When it comes to true specifications, USB-C simply has better data transfer rates, symmetry in its connection to help avoid frustration and broken connections, and the ability to charge large electronics. In addition USB-C allows for greater power transfer speeding up the process of charging your devices.
USB-C using the USB 3.1 spec (some Type-C ports only run at USB 3 speeds) is significantly faster than the fastest USB-A standard and the port is also designed to carry significantly more power so a laptop can connect directly to a monitor, Ethernet, displays, storage, and power supply using just one port.
Type-C ports support reverse insertion, so you can insert either end of the cable. Type-C ports can transmit data at a higher rate. 4K videos can be transmitted via a USB 3.1 Type-C port. Type-C ports support relatively larger charging currents ranging from 3 A to 5 A, and support reverse charging.
USB Type-C Features
Despite the fact that the USB-C standards were initially released in 2014, the technology has only recently become widely used to the point that now they are quickly becoming the most popular data and power interface in the consumer electronics sector.
Techies hailed USB-C as the future of cables when it hit the mainstream market with Apple's single-port MacBook in 2015. It was a huge improvement over the previous generation of USB, allowing for many different types of functionality — charging, connecting to an external display, etc.
In addition to charging, a USB-C cable can be used to transmit video signals from your computer to your monitor or TV; to transfer huge amounts of data at blazing speeds to and from devices like cameras, external drives and other peripherals; and, perhaps best of all, to do many of these things at the same time, so ...
Global trends are leaning toward USB-C as a widely used standard. While most mobile phones, newer computers and gaming devices among other technologies have already adopted USB-C as their choice for power delivery, global legislation will soon make it official.
USB-C™ can transfer data at speeds up to 10Gbps (gigabits per second). Or an entire high definition feature-length movie in just 30 seconds. That's up to 20 times faster than USB 2.0! Not only is it fast, there's so much more power.
The main difference between the USB-C and lightning formats is the list of devices each supports. Lightning cables are only meant to work with Apple devices, whereas USB-C connectors have a universal utility. You can charge your Android phone, video game controllers, laptops, tablets, and more with a single USB-C cord.
In the laptop space, USB-C ports are increasingly more numerous than older USB-A sockets. Although the capabilities (such as charging, display, and audio) of these USB-C ports still vary widely from laptop to laptop. Overall things are better, but USB-C remains a bit of a mess.
USB-C has been designed to carry much more power than the other connection types. For this reason, it can deliver much faster charging speeds. For example, USB-C can charge a smartphone at 18W. It can even charge a laptop at 100W.
Thankfully, USB4 will not only continue to use the small oblong connector that USB-C brought to the party, but requires it. It will work with existing devices, including USB 2.0 ones, although — you guessed it — you'll need the right adapter.
A USB-C connection can charge devices up to 20 times faster than basic USB. USB-C ports support USB Power Delivery, a fast-charging standard that can deliver 100 watts of power to compatible devices. Charging speeds depend on the USB protocol built into the device you're charging.
USB-A is classed as a legacy port, and is slowly being phased out. USB-A is limited to data transfer, while the newer USB-C standard can be used for power delivery and display output too, while also offering faster data transfer speeds. As a result, many new devices no longer support USB-A.
Last month, it announced that most new portable devices (e.g., phones, tablets, headphones, etc.) must use a USB-C charger by 2024, per NPR. All new laptops must do so by 2026.
Why do new iPhones come with USB-C? USB-C ports would allow for faster-charging speeds and quicker data transfers, plus it would bring the iPhone in line with the Mac and iPad models that already use USB-C.
Apple claims that switching to USB C would be a logistical nightmare for its users who would have to flock to the nearest store to replace their now-obsolete lightning cables. Although, it's worth noting that Apple has switched interfaces in the past.
Besides the whole money thing, maybe Apple just wants to be in control of what quality chargers users use in the first place. Adding a USB-C port will mean people might plug any trashy little USB-C cable into its seamless iPhones.
Over the long term, the move to USB-C will be an improvement for iPhone owners. The change will make it possible to charge most recent iPads, Macs and eventually iPhones with a single cable -- which is precisely why the EU made USB-C mandatory in the first place.
However, there are some precautions to be aware of due to its power consumption and some incompatibility with older USB connectors. The major consideration is power: USB Type-C is built around a 3A/20V minimum standard, but high-power 5A/20V cables are available.
Cable compatibility, arguably the most frustrating of USB-C's problems, stems from legacy support for slower devices and the introduction of higher-speed use cases like video data. USB 2.0 features just four-pin connectors for data and power, while 3.0 cables increase this to eight.
The Thunderbolt 3 cable doubles the max data transfer speed of USB-C, running as fast as 40Gbps. While it has a default charging speed of 15 watts (six times faster than USB-C's default speed), if you connect your device with USB PD, you achieve about the same 100 watts of power as USB-C.
Will USB Type-C replace HDMI? Short answer: USB type C cables are quite likely to replace HDMI cables, but HDMI will live on within the USB type C cables. So no, USB type C won't replace HDMI, it will just provide HDMI connectivity in a different physical form. Read on for an explanation….
On the other hand, USB-C connectors were designed to be more powerful than previous USB connectors, and can transfer power and high speed data up to 20 times faster than Micro-USB. USB-C connectors have 24 pins and wires, with 12 on each side.