Author：Jake | TIME：September 30,2019 1260
Now that you are here, I guess that you might be coming across any, if not all of below cases:
It takes a long time to fully charge your smartphone, tablet, or laptop.
You have different devices that use different types of USB connectors, e.g., iPhone 7(USB A) and Macbook Air 2018(USB C).
You need a solution to charge your mobile phone and laptop at the same time with one charger.
The original PD charger for your iPad Pro is broken, and you need a new iPad charger.
You are just trying to figure out what USB C is as we write in the title.
Despite of the reason you are landing on this page, I suppose that in your daily life or at work, you are often cofronted with many confusing terms like USB A, Micro USB, Mini USB, and USB 3.0. And trust me, you are not the only person feeling at sea.
Actually, for most of you, knowing where to buy the right charger is enough because the seller usually make it rather clear that what their products are capable of. But be aware of cases that their wording is just for catching eyeballs.
Rest assured! In the following parts, we will try to cover everything you may need.
Before rolling to the question of ‘what is USB C’, it’s better and necessary to understand the differences between the existing USB versions.
Most of you should probably know that USB is short for Universal Serial Bus, but some of you might not have a clear understanding of USB version.
USB version is the overall standard that defines the maximum speed of the connection, the maximum power and maybe more. The UBS version could be applied to any connector of any shape, as long as the devices are connected up in the right way. Currently, there are four main USB versions: USB 1.1, USB 2.0, USB 3.0, and USB 3.1.
USB 1.0 is the first version of USB, yet it has never really been targeted to the market. USB 1.1 is strictly the first standard that really in use. This version could deliver data at 12Mbps and reach a maximum current of 100mA.
Released in April 2000, USB 2.0 is upgraded to deliver data up to 480Mbps, with power draw up to 1.8A at 2.5V.
The third version of USB was a big breakthrough with new connector types. USB 3.0 is also sometimes called USB 3.1 Gen 1. This version allows for a maximum of 5Gbps transmission rate, and a maximum power current draw of 5V at 1.8A.
USB 3.1 is the lastest and greatest USB version ever since its release in July 2013. This superspeed+ USB version can transmit data at 10Gbps, twice of that of USB 3.0. And it provides more powerful current draw options: 2A over 5V, 5A over 12V(60W) or 20V(100). This is why the new MacBook can juice power simply using its USB connection, without a power charger.
Tips:
In general, USB 3.1 is backwards compatible with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0. Yet there are occasions when it does not work:
USB-B 3.1 cables are not compatible with USB-B 2.0 ports.
Bus-powered USB devices that requires more power than what USB 2.0 can provide are not compatible with USB 2.0.
Devices that require USB 3.1 transfer speeds of 10Gbps might not work with USB 3.0 or USB 2.0(or might get lower transfer speeds and poor performance).
USB-C ports or cables will not work with USB-A or USB-B ports or cables, unless you apply an adapter.
The male connector on the cable or flash drive is typically called the plug. The female connector on the device, computer, or extension cable is typically called the receptacle.
Among these types, USB C is the most buzzword these days. Yeah, this is the latest type of USB connector. So what is USB C? Take it easy, we will explain to you different types of USB connectors.
Type-A is the classic original USB plug designed with chunky rectangular shape. Even till now, it still remains the standard plug for use at the host end of the USB cable. Though the fundamental design of the plug has remained the same, USB-A has been improved to stay compatible with different USB versions. For example, it has been added more pins to reach the transfer rate of USB 3.0.
You might have heard of Mini Type-A and Micro Type-A, but you can hardly see these types of USB connectors nowadays because they were too complicated with different types of USB sockets and were abandoned.
The original type B plug is an odd tall plug with the sloping top corners that can be found on printers. This was extended for the USB 3.0 standard to include an extra bump for some new connections. While there are Type-A to Type-A USB cables for some uses, the other end of a USB cable is typically a Type-B connector.
And USB Type B has various variations, for example, Mini USB and Micro USB. These variations of USB B cater to the need of using small plugs at the end device, and they have been widely used.
Also known as USB-C, it is an industry-standard connector for delivering data and power to and from computing devices. The USB Type C is developed to completely replace all types of USB on both host and client devices.
A featured difference and breakthough of Type C is that it’s reversible, which means it works no matter which direction you plug, without USB superposition.
USB-C is built on the latest USB 3.1 standard, which ensures the connection type to make use of the new power and speed advantages of USB 3.1. Besides, USB-C is also backwards compatible with existing USB variants, with the help of adapters.
Now you should have a better understanding of these USB versions and connectors. From above explaintion, we know that USB-C is the dominant connection type for now and in the future. More and more brands and manufacturers apply this connector to their devices, for example:
MacBook 2015 and newer, MacBook Air 2018, iPad Pro 2018, iPhone 8/8 Plus/X/11, Chromebook Pro/Plus, Acer Spin 7, Dell XPS 13, Lenovo Thinkpad Carbon x1 5th 6th Gen, Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+/S7/S7 edge/S6/S6+/S6 edge/ S6 edge+/Note9/Note8, Google Nexus/Pixel / Pixel 2 / Pixel 3 / Pixel XL / Pixel 2 XL /Pixel 3 XL / Pixelbook, Asus ZenFone 6, GoPro HERO5/6.
So if you are using any of above device or others come with USB Type C, you may need a USB C charger or USB power adapter once the original charger finishes it mission. And below we’ve picked up 5 best USB Type C wall chargers.
If you are looking for the best USB C charger that can power both Type-C and Type A enabled devices at the same time, then this dual PD wall charger is your best choice.
This charger stands out because it fits laptop-ready USB-C charging and USB-A ports in a travel-size package for anyone who wants to charge their laptop and a smaller device at the same time. 45W PD port for fast charging USB-C enabled devices, additional 12W USB A port for 5V USB devices up to 2.4A.
Power Delevery 3.0 employed in this charger provides 2.5 times faster charging than standard PD wall charger. Imagine your MacBook Pro 13’’ gets fully charged within only 2.5 hours with this USB C fast charger.
Users also love this USB C laptop charger for the safety - built-in safeguards to prevent overcharging, overheating and short circuiting. It gets safety approval of CE /3C/FCC/PSE/ETL/TUV/KC/GS. The seller also offers an 18-month warranty.
The Aukey USB-C charger is a powerful USB wall charger that delivers 46-watts of power output via USB-C 3.0. It enables you to charge or recharge most USB-C and USB-powered devices.
This dual-port USB charger includes a USB-C port with up 46W Power Delivery and an additional 10.5W USB port that charges all 5V USB devices with an output up to 2.1A.
The USB C adapter features a foldable plug and built-in safeguards that can help prevent your devices from excessive current, overcharging and overheating. The 45-day money back guarantee and 24-month product replacement warranty are surely a plus.
iClever has long good reputation for providing quality products, and this USB-C wall charger is of no exception. This Apple USB C charger charges your device quickly and efficiently with 30W of power - your iPhone gets 50% power juice in just 30 minutes.
And it accommodates safe charging across different levels of voltages, enabling you to charge 5V, 9V, 12V, 15V, and 20V-enabled devices. The built-in safeguards can effectively protect your device against damage caused by overheating or overcharging.
This PD 3.0 USB-C charger enables you to charge your USB-C device at fast speed and transmit data with a high output of 61W. And this Samsung type C charger also has a USB-A port with an output of up to 12W 5V/2.4A. Yeah, you can charge your laptop and a smartphone at the same time.
While being able to charge majority of PD devices and non-PD Device at full speed, this compact charging adapter can guarantee you a safe charing. And just like other competitors, this USB C power adapter is also designed with foldable pins to prevent damage.
This powerful Type-C wall charger can power almost any laptop sized 13 inches or smaller. It can also charge large tablets such as iPad Pro. Whichever, this USB C wall charger can deliver power juice at full speed.
This compact MacBook USB C charger is smaller than other 60-watt chargers - it’s lightweight and portable for you to carry with you.
It has passed rigorous test by USB compliance standard - no worry about safety while fast charging your device. And this USB PD charger can intelligently identify your devices automatically and provide the fastest and most efficient output current (5V/3a, 9V/3a, 12V/3a, 15V/3a, 20V/3a).
