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Comment by gautamcgoel | Hacker News Reader

I might be the minority here but I prefer USB-A. The connector feels more robust and I don't worry about damaging it. My keyboard, mouse, webcam, flash drives, etc. all use USB-A. A disadvantage of USB-C is that lint can get in the port and prevent a proper connection (this happens on my phone all the time). I believe that USB-A will be with us for a long time; the wisest thing at this point is to make sure that the latest USB protocols are supported over both physical ports. This was you can use USB-C on devices where small size is a priority (such as smartphones) and USB-A on devices where backwards compatibility/physical ruggedness are priorities.

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I have mixed feelings about it. Technologically I definitely prefer USB-C, and the "reversible cable" and "plug fits either way" parts are really neat.

However, they do indeed feel quite a lot more fragile. USB-A is an absolute tank, and I regularly just haphazardly plug it in without paying much attention to it, knowing that I'm not going to damage it. With USB-C I'm always a bit careful about not putting too much strain on the connector - especially as most connectors are rather long and act like a lever!

I can totally see myself breaking off USB-C ports because I forget to unplug the cable to my docking station. With USB-A, I pretty much expect to break the cable first.

> With USB-A, I pretty much expect to break the cable first.

It might seem that way, but the port supposedly breaks more easily than the cable in USB-A, since the A port contains springs (which will eventually get worn out and can be bent).

Anecdotally, I've seen tons of broken A ports with exactly that failure in airplanes, buses, and other places with public USB charging ports that people don't treat particularly nicely.

The leverage of C plugs does seem scary, but I have yet to encounter a broken port – fingers crossed!

Less than an hour ago I set my backpack down on top of a usb-c cable plugged into the back seat usb-c port in my car. The cable broke at the plug, but the port is fine. I'm a little upset with myself because it was my only 5A rated usb-c cable.

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