USB Type-C, which allows you to do anything with a single cable, is the key to choosing a machine!

USB Type-C, which has become commonplace as standard equipment

The USB Type-C terminal, which has become the mainstream in smartphones these days. The wave is beginning to spread to mobile notebook PCs. Unlike conventional USB terminals (Type-A and Micro USB), there are no upper and lower terminals, and the size is as compact as Micro USB. Nevertheless, it is an important interface with functionality that also affects work style reforms. This time, let's introduce how to utilize such a machine equipped with a USB Type-C terminal.

The USB Type-C terminal has no top and bottom, so it can be inserted smoothly.

First, let's take a quick look at USB Type-C. USB Type-C first appeared in 2014. Since it supports USB 3.1 and enables high-speed transfer (10 Gbps), it was expected as a next-generation USB terminal, but although it was adopted in MacBook Pro 2015, the number of products adopted did not grow as expected.

Apart from the data transfer standard, there is a standard for power supply called USB Power Delivary (PD). USB Type-C has specifications that take this standard into consideration, enabling power supply of up to 100W. Since the maximum of 7.5W is the upper limit for the conventional terminal, it is possible to supply a considerably large amount of power.

In 2016, USB PD 3.0, which was standardized only for USB Type-C, appeared, and with the introduction of power rules, the specifications of the charger are expressed in wattage, and you can select the device without worrying about the number of volts and amperage. Will be. In addition, when connected to a USB PD compatible charger, a line for exchanging information is prepared, and it is possible to select power that can be charged quickly, making it possible to shorten the charging time.

The photo shows a slightly older PD-compatible USB Type-C charger, but the wattage is higher than before, so charging time is shortened.

In addition, there is a specification called "alternate mode" that allows signals other than USB to flow, and by using this, it has become possible to output video. However, it is important to note that the specifications of the USB PD and Thunderbolt 3 with the same connector shape are different, so when introducing a compatible display, it is necessary to match the specifications of the machine to be connected.

By incorporating these standards and specifications into a machine equipped with USB Type-C, each function can be used, but it is up to the manufacturer to incorporate them. Therefore, just because a machine is equipped with a USB Type-C terminal does not mean that all the functions are satisfied, and there are cases where only data communication is possible or video output is not possible, so when introducing it, It is necessary to confirm the specifications properly.

In addition, there are various types of cables, such as those that only support data, those that support charging, and those that support video. Especially for charging and video, it is necessary to have a built-in recognition chip, so I want to check it properly when purchasing.

The specifications of these standards have been updated year by year, and now that the specifications have been fixed, USB Type-C-equipped machines and smartphones have finally become widespread.