USB-C, officially known as USB Type-C, was billed as the port to replace them all. It’s a universal, reversible connector that replaces the likes of USB-A, USB-B, Lightning, and Mini DisplayPort. In fact, all other USB connectors were designated as legacy in 2014. While you’ll still see USB-A, USB-B, and their derivatives out in the wild, it’s clear that USB-C is the future. In theory, the USB-C connector gave us everything we wanted — we can now charge and transmit data from headphones, smartphones, laptops, and more with the same cable. So why aren’t we happy?
The issues with USB-C are well documented. Ports and cables aren’t labeled properly, devices and cords don’t meet the same underlying specifications, and using the wrong one could brick your device. These flaws become headaches for the average user. However, we can’t blame USB-C for these problems. In fact, they’re the result of USB-C doing the exact thing it was designed to do.
USB-C is a connector, not a protocol
USB-C cables and supports can support various protocols
To understand the purpose of USB-C, and why it feels like it’s falling short of expectations, we need to differentiate connectors and protocols. A connector is a physical interface that connects a device to another device, accessory, or power source, usually taking the form of a port, plug, or socket. Cables plug into the connector with wires that typically match the pinout of the port they are connecting with. Meanwhile, the communication protocol defines how devices and accessories “talk” to one another using a connector. For example, USB Type-C is a connector, but Thunderbolt 4 is a communication protocol.
If this dichotomy feels brand new, there’s a reason for that. Universal connectors like USB-C make it possible for multiple communication protocols to use the same port and cable type. In the past, this wasn’t the case. A cable or port using the HDMI or DisplayPort connectivity protocol was easily identifiable because it used a unique connector. Now, protocols like HDMI Alt Mode or DisplayPort Alt Mode allow these communication standards, once exclusive to unique connectors, to transmit data over USB-C.
Before, you could tell a 140W power cable apart from a 5W power cable, because one used a large barrel jack or MagSafe connector and another used a tiny USB Micro-B or Lightning connector. Fast-forward to today, and cables of varying wattages might both use the same USB-C connector, but with support for different USB Power Delivery protocols. The differences still remain — you just can’t see them anymore.
Communication protocols complicate the USB-C connector
When so many protocols use the same connector, it’s a problem
Credit: Gavin Phillips / MakeUseOf
USB stands for Universal Serial Bus, and it’s managed by the USB Implementers Forum (USB IF). The standard has always been complicated because USB itself represents both communication protocols and connectors. USB Type-A, USB Type-B, and USB Type-C are all connectors, whereas USB 3.1 Gen 2, USB 3.2, and USB 4 are protocols. The USB IF has historically done a poor job of naming and branding the protocols supported by USB connectors. USB 3.1 Gen 1, for example, was originally called USB 3.0 before it was renamed and broken up into USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5Gbps) and Gen 2 (10Gbps).
USB-C faces more of these problems because the connector is used for many communication protocols — it’s not just limited to USB standards. In addition to USB 3.1 Gen 2, USB 3.2, and USB 4, the USB-C port can support the Thunderbolt, PCIe, DisplayPort, and HDMI communication protocols. The connector also works with charging protocols, namely USB Power Delivery (USB PD), which dictates how devices and chargers talk to one another. USB PD works with optional standards, like Programmable Power Supply (PPS), that allow devices to request charging voltages at granular levels.
Credit: Brady Snyder / MakeUseOf
The USB IF outlines a detailed USB Type-C Specification that clarifies everything a USB-C port or cable can do, but only a few of these features and protocols are mandatory. Due to the flexibility of a universal connector like USB-C, there’s a natural level of inconsistency. You could pick up a USB-C cable that supports Thunderbolt 4, enabling features like fast charging, display support, and high-speed data transmission. Meanwhile, a seemingly-identical cable might only support slow charging and data transfer.
In case things needed to get any more complex, many companies decided to blatantly ignore the few USB-C specifications the USB IF made mandatory. This created a category of USB-C ports, cables, and adapters that are noncompliant. Some cheap devices ship with USB-A to USB-C cables in the box because they lack the communication chip needed to safely use a USB-C to USB-C cable. A technical report by Texas Instruments notes that a survey of USB-C cables available on Amazon revealed 28% of them were noncompliant. The dangers of using noncompliant cables are real — they could brick your device by not exchanging the right amount of power.
Is there a way to fix the USB-C connector?
Probably not, since these are inherent flaws with universality
Credit: Gavin Phillips / MakeUseOf
If you’re frustrated by the confusing nature of USB-C cables, it’s important to remember that your gripes are not actually with USB-C. The problems lie with the communication protocols that use USB-C ports and cables. There are some changes that can be made to simplify things, and the USB IF is starting to make them. For instance, cables are now being branded with their speed capabilities in Gigabits-per-second (Gbps) rather than their official name.
However, there’s only so much the USB IF can do when the USB-C connector is being used by the USB, Thunderbolt, PCIe, DisplayPort, and HDMI communication protocols — and that’s without getting into the large swath of noncompliant cables and connectors. The USB IF can control just one of those communication protocols, and the rest are out of its hands. The confusion over whether a cable supports USB 4, DP Alt Mode, or Thunderbolt is simply not a USB-C problem, it’s a labeling problem.
In my view, there’s no way to fix the problems with USB-C while keeping the connector universal. Branding and labeling would certainly help matters. Let’s start by labeling cables as specifically as possible, noting each communication and charging protocol a cable supports.
The larger problem is impossible to solve because it’s a known consequence of a connector being universal. Everyone hated proprietary cables and ports, but at least they were easy to identify and differentiate at a glance. Now, we have cables that look universal but have under-the-hood protocol variations that are impossible to tell apart without clear branding. Unless you’re ready to go back to carrying 10 different cables, don’t be mad at USB-C for common headaches. It’s not the port’s or the cable’s fault, it’s the fault of the communication protocols that use them, and the inconsistency of which they are supported.
