Farewell USB, hello USB-C

Posted by   Vic Wood
19/10/2017
0
usb -c

    Apple threw a spanner in the works with the announcement of only USB-C ports on their recently released MacBook and MacBook Pro's. Many are dubious about this aggressive move by Apple (...people don’t like change), but the USB-C has a lot to like. While we may question the necessity, it’s quite a step up in improvement. If you're wondering what USB-C is and why they did it?

    Let us break it down for you.


    USB-C is the emerging industry standard for transmitting both data and power. It was developed by the USB implementers forum, a group of tech heavy hitters featuring the likes of Apple, Dell and Microsoft- which explains why its finally beginning to pick up traction and becoming so readily accepted by PC manufacturers, as opposed to the lightning and MagSafe connectors which was limited only to Apple products.

    The first thing to note is that USB-C is not a new USB standard as USB 1.1, USB 2.0, or USB 3.0 was. These were all upgrades in terms of speed and performance. Where USB-C differs is that it is all about the physical connection, much like a microUSB or miniUSB. The crucial difference here though is that unlike the micro and miniUSB, USB-C is aimed at being a replacement for both ends of the cable.

    Aside from the nuisance of swapping over to new technology, USB-C brings a LOT of positives to the table. On a non-tech-spec front, it’s reversible, so you’ll no longer have to flip the connector around looking for the right orientation (yep, we’ve all been there). It’s also a universal connector that all devices will adopt, so you won’t need different cables for the various devices you may own. You’ll also have no more huge ports taking up unnecessary space on your microthin laptop and/or smartphone.

    However, the most useful application of USB-C is the support of Thunderbolt 3. This upgrade brings major features- 40gbps bandwidth, reduced power consumption and the ability to move serious power. A single USB-C port with Thunderbolt 3 means one cable is all you need to transfer huge amounts of information and power large, 4k monitors… Impressive stuff if you ask us.

    USB-C is also electronically compatible with older USB 3.0 ports, which is an added bonus. The only thing from stopping you from using USB 3.0 is the physical port, luckily, there are a magnitude of adaptors available, like (these ones).



    Apple made way with all of their regular ports, replacing them with only USB-C.


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