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Comment by denormalfloat | Hacker News Reader

I didn't come to appreciate the power of USB-C until I started using it with my laptop. It is a single cable that connects to my monitor, powers the laptop, provides USB access to the keyboard and mouse, and to the hub on the monitor. This is a big enough improvement to the desktop-style workflow, since there is only a single wire, and no docking station. It's trivial to jump between desktop mode and laptop mode. That's usability changing experience with USB-C.

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It's really great for travel. I can bring one charger that works for my phone, my MacBook, and my work PC.

Ironically, one of the reasons I went with Android instead of iPhone last time I bought a phone was that I could use my MacBook charger with it.

And some cameras (e.g. Canon EOS-RP)

Don't you need to be really careful with which chargers you use with each device, regardless of the cable type? Pretty sure USB-C headphones shouldn't be charged with a USB-C Macbook Pro wall charger.

> Pretty sure USB-C headphones shouldn't be charged with a USB-C Macbook Pro wall charger.

That should be fine. There's a protocol for the charger and the device to communicate and decide what power to charge at.

> Pretty sure USB-C headphones shouldn't be charged with a USB-C Macbook Pro wall charger.

Unless explicitly negotiated by both ends, every USB-C charger outputs the same boring 5 volts as classic USB, so the headphones should charge just fine.

The major exception to this is the Nintendo Switch that, due to shit design on Nintendo's part, can asplode itself.

What's the problem with it?

They are wrong. The Switch console itself is USB-C standard compliant. The dock has a slightly smaller plug to make it easier to dock / undock the console. 3rd parties try to replicate the smaller plug but don't get the tolerances right causing a miswiring.

I can’t charge my phone with the Nintendo Switch charger, it switches on and off repeatedly and doesn't charge. And my other USB-C chargers don't negotiate the power needed with the Switch so it charges very slowly if you don't use the included charger.

I charge the Switch console just fine with a PD USB-C charger. PD is very negotiable and the Switch only supports a few voltages so your charger must support the same voltages.

As far as I understand it (correct me if I'm wrong), every proper charger is supposed to support the exact same list of power combinations from 0 up to whatever its max wattage is.

The switch dock demands 39 watts, which implies 15 volts, but the switch itself will negotiate any voltage when standalone.

My phone charges fine with a Nintendo Switch power adapter.

In fact, I am doing it right now.

Output on the adapter reads: 5v@1.5A/15v@2.6A

Only when used with another fault charger, which basically are extinct now.

The Switch dock had some implementation issues but they didn't break anything.

The only time things break is when you attach a broken charger that outputs 9 volts onto a wire that's supposed to be doing 2 volt signals.

Switch charges just fine from a MacBook power adapter. The issues are hugely overblown.

Chargers - no. Cables can be a problem tho.

Also some devices don't support anything else but USB-A to C cable that comes in a box. That's why I returned JBL Charge 4 and got Anker Soundcore Motion+. Much crispier stereo sound at expense of some base.

In spec devices will not have any issues. At worst your device will charger slower than it could.

Unfortunately a lot of devices are out of spec like the Nintendo switch which can be damaged by an in spec charger.

To be fair USB chargers weren't universal, either. I have a JBL Bluetooth speaker that I can't charge with any charger except the one that came with it

That thing charges my phone in 30 minutes

Is it safe? Most fast charging android phones have 18W chargers, and Macbook has 45 to 60W charger.

Fast charging depends on the compatibility with certain standards (USB-PD or Qualcomm Quickcharge). If it can't communicate that it resorts to the default, which is 5v/0.9A or 4.5W.

So you would need compatible cables to make fast charging work, and then it will only fast charge up to 80% and then slow down.

USB-PD is the standard for power delivery and Apple (and Google) both rely on that, so if it's USB-PD compatible it'll support the quickest charging it can handle.

I charge my iPhone 8 with a USB-C to Lightining cable connected to the MacBook's power adapter

Sure, you have 1 more cable to throw in your bag but it's not a big deal.

Even better, I have one USB-C hub on my desk (with monitors, keyboard/mouse, printers, network, etc.) and it works for both my XPS-13 and my wife's MacBook. That is real progress.

And the only thing that uses USB-C is the hub itself!

I've started doing the same thing for my company - I now exclusively buy LG 27BK67-U or 27MU88 monitors which provide great USB-C support (power + video + USB hub) and eliminates all of the unnecessary dongles/adapters that failed every 6 months.

I found the shift a pain on my MacBook Pro - mostly because of the confusion over power output and external display resolution/refresh rates. But, I've managed it. I have a single cable powering my MacBook with USB ethernet, ultrawide monitor and keyboard and mouse. Docking is very simple now.

But you never know when it will work. You can daisy chain current MacBook Pros for charging. Which seems amazing. But you need to plug in to the correct USB-C port and daisy from the correct port.

There was lots of backlash on Apple when they released the new Macbook Pro with only USB-C. I was happy with the change, however. I do struggle with multiple adapters now but I see that the only way to change the future is to force everyone to come and implement the new standard.

This is a change (like Flash) that Apple forced and should be credited for.

> I was happy with the change [...] I do struggle with multiple adapters now but I see that the only way to change the future is to force everyone [...]

Well I am not happy with the change, because I don't want to be the hostage in that plan of "changing the future". I want my stuff to work and get things done. I don't want to struggle to change the future. I don't want to force everyone. I want stuff to work.

Apple providing USB-C ports in addition to USB-A sockets would have been great. Apple removing USB-A is a major problem for some of us.

I can see that it is an annoyance (need of USB-C to USB-A adapter), but where is the "major problem"?

Playing devil's advocate, it can be a major problem if these USB-C to USB-A adapters can't be found anywhere. Around here, I've looked at several physical stores, and nowhere seems to sell an adapter from USB-C plug to USB-A socket. Or even a straight USB-C to USB-C cable; what these stores call "USB-C cable" is always an USB-A plug to USB-C plug cable.

Amazon has dozens of different models. If the physical stores don't have it, that is an indicator that they are low-volume items, i.e., only few users have this problem at all.

Alibaba is selling them for very cheap. I both a few for few dollars and then shipping itself is very cheap.

Apple has far less to do with USB C’s adoption than the tens or hundreds of millions of Android phones.

Once peripheral makers etc are already have in house experience and knowledge with USB C thanks to their phone departments, it makes far more sense to release USB C peripherals even at the desktop level, so the removal of USB A ports from the MBP likely played a very small to no role in the transition.

Even if the MBP had both USB C and USB A ports, peripheral makers would likely have preferred making their peripherals USB C compatible.

I mostly agree, except my USB-C dock/hub has terrible audio. I shouldn't be able to hear data flowing through any device. Audio direct from the laptop is much cleaner.

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