USB-C is Great! Learn How to Get the Most From It

Here is a fantastic reference article reposted from ComputerWorld on USB-C ports. It gets technical, but it also gives you an idea of how to use this powerful port in really useful ways. Find out what kind of adapters you'll need to make it work with older USB ports, and more. From ComputerWorld.com

...USB-C is now part and parcel of most laptops, phones and tablets made today. Even the latest MacBooks have a USB-C port.

What is USB-C?

USB Type-C, usually referred to as just USB-C, is a relatively new type of connector for delivering data and power to and from computing devices. Because the USB-C plug is symmetrical, it can be inserted either way, eliminating the frustrations of earlier USB ports and putting it on a par with Apple’s reversible Lightning plug. This alone makes it a hit for me, but USB-C is also closely linked to several powerful new technologies, including USB 3.1, Thunderbolt 3, and USB Power Delivery.

Most USB-C ports are built on the USB 3.1 data-transfer standard. The second-generation protocol of USB 3.1 can theoretically deliver data speeds of up to 10Gbps — twice as fast as USB 3.0 and first-gen USB 3.1, which both top out at 5Gbps. (Look for devices that say “USB 3.1 Rev 2,” “USB 3.1 Gen 2,” “SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps” or “SuperSpeed+” to get support for the faster spec.)

And on many laptops and desktops, the USB-C specification also supports Intel’s Thunderbolt 3 data-transfer technology. A USB-C port equipped with Thunderbolt 3 can push data speeds to a theoretical limit of 40Gbps. To show how far we’ve come, that’s four times faster than USB 3.1 and more than 3,000 times faster than the original USB 1 spec of 12Mbps....read more