While the new 240W cables are good news, USB-C is still touted as the one-stop solution for all our future cable needs. But compatibility is a major issue.
Even if the EU counts impose it everywhere, or almost, USB-C is not so simple for users. Cable compatibility, arguably USB-C’s most frustrating issue, stems from its interoperability : Legacy support for slower devices and introduction of faster use cases like transferring video data.
In short, USB-C can be type 2.0, 3.0 and 3.1, which affects the amount of data and the power they can handle. USB Power Delivery is backward compatible and therefore the best option for charging devices, but consumers rarely really know what they have. Some cables only support a few tens of Watts, but the standard can support much more power.
Until now, the USB-C standard was limited to 100 W (20 V at 5 A). This is why it is rare to find a gaming laptop that charges with USB-C power. Most of the time they use proprietary connectors on machines that consume more than 100W.
The first 240W USB-C cables
In May 2021, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) released the update USB-C 2.1 which describes the standard Extended Power Range (EPR). Specifically, this standard allows USB-C to support power delivery up to 240W, or up to 48V at 5A.
Club3D, a small manufacturer, has just launched a new cable that can deliver up to 240W of power. The company thus offers three cables, two are equipped for power, data and video, and another is limited to power and slower data (USB 2.0).
While the idea of a single cable to support everything sounds great, the reality quickly became a messy mix of proprietary products versus standards and specifications, or different cable capacities and support. opaque load of functions.
The result is a USB-C standard that looks simple to use, but quickly leads to consumer frustration because there’s no clear indication why certain cables and features don’t work on all devices.
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