Type connector. Why does a smartphone need USB Type-C? What is USB Type-C and what are its advantages

In my materials devoted to the choice of -, thin ultra- and other beeches, I no, no, and I mentioned the USB Type-C interface, the presence of which is an undoubted advantage of this or that computer model. It may be a small advantage, incomparable in significance with a video card, etc., but we know who is hidden in the details, and it is these small pluses and minuses that can tilt the choice in one direction or another, influencing the decision on which model prefer and which laptop to buy. So, USB Type-C - what it is, what it is used for, in the sense of how and what it can be used for and whether it is needed at all. Are we figuring it out?

USB Type-C - what's in my name?

I will not repeat the history of the emergence and development of the USB interface. It has become so familiar that even the decision once made by someone to make the connector asymmetrical still infuriates, but not much anymore. The point is that you need to insert a flash drive or cable into a familiar USB socket in a certain position. How often have you been able to connect a device to the connector on the back of the system unit the first time? And from the second? Well, maximum from the third.

True, it should be noted that the connector is reliable, can withstand a large number of connections, and is capable of withstanding (within reasonable limits, of course) mechanical loads. But these qualities also come with a drawback - for compact devices in its original form (Type-A) it is too bulky.

Which exit? To do the same, but smaller, as a result, Mini-USB and Micro-USB appeared. Got better? Yes, but it’s still somehow inconvenient; different devices require different cables or adapters, and even small connectors still need to be inserted in a certain way.

So, Type-C is a new connector standard that has finally (caps up and champagne corks in the ceiling) become symmetrical! Its compactness and versatility allows you to replace the entire existing “zoo” of connector options and, accordingly, cables. At the same time, it was developed for the new specification of the USB standard, which received the number 3.1.

The main characteristics of standards 3.0 and 3.1 are given in the table.

Version	USB 3.0
Max. transfer speed, Gb/s	5	5	10
Max. current, A	0.9	5
Coding	8b/10b	128b/132b
Cable length, m	2-3	1
Resource (number of connections)	1500 (Type-A)	10000

Let’s add that through Type-C you can (given the current of 5 A) charge the device itself, connect an external monitor, peripheral devices, storage devices... It turns out that if the laptop has such a connector, then it will be possible to take advantage of all these benefits?

- Otherwise, you flush the water, and there might be...

- What could be there?

- Anything, understand?

© “Peculiarities of national fishing”

Not certainly in that way. You are guaranteed to get a new compact connector and USB in it. I deliberately do not indicate what version of the protocol there may be, because Type-C is a specification of the connector and what it MAY contain, but what is used in a particular tablet or laptop model depends on the manufacturer of this gadget.

Type-C - possibilities

As has already become, I hope, clear, the new connector is more than just USB, and much more. In, so to speak, a “basic” configuration, it provides USB 3.1 with all the advantages of this new version of the interface.

All other “buns” are alternative Type-C operating modes, which are marked in a certain way on the device’s body. Moreover, changes can lead to both an expansion of the capabilities used and the fact that USB 3.1 can be replaced by 3.0 or even 2.0. Let us present the options that may be encountered at the moment, since the capabilities of this connector are far from being exhausted.

	DisplayPort. Via Type-C you can connect an external display with a maximum resolution of 3840 x 2400 pixels. This possibility should be marked either on the laptop case with a corresponding icon, or indicated in the specification for the device.
	HDMI. It is now possible to connect external devices without adapters, directly using HDMI version 1.4.
	Thunderbolt. Supports Thunderbolt 3 compatibility mode.
	Power Delivery (PD). The specification of a new standard that provides current transmission of up to 100 W in both directions, which allows you to charge a laptop through this port, or, conversely, power an external device connected through it, for example, an external display. On the device body, such a connector is usually marked with PD letters and an icon in the form of a battery, although there may be other options. If there is no PD support, then the maximum output current will be 1.5 or 3 A, depending on the modification.
	Supports USB 3.1 Gen.1 protocol. Supports operating speeds up to 5 Gb/s.
	Supports USB 3.1 Gen.2 protocol. Supports operating speeds up to 10 Gb/s.

What functions are supported by Type-C installed in a particular laptop model are marked on the case or written down in the specifications.

For example, consider the Lenovo Yoga 910 convertible laptop. It is equipped with two Type-C ports, one of which runs on USB 2.0 (by the way, here is an example of the fact that no one promised the mandatory presence of USB 3.1), and the second is 3.0 with DisplayPort support . Moreover, the function of supporting charging mode through this connector is simply marked with an electrical plug icon, without any frills like the “PD” logo, etc. The same applies to support for connecting a monitor. This is clear only from the documentation on the laptop.

Another example is the Asus ZenBook 3 UX390UA ultrabook, which, apart from the audio jack, has only one Type-C installed. But it can do almost everything: a power supply is connected to it, through it you can display an image on an external display, and exchange data with external media at speeds corresponding to the USB 3.1 Gen.1 interface. By the way, pay attention to the connector markings on the case. Everything is clear, clear and understandable.

Prospects

The specification for the next version of USB, 3.2, is currently under active development, while Type-C will be used, and the possibility of working with the PCI Express and Base-T Ethernet protocols is being explored. In general, this connector is the future, although it is not being promoted so actively yet. The reason is the huge number of devices for old connectors; to connect them you will have to buy adapters and hubs.

Conclusion. USB Type-C - what is it, the future ruler of gadgets?

Quite possible. The presence of a single, universal connector is rather a blessing. The ability to connect power, a flash drive, and all sorts of other devices using one connector is tempting. There is only one “but”.

If power is connected through the port, or other devices are powered with its help, and at high powers, then you should pay special attention to the quality of the wires, adapters and hubs used. Low-quality products from Uncle Liao can lead to unpleasant consequences in the form of burned-out devices followed by expensive repairs.

High speeds to you, dear readers, and safe connection!

Mobile device users had a hard time in the 2000s - they were forced to put up with the so-called proprietary. The phones of each manufacturer were equipped with unique charging connectors - as a result, the charger, for example, for Nokia did not work with a Motorola phone. It even got to the point of absurdity - when for two phones from the same manufacturer (Finnish) we had to look for different chargers. The dissatisfaction of users turned out to be so strong that the European Parliament was forced to intervene.

Now the situation is completely different: almost all smartphone manufacturers equip their gadgets with ports for chargers same type. The user no longer has to buy a new charger “in addition” to the phone.

USB cables can be used not only to transfer data from a PC to a gadget, but also to charge a mobile device. Smartphones are capable of replenishing battery “reserves” both from an outlet and from a computer, but in the second case, charging will take significantly longer. A traditional USB cable for an Android or Windows Phone smartphone looks like this:

There is a standard plug at one of its ends USB 2.0 Type-A:

This plug plugs into the USB port on your computer or laptop.

At the other end of the wire there is a plug microUSB.

It is, accordingly, inserted into the micro-USB connector on the mobile device.

Micro-USB 2.0 is now a unified connector: it can be found on smartphones and tablets from almost all mobile device manufacturers (with the exception of Apple). An agreement on interface standardization was signed in 2011 by representatives of 13 leading companies in the mobile market.

The choice fell on Micro-USB for a number of reasons:

• The connector is compact. Its physical dimensions are only 2x7 millimeters - this is about 4 times smaller than USB 2.0 Type-A.
• The plug is durable– especially when compared with the Nokia thin charger.
• The connector is capable of providing high data transfer rates. Theoretically, the transfer speed via Micro-USB when using the 2.0 standard can reach 480 Mbit/s. The actual speed is much lower (10-12 Mbit/s in Full Speed), but this rarely causes inconvenience to users.
• The connector supports the OTG function. We'll tell you more about the benefits this provides later.

Micro-USB could impose competition in the fight for the role of a standard connector Mini-USB. The mini plug looks like this:

This type of USB connector was not suitable as a standard one, and here's why:

• The connector is larger in size– albeit not by much. Its size is 3x7 millimeters.
• The connector is quite fragile– due to the lack of rigid fastenings, it becomes loose very quickly. As a result, transmitting data via cable becomes a real pain for the user.

In the 2000s, a mini-USB connector could be found on smartphones from “second-class” manufacturers - say, Philips And Alcatel. Nowadays you won’t find mobile gadgets with a mini-jack on the market.

In addition to the USB connectors we mentioned (Micro-USB, Mini-USB, USB Type-A), there are others. For example, micro-USB standard 3.0 can be used to connect hard drives to a PC, and USB Type-B(square shape) – for musical instruments (in particular, MIDI keyboards). These connectors are not directly related to mobile technology (except for Galaxy Note 3 c USB 3.0), so we won’t talk about them in more detail.

What types of USB cables are there for smartphones?

Thanks to the inexhaustible imagination of Chinese handicrafts, mobile technology users can buy cables of completely different formations. For example, in the era of proprietaryism, the following “monster” was incredibly popular:

Yes, this charger fits all the main connectors!

Similar “multi-tools” are still on sale, but they have fewer plugs. Here is a 4-in-1 charger, which can be ordered for less than 200 rubles:

This charger is equipped with all modern plugs - Lightning, 30Pin (both for iPhone), microUSB, USB 3.0. Definitely a “must-have” for the user!

There are other interesting options. Here is the cable from OATSBASF For those who hate cables:

This cable allows you to charge two mobile devices from your computer. simultaneously(for example, the 5th iPhone and Android) and has a very tempting price - just over 100 rubles.

In domestic stores and showrooms, the user, of course, will not find such an abundance of different cables as on the pages of catalogs GearBest And AliExpress. In addition, data equipment at retail costs significantly more. For these two reasons, users are recommended to order USB cables from China.

What is the OTG standard?

Surely many have seen such a cable and wondered what it is for:

This is a cable OTG; at one end there is a plug micro-USB, on the second – connector USB 2.0, "Mother". Using such a cable, you can connect a USB flash drive to a smartphone or tablet, but only if the mobile device itself supports the standard OTG.

OTG(short for On-The-Go) is a function designed to quickly connect 2 USB devices to each other, without the mediation of a computer. Connect by OTG You can use not only a flash drive (although this, of course, is the most common case), but also, for example, a computer mouse, keyboard, external hard drive, gaming steering wheel, joystick. You can even connect your smartphone to a printer or MFP to print out a photo taken with the gadget’s camera.

Cables OTG for the iPhone have also already appeared, however, you can only download photos and videos to an Apple device (without jailbreak) from an external storage device - and then only when the root folders on the flash drive and the photos themselves have the “correct” names.

A complete list of smartphones that support the function OTG, no - simply because almost all modern gadgets can boast of having this standard, and the list would be huge. However, a buyer who intends to connect a mouse or flash drive to the device should inquire from a store consultant about support OTG before giving away money - “just in case.”

USB Type-C: what are the advantages?

Transition from micro-USB This is a new trend in the mobile electronics market! Manufacturers are actively mastering the technology and equipping their flagship models with improved connectors for charging and data transfer. USB Type-C waited a long time “in the shadows”: the connector was created back in 2013, but only in 2016 did market leaders pay attention to it.

Looks like USB Type-C So:

What are the advantages? Type-C in front of everyone familiar micro-USB?

• High data transfer speed. Bandwidth Type-C equals 10 Gb/sec (!). But that's just bandwidth.: in reality, only owners of smartphones with the standard can count on such speed USB 3.1- For example, Nexus 6P And 5X. If the gadget uses the standard USB 3.0, the speed will be around 5 Gb/sec; at USB 2.0 Data transfer will be significantly slower.
• Fast charging. The duration of the smartphone charging procedure depends on the potential amount of watts supplied by the connector. USB standard 2.0 capable of serving everything 2.5 W– that’s why charging lasts for hours. Connector USB Type-C provides 100 W– that is, 40 times (!) more. It is curious that current transmission can occur in both directions - both to the host and from it.
• Connector symmetry. If the connector micro-USB there is up and down, then the connector Type-C symmetrical Which side you insert it into the connector does not matter. From this point of view, technology USB Type-C similar to Lightning from Apple.

Dignity Type-C The size of the connector is also small - only 8.4 × 2.6 millimeters. According to this technology criterion micro-USB And USB Type-C similar.

U USB Type-C There are also disadvantages, one of which is more than significant. Due to the unregulated operation of the connector, charging can easily “fry” the mobile device. This probability is not purely theoretical - fires have occurred in practice. It is for this reason that the proliferation of non-original, “makeshift” cables and chargers USB Type-C Type-C and decide to abandon the standard connector. At the same time, Ravencraft admits that, perhaps, complete replacement USB-A will never happen.

Earlier this month, Apple's new guru Tim Cook announced a number of new products, the most interesting of which was an improved version of the MacBook Air. During his talk, Cook focused too much on features and functions that are no longer as unique as Apple would have us believe. So one of the Air's most key and intriguing innovations, a technology with the potential to profoundly change the world of mobile devices over the next few years, has gone largely unnoticed. We're talking about the new USB Type-C connector and the exceptionally wide range of capabilities it offers.

What is USB Type-C?

As the name of the standard suggests, it is an evolutionary refinement of the well-known Universal Serial Bus (USB) format, which is currently one of the most common interfaces in the field of computer peripherals and mobile technologies. Type-C not only provides backward compatibility with previous versions of USB, but also combines them in a new and unique way. So one cable (interface) can transmit data, electricity and even video.

The size of the Type C connector is smaller than the chronologically oldest (and most widespread) Type-A standard, but slightly larger than the microUSB (Type Micro-B) format. Unlike its predecessors, however, the new standard is more universal - the Type-C cable connector can be connected to the port on either side and there are identical plugs on both sides of the cable. At the same time, this limits backward compatibility with existing Type-A and Type-B formats. In other words, you will not be able to connect a Type-A or B cable to a Type-C port and vice versa.

But the Type-C port can be easily configured so that it can perform many different functions. For example, a USB Type-C cable can easily transmit an HDMI or DisplayPort signal, although at the moment this possibility is still purely theoretical.

Type-C? Isn't this USB 3.1?

Definitely not! USB 3.1 is the latest version of the data transfer standard, which (at least in theory) should double peak data transfer speeds from 5 Gbps (USB 3.0) to 10 Gbps. In addition, 3.1 is fully backwards compatible with previous versions of the standard: 3.0 and 2.0.

In this vein, the Type-C module could offer both USB 3.1 and some of the older standards. For example, the USB Type-C Digital AV Multiport adapter, which Apple will offer as an additional accessory for the new MacBook, according to the specification supports “USB 3.1 Gen 1” with a theoretical maximum throughput of 5 Gbps, i.e. almost identical to the USB 3.0 standard. And one of the first devices to support Type-C, which, unlike the MacBook 2015, is already available on the market, the Nokia N1 tablet, uses an even older USB 2.0 for data transfer and charging.

Type-C = USB Power Delivery?

Not again. Power Delivery is part of the latest USB standard specification and is the ability to deliver up to 100W of power to any connected device, although it can also be used to transfer data. For comparison, the currently most popular USB 2.0 standard, which is used in almost all smartphones and tablets, provides up to 2.5 W of power. This is one of the reasons why you can't charge most modern laptops via USB - they require voltage between 20 and 65 W. However, with the new Power Delivery connector, you can not only safely charge your future laptop via USB, but at the same time watch 4K video transmitted to an external monitor connected with the same cable.

So what is the connection between Type-C and USB Power Delivery? Here we are again talking about the theoretical possibility of support. In other words, the Type-C connector can offer USB Power Delivery capabilities if the manufacturer of the corresponding module provides for it. Otherwise, just because you have a Type-C cable doesn't mean it supports Power Delivery as well.

Type-C today? Or rather tomorrow?

Despite its many, beautiful promises, for now the new MacBook is still just a bunch of shiny specs. Unlike Apple, however, a number of companies are already offering devices with Type-C support on the market. The first was Nokia with the aforementioned N1 tablet.

SanDisk recently revealed its first flash drive based on the new standard. However, to ensure backwards compatibility with older USB formats, this 32GB device also includes an additional Type-A connector - a practice that will likely be seen a lot during the transition to the new standard.

As part of the January CES 2015 exhibition, a prototype of a docking station for laptops was demonstrated, which offers a Type-C connector for charging and video output to an external 4K display. And LaCie just recently announced that it intends to offer a series of Type-C external hard drives with capacities of 500 GB, 1 and 2 TB.

Have a great day!

Let's start with the new standard. USB Type-C. designed to unify connectors on many devices from coffee makers, cameras, televisions to smartphones with computers.

Just imagine a world in which one standard reigns. You don’t need to take a bunch of adapters with you on a trip or think about whether your friends have the necessary cable at home when you go to visit them. In a world where USB Type-C reigns, you can always charge your device, anywhere and anytime.

Standardization is perhaps the most important trump card of USB Type-C and almost all users will ultimately experience it. Well, for the fact that the connector can be inserted from either side, special respect to the engineers who developed this standard.

More powerful charging

Charging your phone using a cable from a camera or from a computer is not the coolest thing USB Type-C can do. Initially, the standard specification included the ability to pass a huge amount of energy through the cable, up to 100 watts of power. Of course, such current is not needed in smartphones yet, but it’s still nice to know that such powerful potential is already built into the USB-C standard.

Some manufacturers have already managed to implement their fast charging standards based on Type-C. For example, OnePlus' Dash Charge can deliver up to 5 volts at 4 amps, which equals 20 watts of power. Qualcom's Quick charge 4 also works on the basis of Type-C and produces about 18 watts at peak. It is possible that in the future some graphene supercapacitors will require a current of 100 watts to charge in a couple of minutes, and in this case Type-C will not rust.

Sound output

Based on the Type-C connector, you can implement a huge number of different interfaces, from a basic and banal audio connector to advanced Thunderbolt 3 or pci express. We won’t go far for examples. The market is already full of devices that simply do not have a standard 3.5 mm mini jack. It was successfully replaced by a digital interface based on USB Type-C.

LeEco was one of the first to show the public the advantage of this method of sound transmission. Their CDLA technology allows you to transmit lossless digital Hi-Fi audio and implement the coolest noise reduction systems without additional power.

Video signal transmission via USB Type-C

But smartphone manufacturers have found another interesting use for Type-C. After all, the connector can transmit not only sound, but also video. And at the same time, feed the device with energy. As a result, we saw a number of docking stations that turn the smartphone into a full-fledged system unit.

Microsoft first implemented this idea in its lumia. Later, devices from HP Elite x3 were added to them. They are all very limited in their functionality. Windows in continuum mode does not spoil the user with many possibilities, but still in this mode it is already noticeably more convenient to browse, work with texts and watch videos on YouTube. And just recently it entered the market with a similar station.

To summarize, thoughts come to mind about the future and how cool everything will be when a full transition to USB Type-C does take place. But looking around, I understand that this very future has already arrived. Type-C can be found in the most unexpected places. In consoles, cameras, TVs and cameras, even in some inexpensive laptops. There is just a little time left before the full-scale transition. We can only hope that engineers and manufacturers don’t come up with something new. If you found this article useful, then share it on social networks with your friends. Click on your social media icon below!

Updated: February 8, 2019 by: Gold

Today I will tell you about various USB Type-C cables. And I will try to dispel doubts about their feasibility. The review contains cables from Orico, which are designed to connect your device with a new-fangled connector to a computer or other device with USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports.

The USB type-C connector is just gaining popularity and many people not only haven’t seen it, but also don’t understand what innovations are behind it. On what basis are opinions spread such as “everything will burn out” and “why do I need another connector?”

I will try to tell in my own words. Others can find the specification “USB Type-C Specification Release 1.1.pdf”. .

In the text I use the word “connector” as a general word for the concepts “connector”, “socket”, “connector”, “port”, etc.

Historical information

And now on the fingers. A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, a data transfer specification called “USB” v1.0 was developed. Then USB 1.1 struck back. USB 2.0 has reached the masses. And USB 3.0, although not universal, has successfully settled in various devices. The USB 3.1 standard has made clarifications and amendments. And, most importantly, each standard had a bunch of corresponding connectors. By connector for different types of devices with different purposes and partial backward compatibility - USB type-A, USB micro-A, USB Micro-B SuperSpeed.
It was the accumulated diversity and incomplete compatibility that brought confusion, inconvenience and gave rise to many jokes. So, the new USB type-C standard has become a “new hope”. It doesn't change the data transfer standard (but it does add one). This is a connector standard that combines the advantages of connectors from all previous USB standards and avoids their disadvantages.

Properties of USB type-C

Basic new introductions:
- one connector for everything (for printers, smartphones, flash drives... monitors!)
- mirror connector (no need to guess which way to insert it)
- small dimensions (it is slightly larger than micro USB)
- the connector is very securely fixed in the socket (yay!)
- must withstand up to 10,000 connections
- the connector supports USB 1.0 – USB 3.1 standards
- it invites devices to independently decide who to be master/slave and power source/consumer
- the cable can be passive or active (with electronics inside)

Basic old introductions:
- the standard does not define the length of the wire; it is already defined in data transmission standards
- the connector can withstand up to 5A, but this is described in the BC1.2 and Power Delivery standards

Next, you can talk about DisplayPort integration, audio transmission, and more. And I will try to do this in the following reviews, but for now let’s look at the implementation of three USB Type-C cables with backward compatibility.

Unboxing

And only now let’s look at the received parcel. Got to review

Each of them is packed in a little bag, in a cardboard box and in another little bag. Two of the three boxes were wrinkled during transportation. All cables are exactly 1 meter long and 3 mm thick (except LCU-10-BK, it is 4 mm). The wires are a little stiff and happily return to their old position.

Pinout

What does universality bring to backwards compatibility?
In the USB 2.0 – USB 3.1 standards, the master/slave roles are determined through the shape of the connector.
In the USB Type-C standard, the master/slave roles are determined through a pull-up resistor to ground or power. So connecting just one cable tells the USB Type-C device what to expect at the other end.

Test bench

The stand itself looks like this.


I have already tested various cables on it, so I have something to compare with. The charger is quite powerful and has good output voltage stability. The tester used can load the charger with a specified current and store all measurement data.

The table contains the results of cable measurements at different currents.

* Direct column shows voltages without any cable. The remaining columns need to be compared with Direct and with each other.
* The gray column of ECU10bk shows the result of turning on the USB type-C connector on the other side.
* the remaining gray columns contain data from some cables I have previously measured.

Summary

So far there are very few devices with the new connector and the article is intended for those lucky ones
who are looking for similar “bridges” between generations.

* The USB type-C connector showed itself in all its glory. It is easy to insert, holds tightly and is easily removed. And it has a mirror arrangement of contacts.

* the most popular cable ECU-10-BK (USB type-C to USB type-A) showed good results. It can safely pass about 2A through itself. But yes, it does not live up to its meter-long relatives.

* a slightly specific cable LCU-10-BK (USB type-C to micro USB 3.0) suddenly showed completely identical results with different cable thicknesses and different connectors. It’s even somehow strange.

* I can’t say what happened to the MCU-10-BK cable (USB type-C to micro USB 2.0). Perhaps it's just a marriage.

P.S. There will be a test of speed characteristics, but in another review.

The product was provided for writing a review by the store. The review was published in accordance with clause 18 of the Site Rules.

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