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USB 3.0 can achieve transmission speeds of up to 5 Gigabits per second (or 5 Gbps), whereas USB 3.1 can achieve up to 10 Gbps. However, USB 3.2 has two 10Gbps lanes and is thus capable of achieving 20Gpbs. Technically speaking, neither USB 3.2 nor USB 3.1 by itself can deliver video. Using DisplayLink technology, one can convert and compress video into USB data that goes out to a specially-enabled hub or portable monitor. However, few people today use DisplayLink devices. We then looked at how fast the cable would charge and transfer data, and whether it supported an alternate mode to run a monitor, using real-world hardware.
USB-C is an industry-standard connector for transmitting both data and power on a single cable. The USB-C connector was developed by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), the group of companies that has developed, certified, and shepherded the USB standard over the years. The USB-IF counts more than 700 companies in its membership, among them Apple, Dell, HP, Intel, Microsoft, and Samsung. This broad acceptance by the big dogs is important, because it's part of why USB-C has been so readily accepted by PC manufacturers. Contrast this with the earlier Apple-promoted (and developed) Lightning connector, which had limited acceptance beyond Apple products and is facing obsolescence, thanks in no small part to USB-C. USB-C is so broadly accepted that the European Union, hoping to simplify digital life, will require devices to use it for battery charging starting in 2024. Here’s the interesting part: USB-C connectors are bi-directional. This means that not only can you charge a peripheral device with USB-C cables, but you can also charge your host device using a peripheral when needed.Landing on a single standard to rule them all is an elusive aim in the realm of personal technology. At best, you end up in a format war, and one faction emerges victorious for a few years until an entirely new technology takes it out. VHS ate Betamax, then was ousted by DVD, which faded in the face of Blu-ray, itself now virtually extinct following the rise of online streaming services.
USB-C is electrically compatible with older USB 3.0 ports. But because of the shape of the newer port, adapters or cables with appropriate plugs are indeed required if you want to connect anything that doesn't have the USB-C oval shape. Chris Hoffman is the former Editor-in-Chief of How-To Geek. Chris has personally written over 2,000 articles that have been read more than one billion times---and that's just here at How-To Geek. The Anker Powerline II has a power output of 100W. This feature makes it apt for charging your MacBook Pro, tablet, or your phone with ease. As you can see above, some USB-C ports use the USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 specification, with maximum speeds of 20Gbps. The USB-IF decided on "2x2" because this standard doubles the data lanes within a USB-C cable to achieve the 20Gbps transfer speed. These ports have not been widely available. They will likely go by the wayside in favor of another emerging flavor of USB-C port, supporting USB4, which the USB-IF has announced will eventually support data speeds up to 120Gbps. This awkward collection of differently shaped connectors for different-size devices is finally coming to a close. USB Type-C offers a new connector standard that's very small. It's about a third the size of an old USB Type-A plug. This is a single connector standard that every device should be able to use. You'll just need a single cable, whether you're connecting an external hard drive to your laptop or charging your smartphone from a USB charger. That one tiny connector is small enough to fit into a super-thin mobile device, but also powerful enough to connect all the peripherals you want to your laptop. The cable itself has USB Type-C connectors at both ends---it's all one connector.You’d think you could tell whether a cable is USB-C 2.0 cable by looking at the wires in the connector but that’s not the case. Some cables use connectors with pins that aren’t hooked up to anything.
In addition to his extensive writing experience, Chris has been interviewed as a technology expert on TV news and radio shows. He gave advice on dark web scans on Miami's NBC 6, discussed Windows XP's demise on WGN-TV's Midday News in Chicago, and shared his CES experiences on WJR-AM's Guy Gordon Show in Detroit.Obviously, as a charge cable it’s terrible for data transfer and can’t drive Thunderbolt devices nor your monitor, but as a charging cable it’s excellent. However, the most recent USB 4.0 spec can reach up to 40Gbps and is only available in USB-C form. USB-A vs. USB-C: Which is better? Confused yet? Further complicating matters: The number scheme around USB 3 has been in flux, which has made references to these ports something of a swamp. Until recently, many USB-C ports carried the USB 3.1 label ("USB 3.2" was not yet a thing) in Gen 1 and Gen 2 flavors, and some spec sheets continue to reference the older name, along with SuperSpeed branding. In a confusing twist, the USB-IF decided to eliminate the use of "USB 3.1" in favor of these various flavors of USB 3.2, as outlined below in this handy decoder chart... To reduce confusion, the USB-IF also intends to do away with numbered USB versions in the future, instead encouraging device makers to refer to a port's top speed, as in "USB 20Gbps." We're in favor of that.
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