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usb port c what. What is USB Type-C: history, advantages and disadvantages

Xiaomi has launched USB Type-C noise canceling earphones with the highest sound quality in the Indian market. What is so interesting about them? Let's consider in more detail.

These wired in-ear headphones were specially launched with the Mi Mix 2 in mind, because the smartphone has a USB Type-C port instead of a 3.5mm audio jack.

According to analytics, 32% of Xiaomi mobile phone users prefer USB Type-C earphones.

The body of the headset is made of titanium, which guarantees resistance to scratches and corrosion. The reproducible frequency range is 20-40,000 Hz with a sensitivity of 113 dB. Thanks to the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) function, the headphones are able to suppress external noise.

The headphones are compatible with most Xiaomi smartphones that have a USB Type-C port:

Mi Mix 2,
Mi Mix,
mi 6,
mi 5,
mi 5s,
Mi 5s Plus,
Mi note 2.

However, they are not compatible with Redmi 5X and Redmi Pro.

The headphones are equipped with a micro-mechanical noise reduction module that easily copes with blocking ambient noise. When the mode is turned on, noise with a power of 25 dB is suppressed, with a frequency range from 50 to 2000 Hz.

Mi Noise Canceling USB Type-C Wired Headset is also not compatible with Redmi 4C and Redmi 4S. You will be able to listen to music and active noise canceling will work. But, you will not be able to receive calls or control music using the built-in remote.

The headphone cable is made of environmentally friendly material, which is completely non-toxic. In addition, a digital decoder is installed in the headphones to achieve the best sound.

The cost of the accessory is about $45. In general, for such a price, not bad at all. Good build quality, active noise cancellation, remote control and hardware audio decoding function to improve its sound.

In 2015, Apple released its first gadget equipped with a new and, surprisingly, the only USB Type-C port. , which has only one port, caused a flurry of discontent among the company's fans.

And then they endured, fell in love, and Apple to this day not only very successfully sells the 12-inch line of ultrabooks, but also equipped the MacBook Pro series with USB Type-C, completely abandoning the classic USB 2.0 / 3.0, and indeed any additional ports .

Almost three years have passed since the release of the MacBook, but users still have questions about the operation of the newfangled USB Type-C port. Particularly concerned about the selection of cables and accessories.

In this material, we will deal with all the nuances of the new standard. I will try to present the material so that after reading it there will be no more questions, and everything will become known about the USB Type-C ports in the MacBook and MacBook Pro.

Where did USB-C come from and where the problem crept in

The USB standard itself appeared back in 1994. USB 1.0 was conceived as a universal port for connecting all kinds of equipment to a PC. It began to be actively used only in the 2000s.

USB 2.0. Then it was time for USB 2.0. USB 2.0 cables are strictly oriented and come in two connector types: USB Type-A and USB Type-B. With the growing popularity of mobile devices, two more types of connectors will later appear: USB Micro-B and USB Mini-B.

Data was transmitted over two cables, usually green and white, while black and red were responsible for power.

The maximum transfer rate for USB 2.0 is 480 Mbps. The main disadvantage of the standard is too low currents ( no more than 500 mA), which often caused problems when connecting external drives.

USB 3.0. Determined to eliminate the shortcomings of USB 2.0, engineers are developing a new standard - USB 3.0. "Blue USB" became significantly faster and was able to transfer data at speeds up to 5 Gbps.

Perhaps this was due to the appearance of four additional communication lines, and, as a result, an increase in the maximum current up to 900 mA.

In the fall of 2013, the specifications for the updated USB 3.1 Type-C standard were approved. Since then, life has not been the same.

What is USB Type-C anyway?

Despite the fact that the engineers had already released three iterations of the USB standard, the main question still remained open to them. It was necessary to provide proper nutrition.

A miserable current of 900 mA to feed the same laptop battery for 8-10 thousand mAh is clearly not enough. In addition, more power-demanding accessories began to appear on the market, and the tendency of manufacturers to make devices thinner and more compact forced them to abandon ports such as HDMI, Thunderbolt, classic USB, Ethernet.

Instead of 8-pin USB 3.0, 24-pin USB 3.1 Type C appears. Why are there so many of them? Judge for yourself:

The new USB Type-C specification opened up a number of new possibilities for users at once.

Firstly, USB Type-C has a new USB PD standard, according to which this port and the corresponding cables must be capable of transmitting up to 100 W of current in both directions.

Secondly, impressive data transfer rates. Thunderbolt 3 Alternate Mode can transfer data at speeds up to 40Gbps. Of course, with certain “ifs”, but more on that below.

Thirdly, he can transmit video with a resolution of up to 5K. The speed here is with a margin and the need for HDMI simply disappears.

Finally, USB Type-C is convenient because “no matter how you plug it in,” it will work. It is bilateral. A logical continuation of the Lightning cable, but now not only for Apple devices.

And what then is installed in the MacBook and MacBook Pro?

Before we deal with the choice of cables and USB Type-C accessories, we need to deal with those USB Type-C ports that are installed in MacBooks.

Alas, the USB Promoter Group has screwed up a lot with the USB 3.1 specification, spawning several generations of ports and finally confusing users.

Let's unravel this Gordian knot.

So, here are all the generations of MacBooks and the corresponding USB Type-C ports installed in them.

That is, you should immediately understand that if you have a 12-inch MacBook, you can forget about Thunderbolt 3 support, which means it’s stupid to overpay for support for this specification when choosing a cable.

The MacBook 12″ supports video transmission via HDMI, VGA and DisplayPort (with appropriate adapters), but it will not work with Thunderbolt devices.

With MacBook Pro 2016 and newer, things are a lot more interesting. The 13-inch MacBook Pros until the recent update only had (those on the left) Thunderbolt 3 support.

In 2018, all four ports on TouchBar models are fully capable of transferring data at full speed. The 12-inch MacBook has remained unchanged.

Choosing the right cable for specific tasks

The choice of USB Type-C cable directly depends on the task that you are pursuing. This specification is very broad and has certain limitations.

1. For charging

USB Type-C supports charging power up to 100W. Macbooks come with an appropriate charging cable with a built-in controller that limits the maximum charging power.

The 12-inch MacBook comes with a cable with a maximum charging power of up to 61W. With MacBook Pro 13 and 15 inches 87W respectively.

And this means only one thing: if you connect a 61-watt cable to an 87-watt charger and try to charge a MacBook Pro 15 "", say, 2018, then charging will take place at a power of 61 watts. That is one and a half times slower.

This is true for other certified charging cable manufacturers as well.

Is it possible connect macbook to high power charger? Can. Instead of the bundled 29W power supply, you can power it with a 15-inch MacBook Pro 87W charger. This is not scary, but there will be no miracle and the MacBook will not charge faster.

And yes, it's not bad. MacBook will take exactly as much as it can. By the way, the story is the same with the iPad.

To finally solve the issues with charging and get a cable "for all occasions", you can opt for the original 2-meter USB-C cable for 1,490 rubles.

2. For video signal transmission like HDMI

You decide to connect an external monitor or TV to your MacBook or MacBook Pro. Let's figure out what to use to transfer a video stream in conjunction with USB Type-C.

First and foremost, determine which input port your external monitor or TV is equipped with.

For HDMI. There is a universal option that will not only add a standard USB 2.0 / 3.0 port and HDMI to MacBooks, but will also duplicate USB Type-C. It costs 5,490 rubles.

For VGA. A similar, but more archaic solution for VGA for the same 5,490 rubles.

For Thunderbolt 3. There are already several models of Thunderbolt 3 displays on the market (12-inch MacBooks are passing by). 0.8 meters of such a cable will cost 3,190 rubles.

The same option can be used for charging (up to 100 W). Having overpaid 2 thousand rubles and bought this cable instead of a USB Type-C charging cable, you will get a truly universal cord that supports data transfer at speeds up to 40 Gb / s.

Important. Don't go for length. Two-meter and half-meter cables with Thunderbolt 3 support are two different things.

But, here it is necessary to bring some clarity.

3. For connecting USB 2.0/USB 3.0 devices

Perhaps the only case when there are no problems with adapters. The same standard USB Type-C -> USB adapter for 1,490 rubles. capable of delivering up to 5 Gbps.

That's what the USB Type-C port on the 12-inch MacBook family is designed for.

4. For maximum data rate (5K and 4K 60Hz)

40 Gb / s - as much as possible to transfer USB Type-C gen 2 with Thunderbolt 3 support. But this is under ideal conditions.

To ensure this speed, the cable length must not exceed 18 inches or 45 centimeters. Otherwise, the speed drops sharply.

But even here everything is not so clear. Thunderbolt 3 cords fall into two categories: passive And active. And you should pay attention to this if speed is important to you.

The first, with a length of two meters, transmit data at half the speed, that is, at the level of 20 Gb / s, or even less.

Active ones have a special transmitter that controls the transmission rate along the entire length of the cable. These laces maintain speed.

USB Type-C is not only an improvement to the charging port of the device, but also a great opportunity to replace the 3.5 mm jack.
What is USB Type-C? What is this format? Now we will understand this using the example of the Promate Unihub-C universal device.

Read also:Failed to request a USB descriptor for a Windows 8/10 device - what should I do?

Let's start with a little theory. Today, this format is a connector actively promoted on the market for connecting to peripherals and recharging devices.

It can be not only smartphones, but also some laptop models. The main difference from other formats is symmetrical plug. It is versatile and works regardless of connection side.

Development and certification were carried out by the USB Implementers Forum group of companies.

This group includes the largest electronics manufacturers such as Microsoft, Dell, HP, Intel and Samsung.

Many manufacturers supported the innovation, and are already actively begin to implement it in their new developments.

USB Type-C is the latest, but already merged into a number of standard formats, which is becoming more and more relevant.

In terms of physical appearance, such a connector differs from the standard designs of the MicroUSB and MiniUSB formats, as more technological modifications.

The specification for the new format is based on 24-pin USB device connectors.

We list the new characteristics of the modified format:

number of signal outputs - 24;
supported USB format - USB 3.1;
implementation mode of third-party interfaces is now supported alternatively;
increased data transfer rate to a maximum of 10 Gbps;
input current consumption is also increased, the maximum volume is 100 W;
standard dimensions - 8.34x2.56 mm.

Previous USB types

Read also:

Prior to the creation of USB 3.1 supporting USB Type-C, earlier versions were used. It all started with USB 1.0, but it did not enter the device market due to inferior development.

It has been replaced by a newer and more current version - USB 1.1. She became the first standard version, which all users quickly got used to.

The data transfer rate was only 12 Mbps, and the maximum current consumption was 100 mA.

Read also:TOP 12 Best USB flash drives for all occasions: for music, movies and data backup

After it, they created the USB 2.0 version. It was introduced at the beginning of the first quarter of 2000. In it were increased main parameters.

Thus, the transmission speed increased to 480 Mbps. The maximum current consumption is also increased - 1.8A by 2.5V.

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USB 3.0 was introduced to the public at the end of 2008 and immediately won the trust of users, as it brought improvements much more than expected.

For a visual difference from other versions, it was made blue. The data transfer speed has increased a lot e - as much as 5 Gb / s, but the current consumption has not increased much - 5V by 1.8A.

Read also:How to remove write protection from a usb flash drive - Solving basic problems

The latest version is USB 3.1. It was developed and released to the device markets in 2013. She's got the most improvement to date.

The updated version featured the highest data transfer rate - up to 10 Gb / s, and power consumption increased to 100V.

Comparison of characteristics of USB types

Types of connectors

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It is unlikely that many users remember such a connector as USB Type-A. Nevertheless, this connector is still used in the PC.

At the beginning of its existence, such a connector was very popular, and the appearance of USB almost did not differ from modern plugs.

The USB Type-B Mini connector was more popular. More often, it is used in modern mobile devices, cameras and other devices.

With it, devices can be easily connected to a PC for data transfer. However, only the physical form was changed, and the standard remained the same - USB 2.0.

In order to somehow make the dimensions of smartphones and other mobile devices minimal, the format was optimized to Type-B Micro.

This connector format is used in 99% of smartphones and tablets based on . Even the very first smartphones have this connector.

The next step was to optimize USB to version 3.0, which, as we have already said, has been applied significant improvements to speed up the work.

Devices using USB Type-C

Devices that support this format appear in large numbers.

In the future, it is planned to transfer all Android devices to this format. This will speed up the charging process of the device and the speed of data transfer between the device and the PC.

Google has announced that now their branded devices will have connectors of this format.

Thus, it turns out that the devices of this company will no longer be so easy to charge or connect to a PC, because the Type-C format has not yet been fully formed on the market.

You can buy a USB adapter cable only as a bundle with the device itself, since it is not so easy to find it separately yet.

Not all stores, which are most often within walking distance from us, are able to purchase such peripherals for sale.

It all comes from this - peripheral wires with a Type-C connector can be purchased so far only in specialized stores, and only if they are available.

However, there are companies that are already launched the release of USB hubs with Type-C support. For example, the Promate device is uniHub-C .

Such a device has several outputs at once - USB 3.1 Type-C with a charging port, two USB 3.0 ports and a 4K HDMI port.

Key Features

Allows you to charge your MacBook while being connected to USB 3.0 and HDMI devices
An HDMI adapter allows you to connect a computer or laptop via USB 3.0 to a TV or any device that supports 4K resolution.
USB 3.0 connection in any direction.
The hub is able to work with the latest generation of computers and smart devices that support USB Type-C ports.
USB voltage - 5V, 900mA, data transfer rate - 5Gbps, support for Windows 10/8/7 / Vista / XP, Mac OS X 10.2 (and higher)

At the beginning of its journey, the USB port was designed to combine all other interfaces into one, its unchanged logo even hinted at this, but time goes by and the universal port itself has grown to many poorly compatible versions, which has brought even more chaos to the relationship of certain gadgets. And finally, He appeared on the horizon. The great and terrible USB Type C. Knowledgeable people greeted him with almost applause, and ordinary users just shrugged their shoulders. You can meet this indifference even today, they say, yes, symmetrical, yes, it’s easier to connect, so what? In fact, the difference is huge, and if you are still wondering which is better - Type C or microUSB, you are here.

Type C is more practical

This compact port has declared itself as a new network standard and its appearance is quite consistent with such a high status. A symmetrical, 24-pin port can now be found on flagship and mid-range smartphones, laptops, docking stations, routers, and a huge amount of other equipment. It does not take up much space on the case and, yes, it is more convenient to connect it. And now you don’t have to carry with you a certain number of blocks from different equipment.
Backward compatibility is also important. The Type-C port allows you to use any technology from the most ancient to the most modern without any special restrictions.
A couple of years ago, the issue of finding adapters and compatible flash drives was acute, but today there are a dime a dozen of them on the market.

Data transfer rate - up to 10 Gb / s

In this regard, Type C is a big stepping stone for the future, because it offers users data transfer rates of up to 10 Gb / s. Modern smartphones, of course, do not need this, but in the future it may well come in handy.
Here, by the way, we must immediately put an end to the confusion. The first Type C installed on a smartphone (by the way, it was Nokia N1) only supported the 2.0 protocol, while later devices could have both 3.0 and 3.1 with the corresponding data transfer rates. This limitation is imposed by the manufacturer with an eye to modern realities and will continue to increase.

Charging - up to 100W of power

Fast charging is already rampant across the planet. They are developed by different manufacturers and they work according to different principles, but the essence is the same - to increase power and thus reduce the charging time of the gadget. If you read our last text, you noticed that in modern fast charging technologies, the numbers do not even come close to the indicated one. However, in the future, this transcendental, at first glance, power will be used. You may have come across this technology on the Web under the name USB Power Delivery. It is what many see as the future standard for fast charging.
Moreover, the Type C port can not only charge, but also charge other devices, which obviously will not fail to be used by third-party manufacturers in their developments.

Alternate Modes

If up to this point we have been talking exclusively about proprietary developments, now it's time to look at related technologies. Type C will also allow you to connect to monitors with DisplayPort, MHL and HDMI.
Thunderbolt 3 cannot be ignored, which guarantees data and video transfer at high speeds. Through this interface, you can daisy-chain up to 6 peripheral devices (for example, monitors). It's hard to imagine a situation where this is really necessary.

Sound transmission - audiophile quality

If we evaluated all the above modes in the context of a reserve for the future, then this is what even ordinary users are already facing today. We are talking about the massive replacement of the audio jack with a Type C port. Separated ports, in this case, have only one (but very serious) advantage: you can use headphones even when the smartphone is charging. But on all other points, the analog jack is inferior to the digital USB-C. In the latter case, the sound quality will be higher, noise reduction and echo cancellation will be better implemented. Equally significant is the ability to transfer part of the tasks (and related equipment) to the headset, which will also help to avoid unnecessary noise and expand the capabilities of the headset in terms of control. The other side of the coin is that headphones will obviously become more expensive than modern simple “whistles” or, in other words, “whistles” will simply die out as a species.
And in the future, according to the developers, more cool things are waiting for us. For example, the ability to monitor body temperature during sports using headphones.

Docking stations

It was the versatility of the USB Type C port that made it possible to use docking stations for smartphones. Connecting to the dock makes it possible to get almost a full-fledged desktop PC from a smartphone. Not a gaming level, of course, but it will definitely pull on a multimedia one, since the power of mobile processors is more than enough for this. There are currently two devices on the market with this functionality. These are the HP Elite x3, which we did a great review of, and the Samsung Galaxy S8, S8+ and Note8 models with their DeX Station. Given the speed with which Type C is spreading, I would like to hope that analogues will appear from other manufacturers.

As we see, a miniature Type-C port is not only charging, as many people think, but also a sea of other possibilities. It is for the versatility of USB-C that they appreciate it. But the sea of \u200b\u200bthese undeniable advantages crosses out one fat minus. The capabilities of the port will always be limited by the host device and it is not possible to externally recognize these limitations. That is, Type C always looks the same, and to find out exactly what it will “be able to” on a particular device, you will have to look for detailed specifications. Moreover, the difficulties here will be not only with the presence / absence of alternative modes, but also with the speeds involved. Moreover, the compatibility of two devices can be “killed” by using the wrong cable. Such a sickly game of attentiveness turns out. The only thing that pleases, these restrictions the further, the more they will be leveled with the development of technology.

The USB Type-C port is the successor to the original micro USB port and can be found in smartphones in 2017, as well as power banks, headphones and other devices today. Galagram tells why the new Type-C is better than the usual micro USB, as well as what bonuses the owners of equipment with the new port standard get.

3 Key Benefits of USB Type-C

It charges gadgets faster

The USB Implementers Forum, which is the industry association behind the development of the port, worked on the bugs in their micro USB creation and created USB Type-C with better specifications. Chargers with the new port are faster and typically charge smartphones at 15W. This is five times faster than most chargers using the old port. And most importantly - it does not create an extra load on your battery.

Charging in both directions

Both ends of the cable not only look the same, they can also do the same things on both sides, which means you can tell which direction the current is flowing. In some cases, this leads to funny results when your smartphone starts to charge the power bank.

If you have a lot of battery left, you can help a friend by charging his smartphone with just a Type-C cable. To do this, connect both smartphones with such a cable and direct the current in the right direction, that's all!

Transferring data from smartphone to smartphone

You just need to open the file explorer on the device where you want to take the files. This is a pre-installed app on smartphones from many manufacturers, but otherwise you can just find it in the settings.

How USB Type-C works

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is a standard that defines cable, connectors, and digital communication. Its first version appeared in 1998 and replaced the PC interfaces that were popular at the time. The USB Type-C connector appeared in 2014. It has more pins than its predecessor and they are arranged symmetrically. As a result, it doesn't matter which way you insert the cable - it's double-sided and works the same way.

This is a 24 pin bidirectional port.

There are many differences between connectors and USB versions. They have different electrical characteristics, power ratings and data rates. USB A and B connectors only have 4 pins, while USB 3.1 Type-C has 24 pins (standard pinout) which are needed to support higher currents and faster data transfer. In addition, the USB 3.1 standard increases data transfer rates up to 10 Gb/s, and it also has innovative ways to charge devices.

The Type-C port specification requires the connector to withstand 100,000 connections per connector without showing signs of wear. If you connect the port two or three times a day, for example, the cable should last more than 12 years. To meet these requirements and work with increased power flow, USB-C cables are usually made thicker than the classic micro USB cable.

What is Type-C for?

Many Android smartphones still have a micro USB port. In most cases, devices are charged through it from a voltage of 5V and a current of 2A. Faster charging speeds can only be achieved outside the USB specification: Qualcomm Quick Charge, OnePlus Dash Charge, Oppo Vooc, and Samsung Adaptive Fast Charge are manufacturer standards that only work on certain brand devices.

Transfers more power than micro USB

The Type-C port delivers up to 100W of power using an open, free, conventional power system limited only by cable, power supply, or charging target. To minimize heat buildup and wear and tear on electronic components, Type-C compliant devices constantly match voltage and current to each other. To recognize them, look for the USB logo on the charger, which was adopted in August 2016.

Can transmit HDMI and audio signals

Type-C connectors can replace many other cables. The certification process for many signals and protocols has already been completed. These include VGA, DVI, or HDMI, where the Type-C port mimics a display port, including protocol conversion. Of course, this requires the appropriate hardware and software on the device, but this is up to the manufacturers of the equipment.

Xiaomi and LeEco are getting rid of the 3.5mm port in favor of Type-C