USB-C

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USB-C Reviews

Review: Kingston's Nucleum USB-C Hub Adds Much-Needed Ports to Your MacBook or MacBook Pro

Tuesday June 12, 2018 11:08 am PDT by
With Apple's decision to embrace USB-C on all of its modern Macs, the company has created a need for USB-C docks so that we can continue to use all of our non-USB C peripherals as we wait for the rest of the tech industry to catch up. Kingston's Nucleum USB Type-C Hub is designed to meet that need, offering a selection of useful ports for MacBook, MacBook Pro, and iMac owners who still need to ...

Review: CalDigit AV Pro 2 Combines External USB-C Storage With a USB Hub and 30W of Charging Power

Tuesday October 31, 2017 2:02 pm PDT by
CalDigit recently launched its AV Pro 2 storage hub, a USB-C accessory that serves not only as an external drive with up to 8 TB of storage, but also acts a peripheral hub with two additional Type-A USB 3.0 ports and can charge a connected computer at up to 30 watts. The AV Pro 2 is available in a range of capacities in both traditional 7200 rpm hard drive and solid-state drive models,...

Review: LG's $1500 38UC99 UltraWide Display Offers a Giant, Desk-Filling Workspace

Friday March 17, 2017 1:34 pm PDT by
We've already looked at LG's UltraFine 5K and 27UD88 displays as companions for Apple's latest notebooks, and today we're taking a look at another USB-C display option that brings something quite different: LG's 38UC99 curved "UltraWide" display. This is a desk-filling display in the truest sense of the term: 37.5 inches on the diagonal with a 21:9 aspect ratio and a native resolution of...

LG 27UD88 Review: A Well-Rounded Ultra HD Display With USB-C

Friday January 20, 2017 10:46 am PST by
A few weeks ago, we took a look at LG's new 27-inch UltraFine 5K display designed in partnership with Apple to pair with the new MacBook Pro. While it's a high-quality screen that offers a sharp, spacious, Retina desktop, the overall design has generated mixed reactions, particularly in comparison to Apple's design standards. At a standard price of $1299 and even Apple's discounted price of...

Review: OWC's 'USB-C Dock' Expands MacBook Connectivity Options With Ten Ports

Monday January 18, 2016 1:54 pm PST by
Since the launch of Apple's Retina MacBook last April, users have been looking for ways to expand the functionality of the single port included on the machine, a USB-C that can support a multitude of functions including power and data. Many third-party companies have begun shipping single-use dongles and small hubs for MacBook fans to be able to get full use out of their ultra-thin 12-inch...

SanDisk Dual USB Drive Type-C Review: No-Hassle File Transfers for Apple's New MacBook

Tuesday June 23, 2015 12:04 pm PDT by
Known for providing a variety of storage solutions for desktop and mobile devices, SanDisk continues its trend of easy-to-use storage devices supporting multiple connector standards with its new Dual USB Drive Type-C. Taking aim at the growing use of USB-C in the tech industry, the Dual USB Drive includes connectors for both USB-A 3.0 and USB-C that allow users to transfer files between a...

USB-C How Tos

iPhone 15 Pro: How to Transfer Data Over USB-C at 10Gbps Speed

Thursday September 21, 2023 3:11 pm PDT by
All of Apple's iPhone 15 models come with a USB-C port instead of Lightning, but not all devices in the lineup offer the same port data transfer speed. The iPhone 15 switch to USB-C brings several conveniences, such as the ability to use the same charging cable for Macs, iPads, iPhones, and other USB-C accessories. Now that the iPhone 15 models have a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port, ...

iPhone 15: How to Charge Apple Watch, AirPods, or Another iPhone

Thursday September 21, 2023 9:34 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models use a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port for charging and data transfer purposes, and the new port also allows an ‌iPhone 15‌ to charge AirPods or an Apple Watch directly. If your AirPods or Apple Watch run out of battery while you don't have access to a charger, now you can use your ‌iPhone‌'s battery for a little extra juice rather...

USB-C Guides

High-Capacity USB-C Battery Pack Comparison and Review

Monday February 25, 2019 11:52 am PST by
A few years ago, it was difficult to find a USB-C battery pack capable of charging a MacBook at a speed of 30 or 45W, but with Apple and other companies increasingly embracing USB-C technology for everything from smartphones to laptops, high-powered USB-C battery packs have become more readily available. Higher-watt USB-C battery packs are ideal for fast charging iPhones and iPad Pros,...

USB-C Articles

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Apple Offers Lightning to USB-C Cable for Fast-Charging 12.9-inch iPad Pro

Monday March 21, 2016 1:17 pm PDT by
Apple has introduced a Lightning to USB-C Cable to its online accessory store that lets users connect their iPhone, iPad, or iPod with Lightning connector to a computer’s USB-C port for syncing and charging. Significantly, the cable can be used with an Apple 29W USB-C Power Adapter to take advantage of the fast charging feature on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, but not the brand new 9.7-inch iPad...
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DisplayPort 1.4 to Use 'Lossless' Compression for Higher-Quality 8K Video Over USB-C

Wednesday March 2, 2016 8:58 am PST by
The Video Electronics Standards Association yesterday formally announced its new DisplayPort 1.4 standard, setting the stage for improved video quality and color for external display connections over both DisplayPort and USB-C connectors. Rather than an increase in actual bandwidth, the improvements in DisplayPort 1.4 come due to improved compression, taking advantage of VESA's new Display...
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CES 2016: Satechi Type-C USB Hub Updated With Pass-Through Charging for Retina MacBook

Wednesday January 6, 2016 9:20 am PST by
Today at CES accessory manufacturer Satechi announced a newly updated Type-C Hub for Apple's Retina MacBook lineup, which replaces one of the traditional USB 3.0 ports with a new USB-C alternative to allow users to charge the MacBook while using the dongle. Otherwise, the hub still includes an SD card slot and Micro SD card slot in addition to two USB 3.0 ports. In terms of new products, the ...
Acer H7 USB C MacBook

Acer and Lenovo Debut First USB-C Monitors, Compatible With Retina MacBook

Monday January 4, 2016 7:27 am PST by
Acer has announced all-new H7 series monitors as the first to support USB Type-C, making them compatible with Apple's newer 12-inch MacBook. The monitors will be able to charge the MacBook, transfer data and display content over one USB-C cable, eliminating the need for multiple cables and adapters. Acer's new 25-inch and 27-inch H7 series USB-C monitors The monitors will be available in...
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CalDigit Announces Two New USB-C Docks, USB-C Adapters and More

Wednesday November 18, 2015 6:15 pm PST by
Today at Inter BEE 2015 in Japan, CalDigit announced two new lines of USB Type-C docks, two new USB-C adapters and more. The new accessories give owners of USB-C computers like the new MacBook more flexibility in how they use their device. CalDigit USB-C Dock The USB-C Dock comes in five colors and features a silicon cover that CalDigit says adds a layer of protection to the dock's aluminum...
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New USB-C Batteries to Charge Retina MacBooks at Full Speed

Monday September 21, 2015 9:34 am PDT by
Apple's Retina MacBook uses a brand new USB-C connector for power, which means that it's able to be charged by external USB battery packs much like an iPhone or an iPad. But because of its higher 29 watt power requirements, there aren't any current battery packs that pump out enough power to charge the MacBook at full speed. Instead, most USB battery packs used with the MacBook today just keep...
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Intel Announces Thunderbolt 3 With USB-C, Single-Cable Support for Dual 4K Displays at 60Hz

Tuesday June 2, 2015 6:08 am PDT by
Intel today at Computex 2015 unveiled Thunderbolt 3 with a USB Type-C connector, instead of Mini DisplayPort, and support for USB 3.1, DisplayPort 1.2 and PCI Express 3.0, as outlined by Ars Technica. The new spec's Thunderbolt transport layer provides up to 40Gbps throughput, double the max bandwidth of Thunderbolt 2, alongside an optional 100 watts of power for charging devices in accordance...
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12.9-Inch 'iPad Pro' Rumored to Feature NFC, Bluetooth Stylus, Force Touch and USB-C

Monday May 4, 2015 6:24 am PDT by
The much-rumored 12.9-inch so-called "iPad Pro" will feature a built-in NFC chip, pressure-sensitive Bluetooth stylus, Force Touch and USB-C port, according to AppleInsider. The report, citing a source familiar with Apple's future product plans, also claims that the larger iPad will have a new touchscreen with improved latency and unsurprisingly be powered by Apple's latest A-series processor. ...
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John Gruber: Apple Invented USB Type C

Friday March 13, 2015 7:15 pm PDT by
During its Spring Forward Apple media event, Apple announced that the new 12-inch MacBook would adopt the new USB standard USB Type C, which is a multifaceted port that can do multiple things like video and charging. In the newest episode of his podcast The Talk Show, John Gruber mentioned that Apple may have invented the new standard. The mention was first spotted by The Tech Block. I have...
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Belkin Announces New Line of USB-C Cables, USB-C to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter

Wednesday March 11, 2015 12:29 pm PDT by
Popular Apple accessory maker Belkin today announced a line of new cables and adapters designed to work with the newly announced 12-inch Retina MacBook, which ships with a single USB-C port. Most notably, the company has announced a USB-C to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter, which will allow the 12-inch MacBook to be connected to Gigabit Ethernet networks using its USB-C port. Apple is not offering...
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USB-C in 12-Inch MacBook Adds Limitations but Opens Up Possibilities

Tuesday March 10, 2015 2:40 pm PDT by
Apple's newest MacBook is one of the first computers to take advantage of the USB Type-C specification, which was finalized in August of 2014. USB-C uses a small reversible connector that's similar in size to a Lightning connector, but slightly larger. In addition to delivering power to the Apple MacBook (it's capable of delivering up to 100 watts at 20 volts), USB-C has a DisplayPort...
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LaCie Announces First USB-C External Hard Drive Supporting New MacBook

Tuesday March 10, 2015 7:40 am PDT by
LaCie on Tuesday announced the Porsche Design Mobile Drive as the world's first external hard drive with a built-in USB-C port. The LaCie Mobile Drive features a reversible cable that supports Apple's latest MacBook with USB-C technology, delivering data transfer speeds up to 100 MB/s for quickly transferring photos, videos and other files or backing up with Time Machine."The LaCie™ Mobile...