Why do you need USB Type-C and which devices already have it? Why does a smartphone need USB Type-C? What is USB Type-C and what are its advantages? Phones with type c connector

USB tape C in Xiaomi Mi6

For years, most smartphones charged and transferred files using Micro-USB. Today, a new standard is very often encountered - USB Type-C.

According to experts, this technology provides more fast connection, capabilities and data transfer speed. Due to its popularity, let's look at which modern smartphones are equipped with USB Type-C.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

An expensive smartphone with a wide range of modern functions, which, however, device owners do not always use. However, it is one of the most capable Android smartphones in 2017 and comes with a stylus.

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

When it comes to camera, processor and software, Pixel 2 (right) and Pixel 2 XL (left) are first in line for the title best devices. At first glance, they are almost the same, but the difference lies in the screen diagonal, its technology and price. Both devices are good, but it's worth noting that the Pixel 2 XL has some screen issues that Google is currently fixing.

OnePlus 5T

5 months after the launch of OnePlus 5 in June, OnePlus has released an updated version of the . The new product has a 6-inch display and a dual camera, which provides more high-quality photos in low light conditions. At the same time, OnePlus 5T received the processor, battery and software of its predecessor.

LG V30

The smartphone has everything a user needs in 2017: an excellent camera, fast processor, huge OLED screen, long time battery life, protection from moisture, wireless charging, microSD. This device can be called an inexpensive alternative Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus and Google Pixel 2 XL.

Essential Phone

The smartphone is made of glass, titanium and ceramic and has a magnetic connector on the back that works with the upcoming collection of additional accessories. You can connect a camera module, docking station, etc. to the device.

Essential Phone is not yet targeted at Russian market, but caused a little hype in the West. The smartphone was developed by the creator of the operating room Android systems Andy Rubin.

HTC U11

U11 has become not only stylish smartphone, but also unique. For example, in order to launch the camera, you just need to squeeze your smartphone. Long-term compression turns the flashlight on/off, activates Wi-Fi and other applications.

Samsung Galaxy S8

Among the smartphones of the Korean brand, it became the first device to receive USB Type-C. It was "awarded" with a 5.8-inch display, Snapdragon 835 chipset and digital assistant Bixby.

Sony Xperia XZ Premium

The XZ Premium has an amazing screen, a top-end processor and a unique slow motion video recording mode.

Moto Z2 Play

The Moto Z2 Play, which we introduced just recently, has a beautiful screen and a capacious battery that lasts all day. There is a headphone jack and the ability to expand memory.

Xiaomi Mi 6

Xiaomi Mi6 () received a 5.15-inch display and curved edges at the back. Unlike its predecessors, it is equipped with a 12 MP dual camera, 6 GB RAM and Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset.

Google Pixel and Pixel XL

Pair best Android smartphones that you can buy today. They have a fantastic camera and sleek design. And the Google Assistant package makes these devices also “responsive.” And, of course, they got USB Type-C.

LG G6

Bright 5.7-inch screen, dual camera including wide-angle lens, Google Assistant, waterproof make this device first class of its kind.

Motorola Moto Z

Works with Moto Mods magnetic accessories, which allow you to expand the functionality of the device. Very balanced devices in terms of price/quality.

BlackBerry DTEK60

Stylish design, good time battery life, a 21 megapixel camera capable of recording video in 4K format, all this speaks to the premium quality of the device.

Huawei Honor 8

The smartphone takes excellent photos thanks to the use of a dual photo module. At a low price, it is equipped with a fingerprint scanner and has a unique rear panel design.

Xiaomi Mi Mix

Stylish design of Mi Mix with frameless screen in combination with ceramic rear panel gives the smartphone a luxurious touch, not to mention the fact that the base model's memory capacity starts at 128 GB.

Samsung Galaxy A7, A5 and A3 (2017)

The new family of mid-price smartphones from Samsung boasts vibrant design, water resistance and more. useful features. You can choose any screen diagonal: from 4.7 to 5.7 inches. Moreover, each smartphone is equipped with USB Type-C.

LG V20

Featuring a large 5.7-inch display, Android 7.0 Nougat and dual camera, V20 has become the most premium smartphone LG last season.

Sony Xperia XZ

The Xperia XZ looks stylish and good, is not afraid of liquids spilled on it, and handles heavy games.

ZTE Axon 7

To date this model considered the best in the ZTE range. It has a powerful processor, ample storage space and good speakers.

Asus Zenfone 3

Possessing Snapdragon processor 625, 5.5-inch display and 16 megapixel camera, ZenFone 3 is the optimal smartphone in the mid-price category.

HTC U Ultra and Play

The stylish glass body makes these two the most beautiful devices on the market. They received a 5.7-inch display, a notification screen and HTC BoomSound technology.

Huawei Mate 9

The Mate 9 has great potential, an incredible camera and a good battery. This is a great option for those looking for a smartphone with a large screen.

HTC 10 Evo

Although the smartphone does not have a headphone jack and you will have to use an adapter, the HTC 10 Evo can be called decent smartphone(moisture protection, luxury speakers).

Moto Z Play

Even if you're not interested in the modular features of the Moto Z Play, it's still the most affordable smartphone in Motorola's Z series. In addition, the smartphone boasts a capacious battery.

At the beginning of its journey, the USB port was intended to combine all other interfaces into one, this was even hinted at by its constant logo, but time goes by and the universal port itself has grown into many poorly compatible versions, which brought even more chaos into the relationship of certain gadgets. And finally, He appeared on the horizon. The great and terrible USB Type C. Knowledgeable people he was greeted with almost applause, and ordinary users They just shrugged their shoulders. You can still encounter this indifference today: they say, yes, it’s symmetrical, yes, it’s easier to connect, so what? In fact, the difference is huge, and if you are still wondering what is better - Type C or microUSB, this is the place for you.

Type C is more practical

This compact port announced itself as new network standard and his appearance is fully consistent with such a high status. A symmetrical, 24-pin port can today be found on smartphones in the flagship and mid-price segments, laptops, docking stations, routers and a huge number of other equipment. It does not take up much space on the case and, yes, it is more convenient to connect. And now you don’t have to carry around a certain number of blocks from different equipment with you.
Backward compatibility is also important. The Type-C port allows you to use any technology from the most ancient to the ultra-modern without any special restrictions.
A couple of years ago, there was an urgent issue of finding adapters and compatible flash drives, but today they are a dime a dozen on the market.

Data transfer speed - up to 10 Gb/s

In this regard, Type C is a great foundation for the future, because it offers users data transfer speeds of up to 10 Gb/s. Modern smartphones This, of course, is not necessary, but in the future it may well come in handy.
Here, by the way, we must immediately put an end to the confusion. The first Type C installed on a smartphone (by the way, it was Nokia N1) supported only the 2.0 protocol, while later devices could have both 3.0 and 3.1 with corresponding data transfer rates. This limitation is imposed by the manufacturer with an eye to modern realities and will invariably increase.

Charging - up to 100 W power

Fast charging is already sweeping the planet. They are developed by different manufacturers and they work on different principles, but the essence is the same - to increase power and thus reduce the charging time of the gadget. If you read our previous text, you noticed that in modern technologies fast charging numbers are not even close to the indicated ones. However, in the future, this seemingly sky-high power will also be used. You may have come across this technology on the Internet under the name USB Power Delivery. This is what many see as the future standard for fast charging.
Moreover, the Type C port can not only charge, but also charge other devices, which third-party manufacturers will obviously not fail to use in their developments.

Alternate Modes

If up to this point we were talking exclusively about proprietary developments, now it’s time to look at related technologies. Type C will also allow you to connect to monitors with DisplayPort, MHL and HDMI.
You can’t ignore Thunderbolt 3, which guarantees data and video transfer to high speeds. Through of this interface you can daisy chain up to 6 peripheral devices (such as monitors). It's really hard to imagine a situation where this is really necessary.

Sound transmission - audiophile quality

If we assessed all the above modes in the context of a reserve for the future, then this is something that even ordinary users are faced with today. We are talking about a massive replacement of the audio jack with a Type C port. For separated ports, in in this case, only one (but very serious) advantage: you can use the headphones even when the smartphone is charging. But in all other respects, the analog jack is inferior to the digital USB-C. In the latter case, the sound quality will be higher, noise reduction and echo cancellation will be better implemented. Equally significant is the ability to transfer some tasks (and related equipment) to the headset, which will also help avoid unnecessary noise and expand the headset’s control capabilities. Reverse side medals - headphones will clearly become more expensive than modern simple “whistles” or, in other words, “whistles” will simply die out as a species.
And in the future, according to the developers, cooler things await us. For example, the ability to monitor body temperature while playing sports using headphones.

Docking stations

It is versatility USB port Type C made docking stations possible for smartphones. Connecting to a dock makes it possible to turn your smartphone into an almost full-fledged desktop PC. Not at the gaming level, of course, but it will definitely be suitable for multimedia, since the power of mobile processors is more than enough for this. There are currently two devices on the market that offer this functionality. This is the HP Elite x3, which we did a great review of, and the Samsung Galaxy S8, S8+ and Note8 models with their DeX Station. Considering the speed with which Type C is spreading, I would like to hope that other manufacturers will have analogues.

As we see, a miniature Type-C port is not only charging, as many people think, but also a sea of ​​other possibilities. It is for the versatility of USB-C that they value it. But the sea of ​​these undeniable advantages crosses out one fat minus. The capabilities of the port will always be limited by the carrier device and it is impossible to recognize these limitations externally. That is, Type C always looks the same, and to find out what exactly it will be able to do on a particular device, you will have to look for detailed specifications. Moreover, the difficulties here will be not only with the presence/absence of alternative modes, but also with the speeds involved. Moreover, the compatibility of two devices can be “killed” by using the wrong cable. This is a pretty good game of attentiveness. The only good thing is that these limitations will gradually be leveled out with the development of technology.

Why is the new USB standard really better than the usual USB ports on phones, tablets or laptops, and which devices already have USB Type-C connectors? The CHIP editors answer all these questions.

First a little important information: The designations USB Type-C and USB 3.1, as they say, go hand in hand, since they actually mean the same thing. When the USB 3.1 number is used, it is usually referring to the data transfer speed.

If you come across the name USB Type-C, it usually refers directly to the type of connector for connecting devices. First, let's compare the previous USB 3.0 standard with new USB 3.1. You will find all the details in the table below.

Comparison of USB 3.0 and USB 3.1

The best devices with USB Type-C

What USB Type-C devices are currently available? The first of these was the 12-inch MacBook, in which this connector was the only one. The current Google phones Nexus 6P and 5X are also equipped with USB 3.1 - and in general, more and more manufacturers are integrating a port of the new standard into their smartphones.

In the following table we have compiled for you a list of the most interesting devices with a USB Type-C interface.

USB Type-C: these devices already have it

The USB connector can no longer be connected incorrectly

That's what makes the USB Type-C connector incredibly convenient: it's symmetrical. You no longer have to think about how hard it will take to insert the plug into the socket correctly. Previously, this connector property was a great advantage of Apple products, iPad or iPhone, but now it is becoming available to the masses of users. This cable can be inserted in either direction.

Let us mention one more significant advantage over the USB 3.0 standard: due to the maximum transmitted power increased to 100 W, via USB 3.1 in the future without additional source different power supplies can be connected peripherals, for example, monitors or speakers. The current strength of 5 A also significantly reduces the charging time of a mobile phone.

The best smartphones with USB Type-C. Selecting ZOOM

For most users, a plus from the emergence of USB There is only one Type-C in smartphones: the charging cable does not need to be held to your eyes to see which side to insert into the device connector. In the dark, this procedure is even more inconvenient - you need to poke the metal connector at random. As a result - small scratches around the charging socket.

USB Type-C solves the problem: you don’t have to unwrap the cable, the main thing is to get there. The second advantage compared to a typical microUSB is stability: as a rule, Type-C stays in the socket more tightly than cables of previous generations.

But then things get even more interesting. First you need to separate USB Type-C from USB 3.1: the first is a regular connector, and the second is a standard, but they follow a parallel course. Nominally, USB 3.1 supports a speed of 10 Gbps and a voltage of 20V (100W). Hence the conclusion: soon, using a miniature USB Type-C cable, it will be possible to charge laptops (power up to 60W): away with huge cables with power supplies.

This solution has already been implemented in 12-inch Apple MacBook. There, the Type-C connector is the only one: Apple wanted to demonstrate the versatility of this technology, so it abandoned the remaining sockets. USB Type-C is really enough to connect monitors, peripherals, charge other gadgets and power the device itself. It’s worth admitting: “on paper” Type-C is close to becoming a single connector for everyone technical devices. At least there's enough power.

However, everything is not so simple: there is a version that, in some respects, modern gadgets themselves have not yet matured to USB Type-C and USB 3.1. For example, mobile processor Snapdragon 820 (the most current for the first half of 2016) only supports USB 3.0 (up to 500 MB per second), but not 3.1. Sometimes entire companies abandon Type-C. Samsung Galaxy S7 could have received this connector, but did not receive it for three reasons. Firstly, the leaders of the Korean corporation believed that the market was not ready for such changes - everyone was accustomed to microUSB. Secondly, Samsung already has fast charging. Thirdly, the helmet virtual reality The Gear VR has a microUSB connector. According to rumors, Type-C will appear in Galaxy Note 7, which will be announced in a month.

Apple is also in no hurry to abandon lightning in favor of Type-C, but at the end of 2015 information leaked that an iPhone with a touch-sensitive Home key and another connector was being tested in Cupertino. Accordingly, in theory, Americans are ready to submit to the general trend, but in 2016 there will definitely not be a mass transition to Type-C. Most likely, the revolution has been postponed until 2017.

Source: ZOOM.CNews

Nevertheless, there are already enough devices on the market that support the new connector. True, their main advantage is still the same - the ability to insert the cable from either side.

LG G5 SE

The Korean modular flagship (see) has been officially on sale in Russia for 50 thousand rubles for several weeks now. On the plus side - big screen(5.3 inches, QHD), latest Android (6.0), Always-On-Display function and super-fast charging branded adapter: 83 percent in half an hour.

The downside is that it's a compromise (the standard G5 has 4 GB of RAM or more powerful processor) and the price of the modules: 10 thousand for a Hi-Fi player, 3 thousand for external battery and 5 thousand for the shutter button for the camera.

HTC 10 LifeStyle

As in the case of LG, HTC also did not dare to send to Russia for real flagship model. differs from the usual “ten” by three (instead of four) gigabytes of RAM and the Snapdragon 652 processor, but otherwise everything is at the top level: a nice metal body, an excellent 5.2-inch QHD screen, a 12-megapixel main camera, a fingerprint scanner and a 3000 mAh battery (full charge in 60-70 minutes).

The price of the device is 45 thousand rubles, and one of the important features is splash protection: you can’t drown the phone, but you also don’t have to worry about drops getting on the case.

Huawei Nexus 6P

The metal Google phone was announced back in 2015, so it is the most profitable to purchase: it costs less than 40 thousand rubles even in the top-end 64-gigabyte version. In addition to the USB Type-C port, there is a 5.7-inch QHD screen, Qualcomm processor Snapdragon 810, luxurious 12MP camera, 8MP front camera and a 3450 mAh battery (full charge in an hour and a half).

In terms of price - quality, it is one of the best offers on the market. For example, an iPhone 6s Plus with the same amount of memory costs almost twice as much.

LG Nexus 5X

The younger brother of the Nexus 6P is the most affordable of the popular smartphones with USB Type-C. For 18-30 thousand rubles (depending on the retailer) you will get a device with a 5.2-inch FullHD screen, a fingerprint scanner, a six-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 and always up-to-date Android.

The time to fully charge a 2700 mAh battery is one and a half hours.

Microsoft Lumia 950XL

Windows Phone (Windows Mobile) devices can be criticized for their lack of applications, but last fall Microsoft introduced one of the most interesting solutions for smartphones: a $99 hub that turns the flagship Lumia (950/950 XL) into full-fledged computers- you just need to connect the screen, keyboard and mouse. Other manufacturers, of course, do not have this function.

In addition to USB Type-C and the ability to transform into a PC, the Lumia 950XL boasts a 5.7-inch QHD screen, a 20-megapixel camera and a 3450 mAh battery that charges up to 50% capacity in half an hour. The current price of the device is 40 thousand rubles, and it will become more difficult to find every day.

Let's start with the new standard. USB Type-C. designed to unify connectors on many devices from coffee makers, cameras, televisions and 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 yet needed in smartphones, 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 based on 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 the most various 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 this method 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.