USB-C has truly become the universal port to rule all of them but it isn’t a clear-cut victory yet. additionally to Thunderbolt 3 and 4, which is like USB-C but isn’t, implementations of USB-C features can vary from device to device.
Things might get a touch more confusing once a replacement USB-C specification comes out that quite doubles USB-C Power Delivery’s supported output from 100W to 240W. USB technology has really come an extended when if we’re now counting power output at 240W. Initially designed only for data transfers, even the older USBs became good conduits for powering peripherals and even charging phones.
With USB-C, the doors were opened for powering even some laptops and this addition to the spec will let it power even hungrier ones. The USB Implementers Forum or USB-IF industry group that oversees the event of USB standards just announced what it calls the Extended Power Range option. With this update, USB-C can theoretically support power levels of up to 240 watts, tons quite the 100W max it’s today.
This is often a critical update as there are tons more devices and peripherals today that require quite just 100W to figure. In theory, this suggests that one USB-C cable are often wont to power up and connect some gaming laptops, printers, and even power-hungry monitors. it’s going to even be used eventually to power appliances that don’t transcend that 240W level.
Of course, the USB-C spec also covers data speeds and upcoming updates also will take the technology to subsequent level therein aspect. In practice, expect this EPR to be a multitude initially. Implementations even with USB-C Power Delivery (PD) at 100W or below are inconsistent across cables and chargers even today. The USB-IF will naturally require proper labels on such products but, as history tells us, that doesn’t always add consumers’ favor.