Amazon Basics 7HUA 2.0 Cable For Printer or External Hard Drive, USB-A to USB-B Male Cable, 6 feet / 1.8 meter, Black

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USB is supposedly universal, but there are so many different types of USB cables and connections. Why is this? As it turns out, they each serve different functions, mainly to preserve compatibility and support new devices. No matter the USB type, our workstation power devices can charge a variety of devices, including the relatively new USB Type C. This charging station contains 2 5A ports and provides high power for busy office environments. The Harmony device is designed to be on the desk and has multiple charging outlets for both USB Type A and USB Type C devices.

This type of connector looks and is physically the same as a Thunderbolt 3 port. Thunderbolt 3 and USB C ports and cables can be used interchangeably and utilised for data transfer, power output, and video. When using a Thunderbolt 3 port with a USB C cable, users can charge full-size electronics with up to 100W of power output. Even better, the top data transfer speed is 40Gbps with a Thunderbolt 3 port, meaning you can be more productive. Although USB Type A is still the most used connector, the USB Type C are becoming increasingly more popular. Type C connectors differ in appearance compared to the previous USB types, as they are asymmetrical and have a small and thin appearance. One major difference is that the USB C is reversible; meaning it does not matter which way the connector is facing.

Physically, the cable is a flat design with a rubbery outer sheath. The strain relief where the cable connects to the housing is minimal, as well, which makes us question its durability over time. Chris Hoffman is the former Editor-in-Chief of How-To Geek. Chris has personally written over 2,000 articles that have been read more than one billion times---and that's just here at How-To Geek.

Some USB-C cables feature a chip or e-Marker that contains information the device reads. This two meter cable’s e-Marker is incorrect. USB 1.x was the original standard, and is ancient by modern benchmarks. You're very unlikely to find devices using this standard nowadays.USB-C can do more than other USB types can, and get it done faster. USB-C has the potential to replace all other cables, thanks to its diverse multi-tasking abilities. It has the ability to power even the most power-hungry devices, like laptops and TVs. It can also transfer 40 gigabits of data per second (Gbps), and can be used to deliver 5K video to external monitors. Some cables have the same connector at both ends and are named accordingly—for example, a USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable. Interested in USB charging for the office? USB 3.x is the current standard for USB speeds. It's much faster than USB 2.0, and thus recommended for devices like external hard drives. You can typically identify a USB 3.x port or connector by its blue coloring. Some USB 3.0 ports also have an SS symbol (which stands for Super Speed). Most new computers have at least one USB 3 port, and high-quality flash drives use this standard. Starting in 2015, Chris attended the Computer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas for five years running. At CES 2018, he broke the news about Kodak's "KashMiner" Bitcoin mining scheme with a viral tweet. A wave of negative publicity ensued, with coverage on BuzzFeed News, CNBC, the BBC, and TechCrunch. The company's project was later reportedly shut down by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. USB C is not as common as USB Type A and B, despite the additional benefits. Interested in workstation power?