How do you know which USB cable and charger to use? There are others like you. To help you make the most of your tech, we break down the latest specs.
For decades, the tech industry has been working on standardizing connections between computers and peripherals such as mice, keyboards, scanners, etc. In reality, standardization seems more of a stretch than a possibility when you’re frantically searching out that odd shape required by a specific device.
Data transfer between devices and peripherals is enabled by USB, or Universal Serial Bus, which emerged in the late 1990s. Even if it doesn’t have universal connectivity, it still has staying power. Is that a box of cords? There are probably a lot of early USB devices among them.
It’s time for USB-C. This new USB plug and port is familiar to those with laptops, tablets, or Android phones. Data isn’t the only thing USB-C handles. In addition to delivering power, today’s USB technology is also highly efficient.
Do you think it would be possible to retire those old cords? The situation is improving.
USB Types vs USB Standards
USB plugs and ports are commonly pictured how they look. We should do that, it turns out.
The shape of USB types determines how they are categorized. Is that the familiar rectangle-shaped USB port that has been found on computer backs for decades? The USB-A type is also known as USB-A.
A USB standard, or specification, discusses the underlying technologies of USB, such as its power delivery capability and data transfer speed. There have been multiple revisions between USB 1.0 and USB4, the latest being USB4. USB-PD Revision 3.1 is the latest standard for power delivery.
The USB standard, like USB4, and its variants (like USB-PD), are specific types and standards for every device, cable, plug, and port that uses USB technology.
What Is USB-C?
Adding the universal to USB, USB-C connects any device to the internet. Plugging them in isn’t complicated because they’re symmetrical and oblong. Furthermore, the cables are bidirectional – neither end needs to be connected to a specific device. There is no restriction on the direction of data or current travel.
Despite ease of use, performance is often what drives tech adoption more than ease of use. Data transmission is much faster and more efficient with USB-C than previous USB types, and it supports multiple kinds of data – including non-USB data, such as HDMI.
USB-C will soon force iPhones – and other devices without USB-C – into the USB-C family, at least in Europe. All small- and medium-sized devices will need USB-C charging capabilities by late 2024, according to the European Union (EU) Parliament.
What is USB Power Delivery?
This USB charging specification increases the power delivered to devices by using USB Power Delivery (USB-PD). The USB-PD technology is what is meant by “fast charging.”.
Using the USB-PD standard, devices that are capable of receiving 240 watts can receive power. This is a huge improvement over the previous specification, which topped out at 100 watts.
It is not necessary for a cable to support 240 watts of power just because a charger can deliver that much power. There is nothing wrong with delivering maximum power to whatever is plugged in, but it is important that a system is not simply blasting out maximum power. Laptops need more power than headphones.
A USB Power Delivery device communicates with another before transmitting and receiving power, so it can receive and deliver only the amount of power needed.
USB-C for Power Delivery
Are USB-C cables compatible with USB-PD? Without a doubt. In order to maximize power, USB-PD must be paired with USB-C technology of the latest generation. There are, however, some USB-C cables and ports that cannot support USB-PD.
Are you still confused? It is said that the weakest link in a chain determines its strength.
In the case of USB Implementers Forum, USB’s governing body, new standards are not confiscated from the old ones. Does it still work? Using an older technology, the speed and power of the device will be limited to what it is already able to do.
Therefore, if you purchase the latest USB-PD charger, but do not purchase the latest USB-C cable, you will not receive the charger’s maximum output. You will not be able to charge a device if it cannot handle the maximum output.
Do I Need New Chargers and Cables?
Fast charging is only recommended if you need or want the fastest speed and power, and only if your device can handle it. Before you invest in a USB-PD charger, make sure your device is compatible.
Can USB-C Power Delivery Charge Older Devices?
In fact, yes. In the event that both your device and the charger support USB-C connections, power delivery chargers will charge older devices backwards compatible. It will still only work on older devices that can accept power delivery.
