Stephen Shankland has been a reporter for CNET since 1998, covering browsers, microprocessors, digital photography, quantum computing, supercomputers, drone delivery and other new technologies.He has a soft spot for standard groups and I/O interfaces.His first big news was about radioactive cat shit.
After some growing pains, USB-C has come a long way.Many laptops and phones come with USB-C ports for data and charging, and a slew of accessories now take advantage of the standard.
Even Apple, which has favored its rival’s Lightning connector for years, is building USB-C into new iPads and will reportedly release a USB-C iPhone in 2023.That’s great, because more USB-C devices means more USB-C charging ports everywhere, so you’re less likely to get stuck with a dead battery at the airport, at the office, or in a friend’s car.
Accessories unlock the potential of USB-C.USB docks and hubs multiply the functionality of a single USB-C port on a laptop.Multi-port chargers are great for people who need to charge a lot of equipment, and the new high-efficiency gallium nitride (aka GaN) electronics make them smaller and lighter.Now USB-C is becoming more and more useful as a video port for connecting external monitors.
We’ve tested a range of products to help you get the most out of USB-C.This is a general list, but you can also check out our picks for the best USB-C chargers and the best USB-C hubs and docking stations.
First, though, a little explanation, as the USB standard can be confusing.USB-C is a physical connection.Oval ports and reversible cables are now common on laptops and Android phones.The main USB standard today is USB 4.0.This controls data connections between devices, such as plugging a backup drive into your PC.USB Power Delivery (USB PD) controls how devices charge together, and has been updated to a powerful 240-watt class.
USB-C is a great replacement for the original rectangular USB-A ports on 1990s PCs for connecting printers and mice.The small trapezoidal port for charging your phone is called USB Micro B.
This little dual port GaN unit is so much better than traditional phone chargers, it stops me being upset that phone makers stop including them.Anker’s Nano Pro 521 is slightly larger, but capable of pumping juice at 37 watts — enough to power my laptop with it most of the time.That’s not as much power as larger laptop chargers provide, but it’s super small enough for my everyday needs.You can toss it in your backpack before going to school or work.
If you’re going into the USB-C future, this charger is great.It does away with the traditional USB-A port entirely, while delivering a lot of power through its four ports.It uses GaN charging technology, allowing designers to shrink the charger to an incredibly compact size compared to a few years ago.This total power is 165 watts.The power cord it comes with is handy, but it makes the package bulkier if you’re traveling.
Thanks to GaN power electronics, Hyper’s small number packs a punch: three USB-C ports and one USB-A port deliver 100 watts of charging power.Its power prongs flip out for more compact storage, making it perfect for travel.Even better, it has a power plug on the side that lets you plug in something else or stack another of Hyper’s chargers on top.
This affordable hub adds a lot of utility to a laptop’s single port.It has three USB-A ports, microSD and SD card slots, a Gigabit Ethernet jack with helpful and unusual activity LEDs, and an HDMI port that supports 30Hz 4K video.Labels on the top of the anodized aluminum housing help you find out where the cables are going faster.Its USB-C port can transfer 100 watts of power from an external charger, or connect to peripherals at 5Gbps.
Fledgling spruce is great for your desk, but great for kitchen countertops where people come and go and just need a quick charge.If the charging speed is moderate, the three USB-C ports are suitable for phones, tablets and laptops.On top is a Qi wireless charger for iPhones and Android phones that flips into a convenient stand.A single USB-A port is useful for AirPods or older iPhones.In short, it’s a great multi-purpose station where people can put their phones down at breakfast or dinner.It’s compact and features GaN technology, but don’t expect top charging rates if you use all the ports.
Finally, USB-C has moved beyond the original limitation of having only one port for hubs.With four USB-C and three USB-A ports, this is your hub if you need to plug in a lot of peripherals like thumb drives or external drives.All ports can charge a phone or tablet, but if you need a higher power level, you’ll need to plug a charger into one of the USB-C ports.Unfortunately, the hub’s USB-C port can’t handle the display.
This 26,800mAh battery pack is just what you need to keep your laptop running when you’re on the go, whether you’re shooting photographers or business people on long flights.It has four USB-C ports, two laptops rated at 100 watts and two low-power ports for phones.An OLED status display can be used to track usage and remaining battery life, all in a sturdy aluminum case.
The combination of USB-C and GaN has been a godsend for car charging.This compact Anker charger has two relatively high-power USB-C ports, enough to power my laptop with 27 watts.That’s more than enough for moderately fast charging.If you have an iPhone, make sure to get a USB-C to Lightning cable.
This clever design snaps into the two USB-C/Thunderbolt ports on the side of the MacBook.The narrow spacer ensures a snug fit, but if you’re far from your MacBook, you can skip it and use the short included cable to plug into any USB-C port.In addition to 5Gbps USB-A and USB-C ports, it has a full-featured Thunderbolt/USB-C port up to 40Gbps, a pop-up Ethernet jack, an SD card slot, an HDMI port, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
If your laptop is running low on SSD space, this hub has a compartment for M.2 SSDs for easy extra storage.It also has a pass-through USB-C charging port, two USB-A ports, and an HDMI video port.SSD is not included.
If you need to plug three 4K monitors into your computer – which some people do, for tasks like programming, monitoring finances and designing buildings – the VisionTek VT7000 will let you do that through a single USB-C port.It also has an Ethernet jack, a 3.5mm audio jack, and two USB-C and two USB-A ports for other peripherals.The laptop’s cable delivers up to a healthy 100 watts of power through the included cable, making it a very versatile docking station.One of the display ports is HDMI-only, but the other two let you plug in HDMI or DisplayPort cables.Note that it comes with a powerful power adapter and you must install drivers for Synaptics’ DisplayLink technology to support all of these monitors.
Long USB-C charging cables are common, but they’re usually only for slower data transfer speeds.Plugable offers the best of both worlds with its 6.6-foot (2-meter) USB-C cable.It’s rated at 40Gbps data transfer speed (enough for dual 4K monitors) and 100 watts of power output.At this length, you’ll pay extra for these features, but sometimes a 1-meter cable won’t get you where you need it.It’s also certified for Intel’s Thunderbolt connectivity technology, where the newer USB data transfer standard is based.
I had a fray issue with Satechi’s earlier cables, but they’ve reinforced the braided housing and connectors for their newer models.They look elegant, feel soft, include a tie to organize the coils, and are rated for 40Gbps data transfer speeds and 100 watts of power.
Amazon’s cheap but sturdy cables do the job.It’s not as soft or durable as high-end options, and it only supports the slow, outdated 480Mbps data transfer speed of USB 2, but if you’re just charging your Nintendo Switch controller, you might not always want to pay extra.
what can I say?This 6-foot braided cable is affordable and looks great in red.My test model worked reliably, charging my iPhone for months on multiple car trips and office use.You can save a few bucks if you only need 3 feet, but 6 feet is great for reaching the outlet when you’re lying in bed scrolling through TikTok until 1am
The Chargerito is a bit larger than the 9-volt battery and is the smallest USB-C charger I’ve found.It even comes with a keychain loop.It plugs into the wall via a flip-out power prong and another flip-out USB-C connector, so you don’t need a power cord.It’s sturdy enough, but don’t put it in a hallway where you or your dog might bump it.
I like this compact Baseus charger because it has two USB-C and two USB-A ports, but what sets it apart is a pair of regular grounded receptacles that can be used for more chargers or other devices.This is great for family trips or trips with gadgets where there may not be enough power outlets.In my charging tests, its USB-C port delivered a healthy 61 watts of power to my laptop.Its built-in power cord is very sturdy, so it’s not quite as small as a charger with flip power prongs, despite its compact GaN power electronics.In my opinion, though, cord length is often very useful.Another bonus: it comes with a USB-C charging cable.
This bulky 512-watt-hour battery has one USB-C port, three USB-A ports, and four conventional power outlets.I’d rather have more USB-C ports and less USB-A, but it’s still very useful, with enough capacity to top up multiple devices.It’s a great idea for an emergency power outage or working on the road, especially if you’re charging your drone battery or using your phone’s battery as a Wi-Fi hotspot.
The USB-C port maxes out at a healthy 56-watt rate.But plugging my Mac’s power adapter into its power plug gave me 90 watts – I would use this method sparingly as it wastes the energy of converting electricity from DC to AC and back.The front status panel lets you monitor its capacity, and the carrying handle makes it more portable.It also has a handy built-in light bar.
To ensure that the Power Station doesn’t run out of power when not in use, be sure to turn on power saving mode.And turn it off to keep the system awake during intermittent work to take time-lapse photos or run CPAP medical equipment.I find it convenient to power digital telescopes.If you’re camping in your car, you can charge it from the car’s 12-volt port.
The USB-C standard emerged in 2015 to address various issues that arose as USB expanded from being plugged into a printer to becoming a universal charging and data port.First, it’s a smaller connector than the old rectangular USB-A port, which means it’s suitable for phones, tablets, and other small devices.Second, it’s reversible, which means no fiddling to make sure the connector is right side up.Third, it has a built-in “alt mode” that expands the capabilities of the USB-C port, so it can handle HDMI and DisplayPort video or Intel’s Thunderbolt data and charging connections.
The versatility of USB-C presents some problems, as not all laptops, phones, cables, and accessories support every possible USB-C feature.Unfortunately, that means you’ll often need to read the fine print to make sure USB-C meets your needs.It’s common for USB-C charging cables to communicate only at the slower USB 2 data transfer speeds, while fast USB 3 or USB 4 cables are shorter and more expensive.Not all USB hubs can handle video signals.Finally, check to see if the USB-C cable can handle the power you need.High-end laptops can draw 100 watts of power, which is the maximum power rating of a USB-C cable, but USB-C is expanding into the 240-watt charging capability of gaming laptops and other power-hungry devices.
Post time: Jun-20-2022