Chinese smartphones with USB type c. Type C: why it’s interesting and why microUSB is better

Why new USB standard really better than the usual USB ports of phones, tablets or laptops, and which devices already have connectors USB Type-C? 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 devices with a USB Type-C connector are generally available in currently? 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

USB Type-C: Type C plug (left) can be used on either side

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 big advantage of the product. Apple, iPad or iPhone, and 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, USB 3.1 will not be used in the future additional source power supply will be able to connect various peripheral devices, such as monitors or speakers. The current strength of 5 A also significantly reduces the charging time of a mobile phone.

The USB Type-C port is the successor to the original port micro USB, today it can already be found in smartphones of 2017, as well as external batteries, headphones and other devices. Galagram tells why the new Type-C is better than regular micro USB, as well as what bonuses owners of equipment with the new port standard receive.

3 Key Benefits of USB Type-C

It charges gadgets faster

The USB Implementers Forum, which is the industry association behind the development of the port, worked out the bugs in its micro USB creation and created USB Type-C with better specifications. Chargers with the new port are faster and typically charge smartphones at 15W. This is five times faster than most chargers using old port. And most importantly, it does not put extra strain on your battery.

Charging both ways

Not only do both ends of the cable look the same, they can also do the same thing on both ends, meaning you can tell which direction the current is flowing. In some cases, this leads to funny results when your smartphone starts charging the power bank.

If you have a lot of battery left, you can help a friend by charging his smartphone using just Type-C cable. To do this, connect both smartphones with this cable and direct the current in the desired direction, that’s all!

Transfer data from smartphone to smartphone

You just need to open the file explorer on the device where you want to receive the files. This pre-installed application on smartphones from many manufacturers, but otherwise it can simply be found in the settings.

How USB Type-C works

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is a standard that defines cable, connectors and digital exchange data. Its first version appeared in 1998 and replaced the PC interfaces that were popular at that time. The USB Type-C connector appeared in 2014. It has more pins than its predecessor, and they are arranged symmetrically. As a result, it doesn't matter which way you insert the cable - it's double-sided and works the same way.

This is a two-way 24 pin port

Between the connectors and USB versions there are many differences. They have different electrical characteristics, power and data transfer rate indicators. USB A and B connectors only have 4 pins, while USB 3.1 Type-C has 24 pins (standard pinout), which are needed to support higher currents and more fast transfer data. In addition, the USB 3.1 standard increases data transfer speeds up to 10 Gb/s, and it also has innovative ways to charge devices.

The Type-C port specification requires the connector to withstand 100,000 connections per connector without signs of wear. If you connect the port, for example, two to three times a day, the cable should last more than 12 years. To meet these requirements and handle increased power flow, USB-C cables are usually made thicker than a classic micro USB cable.

What is Type-C for?

A bunch of Android smartphones still have a micro USB port. In most cases, devices are charged through it at a voltage of 5V and a current of 2A. More fast speed charging can only be achieved outside the USB specification: Qualcomm Quick Charge, OnePlus Dash Charge, Oppo Vooc and Samsung Adaptive Fast Charge are manufacturer standards that only work on devices of a certain brand.

Transfers more power than micro USB

The Type-C port provides up to 100W of power using an open, free, common power system limited only by the cable, power supply, or charging target. To minimize heat buildup and wear electronic components, Type-C compatible devices constantly negotiate voltage and current with each other. To find them, search USB logo on charger, which was adopted in August 2016.

Can transmit HDMI and audio signals

Type-C connectors can replace many other cables. The certification process for many signals and protocols has already been completed. These include VGA, DVI or HDMI, where the Type-C port simulates a display port, including protocol conversion. Of course, this requires the appropriate hardware and software on the device, but this is up to the equipment manufacturers.

Xiaomi and LeEco are getting rid of the 3.5 mm port in favor of Type-C

Let's begin with new standard. USB Type-C. designed to unify connectors on many devices from coffee makers, cameras, televisions 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 needed in smartphones yet, 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 on the basis of 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 different 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 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.

Modern flagships and even mid-price phones receive USB Type-C connectors for charging. The trend towards new interface Obviously, USB Type-C is more secure compared to outdated micro-USB - it cannot be broken by inserting the cable into the phone incorrectly. It is also more functional and is able to provide power to connected gadgets, that is, smartphones with USB can work as power banks if the functionality allows for it. Well, versatility is an additional plus - Type-C with the help of adapters allows you to connect to devices with old USB 1.1. A dubious advantage is compactness, which is important now when everyone is trying to make gadgets as thin as possible.

Below is a selection best smartphones with USB Type-C connector. The rating is subjective, and it includes the most successful, from my point of view, devices of different price categories.

Xiaomi Mi A2

One of the cheapest and most successful smartphones on the market. If you don’t have a lot of money, but you definitely need a phone with USB Type-C, then feel free to take this device. It runs on bare Android One - version 8.1 Oreo with an update to 9.0 Pie.

Inside there is a mid-range Snapdragon 660 processor, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of memory. Screen – classic IPS size 6 inches. In general, Xiaomi Mi A2 is positioned as a “camera phone”, and in fact it is the only smartphone with good cameras for little money. Unlike standard solutions with two rear cameras, one of which is just a depth sensor, the Xiaomi Mi A2 has full-fledged cameras - the main one and the auxiliary one, which catches excess light, which allows you to improve the quality of photos even indoors in low light.

Plus, the Mi A2 has built-in 5GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0 and a 3010 mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0 support. Recommended for purchase by people on a limited budget. By the way, you can also consider Xiaomi Mi Max 3, which costs a little more, but it’s a big “shovel” and the cameras are worse.

• + examples of photos on camera

Pocophone F1

An ambiguous device with a strange and even intimidating name. In fact it's quality phone from Xiaomi, created for the US market. It is built on a powerful platform Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, 6 GB of RAM and 64 or 128 GB disk.

Cameras - with resolutions of 12 and 5 megapixels, f/1.9 aperture, Wi-Fi 5 GHz, Bluetooth 5.0 and USB Type-C interfaces are included, plus QC 3.0 technology is supported - with it the phone is charged from zero to 35% in 30 minutes.

And everything would be fine, but the disadvantage of the model is the lack of an NFC chip and, therefore, contactless payment technology. For some reason, in Russia this is considered a disadvantage, but in America, for which Pocophone is intended, this technology is not so popular. However, if you need NFC and USB Type-C, then take the Xiaomi Mi 8. It even has better cameras, but the smartphone is 4-5 thousand rubles more expensive.

• and comparison with Mi 8

Not to be confused with the P20 Lite, the P20 version is much better due to its flagship processor and cool rear cameras. The improved P20 Pro is more expensive, but it has 3 rear cameras and in general it is the best camera phone at the end of 2018 - beginning of 2019 in the world.

The regular Huawei P20 is equipped with a 5.8-inch IPS matrix, two rear cameras of 12 and 20 megapixels with an f/1.8 aperture of the main module; inside is its own SoC HiSilicon Kirin 970 and 4 GB of RAM. Battery capacity is 3400 mAh, charging at USB interface Type-C. Fast Wi-Fi 5 GHz, Bluetooth 5.0 and 3.5 mm headphone output included.

The phone is of exceptional quality, which is why it collects positive reviews. Certainly, Pro version It’s better in terms of shooting, but the simple P20 is cheaper, and the average user won’t notice the difference in photo quality when shooting, so feel free to take Huawei - you won’t regret it. I’ll add that the P20 Lite is a frankly weak smartphone, and its cameras are mediocre. The additional rear sensor only detects depth and works when shooting in portrait mode.

Samsung Galaxy S9

A real flagship for big money, running on Android based 8.0 with subsequent updates to 9.0. The smartphone has a cool Amoled matrix, the so-called Infinity Display with minimal frames. Specialists from the Display Mate studio call these screens the best in the world - there are no analogues yet.

Inside - own processor Exynos 9810 or American Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (depending on the market), 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of memory. The S9 also has great cameras - dxomark studio put the flagship in 6th place in its rating of camera phones. Don't forget about AKG stereo speakers, high quality assembly and water protection - the phone works even under water.

Kit current interfaces included: USB Type-C, Wi-Fi 5 GHz, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, etc.

Of course, one can argue with this position, but personally I adore the LG G7 ThinQ for its technology and build quality. Without a doubt, G7 is main smartphone by sound. If you want to enjoy clear surround sound with or without headphones, take the LG flagship and you will be satisfied.

The phone uses a dedicated 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC audio chip with 8 DAC modules, which guarantees high-quality music sound from headphones or speakers. Plus, an acoustic resonator is used here for the first time, increasing the volume of sound due to nearby hard surfaces. If you put your smartphone on the table, it plays louder.

A dubious plus is the IPS screen, since it is customary to use AMOLED matrices. But the quality of the display is the highest, plus the brightness margin is incredible. At 100% brightness reaches 1000 nits, which is a record among smartphones - even in bright sunshine everything is clearly visible.

Processor – Snapdragon 845, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory. The camera is 2-module, but it is inferior in shooting quality to almost all more or less new flagships, including Huawei P20, Xiaomi Mi 8, Samsung S9, etc. So the LG G7 ThinQ is not for photographers, but for audiophiles. There is USB Type-C, Wi-Fi 5 GHz, NFC and Bluetooth 5.0.

Other phones

I named my top five smartphones with USB connectors Type-C for charging. No less cool phones:

• OnePlus 6
• Huawei P20 Pro, Mate 20
• U11 EYEs and HTC U12+
• Xiaomi Mi 8 and Mi 8SE, Mi Mix 2S, Mi Note 3
• ASUS ZenFone 5 ZE620KL
• Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact, XZ2 Compact
• Nokia 6.1 Plus, 7 Plus, 8
• Meizu Pro 7, 15, 16
• Honor View 10
• Samsung Galaxy A8+, S8, Note9 and Note8
• Google Pixel 2

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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 is running and the universal port itself has grown into many bad compatible versions, which brought even more chaos into the relationship between 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 now be found on flagship and mid-range smartphones price segments, laptops, docking stations, routers and a huge number other technology. 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.
Of considerable importance is also backward compatibility. 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. First installed on smartphone Type C (it was a Nokia N1, by the way) only supported protocol 2.0, 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 being developed 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 chargers The numbers don't even come close to what's listed. However, in the future, this seemingly sky-high power will also be used. This technology You may have come across it 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. back 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, we can expect even more cool stuff. For example, the ability to monitor body temperature while playing sports using headphones.

Docking stations

It is versatility USB port Type C made possible use docking stations 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 definitely at the multimedia level, thanks to the power mobile processors this is more than enough. On this moment There are two devices on the market that offer this functionality. This is the HP Elite x3, which we reviewed extensively, 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 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 restrictions will gradually be leveled out with the development of technology.