class 3.0, a specification created by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF in 2016, brought USB-C audio options more in line with the older 3.5mm standard. With the venerable 3.5mm headphone jack rapidly disappearing from smartphones, USB-C can step in as the wired headphone solution for those that aren’t sold on or can’t always rely on Bluetooth options. Using compatible cables and devices, you can expect up to 4K at 60 frames per second to two monitors or 5K at 60fps to a single monitor. You can deliver the image to the monitor, have it function as a USB hub and if the monitor has its own power source it will also power your laptop through a single Thunderbolt 3 USB-C cable, it’s a dream docking situation. One of the places that you can really feel the benefits of USB-C is connecting to a USB-C monitor.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |