USB-C Cables, Adapters, and Hubs
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USB-C is the latest high-speed connection standard for PCs, laptops, peripherals, and mobile devices.
What is the difference between USB and USB-C?
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is a standard for physically connecting two devices, and transmitting both power and data over a single cable. USB-C is the latest iteration of the USB standard, with a new connector (that can be reversed for easier use), higher power-handling capacity, and much faster data throughput.
How Does USB-C differ from other USB types?
When looking at “types” of USB, the usual consideration is the connector. For decades, USB-A has been the standard on the PC side and when connecting peripherals such as thumb drives and external USB drives. In terms of connecting or charging smaller devices such as headphones, power banks and digital cameras, a micro USB connector was typically used.
USB-C is beginning to replace both of these standard connector types. The small, oval, USB-C connector saves space, just like micro USB. But USB-C has the advantage of being reversible—it doesn’t matter which way you insert the connector into a USB-C port.
There are also numeric standards for USB that relate to maximum data speed. USB 3.0 and USB 3.1 are sometimes referred to as “super speed USB” and they support data speeds of 5Gbps and 10Gbps, respectively. It’s a little confusing, because both USB Type-A and USB Type-C can support either of those standards. However, only USB-C is able to support the latest high-speed data standards (USB 3.2, and Thunderbolt 3). With speeds of 20Gbps and 40Gbps, compatible USB-C ports can transmit data so fast they can be used to connect displays for 4K video output.
Finally, the USB-C standard supports transmission of greater power than older USB standards did. This has led to laptops and tablets that use a USB-C port to charge instead of having to use a proprietary charger. The devices can use that same USB-C port (when not being used for charging) to connect accessories and peripherals.
To determine exactly what a USB-C (or USB-A) port is capable of in terms of maximum data or power capacity, you need to know which standards it supports. That information will be in the computer’s specs. You also need a cable that’s rated to support the same same standard.
What is the difference between USB-C adapters, and USB-C hubs?
A USB-C adapter allows a USB-C cable to connect to a different standard such as the USB-A port on an external hard drive. USB-C hubs are connected to the USB-C port on a computer, and then offer a variety of ports for peripherals to connect to—typically multiple USB-A, USB-C and HDMI. The hub effectively expands the PC’s built-in ports.
What types of USB-C adapters can be found at Best Buy?
The adoption of USB-C ports on laptops (many of which only offer USB-C to keep their form factor as slim as possible) means a high demand for USB-C adapters to connect to legacy accessories and peripherals—including computer monitors. Best Buy carries a full range of USB-C adapters so you can use that USB-C port on your laptop to connect to USB Type-A, Ethernet, HDMI, Display Port, VGA, and more.