What do you think of USB-C?

[Drak3]

13 minutes ago, Blebekblebek said:

I don't really care about those port, but if that is the argument, then put more USB port why just 1 or 2 or even 3.

Add Thunderbolt, USB-C, USB-A, USB 3.1, USB 2.0 all together.

Needs of the consumers. Some offer a plethora of ports, others don't.

 

7 minutes ago, Asthetic said:

I agree. but that's a bit extreme. all i' asking is single or more usb c with type a. magsafe (or charging port) and an HDMI or display port. that's all I don't find use for anything else. although I do have a pc at home! I'm sure people without a pc would use more USB ports

For HDMI/DP, a dock takes up a bit more space, and both a dock and dongle ask for an additional (sometimes small) cost. Assuming one doesn't already have one. But again, cable management can be easier with a dock. Straight TB3 to DP/HDMI cables are also available.

 

As for power, the only issue of Type C is that you need a $40 cable to have magnetic break away. I'll take being able to use a port in either side, as it gives me an extra foot of cable for situations that I need it.

 

It's not ideal, but the compromise isn't an issue unless you need OSX on validated hardware, as there are other options.

[Asthetic]

2 minutes ago, Sniperfox47 said:

 

On the MacBook pro 2015? Magsafe, 2 USB 3.0, 2 thunderbolt 2, HDMI, and 2 mini DisplayPort... No Ethernet... And you come out of it with 4 multipurpose ports rather than 8 ports that each have their own purpose. Let's be honest here, how many users *actually* used all 8 ports at the same time?

 

maybe 8 was too extreme. but you get it  2 isn't enough at allll! 4 is almost acceptable! Think of it this way:

A display a mouse a keyboard an external drive and a charging cable(that's 6 in total) ! and an extra for stuff like MIDI webcams blah blah. I'd consider that good but remember it's only available on the insanely expensive laptops! if it was already the future I'd be ok with 1 thunderbolt 3 port and 2 gen 2 2 gen 1 usb C with USB 2.0 underneath (you get the space thing if that's what you're looking for!)

[Blebekblebek]

5 minutes ago, Sniperfox47 said:

The point is to make devices more portable and easier to carry. If you want all your ports you can still buy bigger, bulkier laptops from certain manufacturers. Adding more and more ports has other issues though in terms of space on the board for chips and traces.

If only this was true.

We all know the the whole board is not even as big as the keyboard it self.

With apple it's even worse

Most recent Laptop motherboard is about that big, adding a port or two doesn't even require another chipset or connector.

USB Controller are already build in inside the processor, they just need add the port.

1 minute ago, Drak3 said:

Needs of the consumers. Some offer a plethora of ports, others don't.

.

What your point?
Do people back then need LPT port? Serial Port? 4 USB? Ethernet? VGA? HDMI? Audio Port? mic Port? or the legendary PCI express card.

 

Just add it, if some people don't use it? then other who's using it have no worries.

I don't understand the mentality,  " If I don't use it then other can't have it "

Consumers aren't paying less for less port.

 

[Sniperfox47]

13 minutes ago, Asthetic said:

maybe 8 was too extreme. but you get it  2 isn't enough at allll! 4 is almost acceptable! Think of it this way:

A display a mouse a keyboard an external drive and a charging cable(that's 6 in total) !

But that's my point. If you had even a 2-port hub built into the power cable and a data port on the HDMI cable, you'd be able to plug in everything into two ports and still have 3 ports left over.

 

If it's a desktop drive instead of a portable drive, have a hub in the drive as well.

 

1 minute ago, Blebekblebek said:

If only this was true.

We all know the the whole board is not even as big as the keyboard it self.

With apple it's even worse

Most recent Laptop motherboard is about that big, adding a port or two doesn't even require another chipset or connector.

USB Controller are already build in inside the processor, they just need add the port.

What your point?

Umm... And the traces...? How about the fact that they need to isolate the traces from all the other traces, with how high bandwidth USB 3.1 and Thunderbolt are to avoid crosstalk? It's not as simple an issue as you're making it out to be.

[Asthetic]

Just now, Sniperfox47 said:

But that's my point. If you had even a 2-port hub built into the power cable and a data port on the HDMI cable, you'd be able to plug in everything into two ports and still have 3 ports left over.

 

If it's a desktop drive instead of a portable drive, have a hub in the drive as well.

 

Umm... And the traces...? How about the fact that they need to isolate the traces from all the other traces, with how high bandwidth USB 3.1 and Thunderbolt are to avoid crosstalk? It's not as simple an issue as you're making it out to be.

Uhmmm HUBs introduce problems and glitches AFAIK. 

[PlayStation 2]

People complain about having too much, they reduce what they can have.

People complain about having too little, they offer dongles.

People complain about having dongles, they can't do much about that.

 

It's all a thing of complaining, really.

[KE2012]

Personally, I've never had a (None C) USB fail on me, but I have had 2 USB C fail. GRRRRRR  

[Asthetic]

2 minutes ago, KE2012 said:

Personally, I've never had a (None C) USB fail on me, but I have had 2 USB C fail. GRRRRRR  

D: in what way/laptop?

[KE2012]

Just now, Asthetic said:

D: in what way/laptop?

A phone charger and a cable for a speaker. 

 

(I stripped the cable down thinking it must be a bust cable, but it was the connections inside the plug bit that failed) 

[Sniperfox47]

4 minutes ago, Asthetic said:

Uhmmm HUBs introduce problems and glitches AFAIK. 

If you have a cheap crappy hub? Sure.

 

The only issues a decent hub will introduce are the fact that you're splitting your throughput and splitting the power. So if you plug 6 external hard drives into a hub, will you get the full performance? No, probably not. Even 2 might have issues unless the hub is wall powered.

 

With the power cord you have wall power so it can be a powered hub, with the HDMI cable you  only have one port so you're fine, and with the portable drive that's why you don't build in a port, because the drive needs most of the power.

 

 

[Asthetic]

Just now, KE2012 said:

A phone charger and a cable for a speaker. 

 

(I stripped the cable down thinking it must be a bust cable, but it was the connections inside the plug bit that failed) 

D; that's awful! I personally had on kind of port fail for me ! never had USB C either tbh. I'm going to buy an HP Spectre x360 soon though. with only usb c and a type a D:

[Drak3]

12 minutes ago, Blebekblebek said:

What your point?
Do people back then need LPT port? Serial Port? 4 USB? Ethernet? VGA? HDMI? Audio Port? mic Port? or the legendary PCI express card.

Some did, yes. And they had the option to use it.

 

13 minutes ago, Blebekblebek said:

Just add it, if some people don't use it? then other who's using it have no worries.

I don't understand the mentality,  " If I don't use it then other can't have it "

That isn't the mentality. The mentality is that the people that need them have the option to devices that natively carry them, or adapt from ones that don't. Those that don't need them can have machines that use the space for other things (bigger batteries, ofher ports, or impact absorption).

 

11 minutes ago, Asthetic said:

Uhmmm HUBs introduce problems and glitches AFAIK. 

Some are bad about it. Others, not any bigger a worry than an iffy port.

11 minutes ago, Dan Castellaneta said:

People complain about having too much, they reduce what they can have.

People complain about having too little, they offer dongles.

People complain about having dongles, they can't do much about that.

A few SKUs that offer different levels of IO works. Dongles are the less attractive (to consumers at least) option.

[Sniperfox47]

4 minutes ago, KE2012 said:

A phone charger and a cable for a speaker. 

 

(I stripped the cable down thinking it must be a bust cable, but it was the connections inside the plug bit that failed) 

What speaker do you have that uses USB-C?

 

And was it an OEM phone cable? Cheaply made USB-C cables are no different from Micro-USB in terms of the internal connections and solder points. If you buy cheap crappy Micro-USB cables from 7/11 be glad if they last you a few months of regular use.

[Zodiark1593]

2 hours ago, Asthetic said:

Yeah. and if they want to go full usb C include like atleast 6 or 8 of them! (if they think the future is all USB C)

I resurrected my old 3rd gen iPod Nano for this reason actually. Means my phone doesn't need to leave my pocket in the car.

[KE2012]

1 hour ago, Asthetic said:

D; that's awful! I personally had on kind of port fail for me ! never had USB C either tbh. I'm going to buy an HP Spectre x360 soon though. with only usb c and a type a D:

Well, I'm sure the port doesn't get to claim it's increased reliability for nothing. I'm probably just unlucky. 

 

1 hour ago, Sniperfox47 said:

What speaker do you have that uses USB-C?

 

And was it an OEM phone cable? Cheaply made USB-C cables are no different from Micro-USB in terms of the internal connections and solder points. If you buy cheap crappy Micro-USB cables from 7/11 be glad if they last you a few months of regular use.

 

Yeah, the cable for my phone came in the box (Nexus 6p), and the speakers were a bunch of cheap no namer things (JBL knock off I think) I bought for a camping weekend away so I didnt care if they got wet and damaged. Chucked them long ago now so can't remember preciserly what they were.   

[potoooooooo]

I can't remember the last time i plugged more than one usb device at a time into my laptop.

 

Every now and then a mouse, every now and then a flash drive. That's it, and never a monitor output.

 

4 USB-C 3.1 w/DP ports is more than most people will ever need. 1 mouse, 1 flash drive, 1 display output, and 1 for charging. 99% of people will never need more than 4 at once. Probably only a few people need more than 2 at once, and now that USB type C monitors exist with built in power delivery and USB hubs, the arguement for more ports on laptops starts falling flat.

15 minutes ago, KE2012 said:

 Chucked them long ago now so can't remember preciserly what they were.   

I don't believe you. If they were cheap knockoffs, they weren't USB-C.

[Sniperfox47]

19 minutes ago, KE2012 said:

Yeah, the cable for my phone came in the box (Nexus 6p)

Weird, the cables that came with the 6P were pretty decent afaik. Mines still holding up fine 2 years later with near-daily use.

19 minutes ago, KE2012 said:

and the speakers were a bunch of cheap no namer things (JBL knock off I think) I bought for a camping weekend away so I didnt care if they got wet and damaged. Chucked them long ago now so can't remember preciserly what they were.   

You're sure they were USB-C? I've been searching and searching for speakers that use Type-C for charging instead of micro or mini... even if they don't accept USB audio...

 

I've been trying to get as much of my ecosystem switched over as possible so I can cut down on cables.

[D13H4RD]

USB-C is the future....in both good and bad ways.

 

For one, I love its potential, especially when it has a Thunderbolt 3 controller, acting as a USB port, power input/output, DisplayPort and even for external GPUs.

 

On the other hand, the transition could've been done better. Not by removing all ports and slapping USB-C without at least providing a dongle in the box....Apple.

[Sniperfox47]

6 minutes ago, D13H4RD2L1V3 said:

On the other hand, the transition could've been done better. Not by removing all ports and slapping USB-C without at least providing a dongle in the box....Apple.

The transition could always be done better. You hear this about USB-C. You hear it about HDMI. You hear it about Firefox extensions. Sometimes it's necessary to rip the band-aid off.

 

Should apple have included a cheap 50cent adapter in the box? Absofreakinglutely. But they're Apple. They don't include anything in the box that they don't have to. They're far happier if they can charge you $50 for that 50¢ adapter a week from now. Anybody who buys an Apple product expecting to not get destroyed on first party accessories has clearly missed the past 10 years of Apple being Apple.

[D13H4RD]

2 minutes ago, Sniperfox47 said:

Should apple have included a cheap 50cent adapter in the box? Absofreakinglutely. But they're Apple. They don't include anything in the box that they don't have to. They're far happier if they can charge you $50 for that 50¢ adapter a week from now. Anybody who buys an Apple product expecting to not get destroyed on first party accessories has clearly missed the past 10 years of Apple being Apple.

It's funny though.

 

If you own an iPhone or bought one at the same time you bought one of the new MacBooks, you can't plug them into the MacBook out of the box. You would have to buy another cable that has a USB-C end.

 

The really funny part is that the Google Pixel can do so out of the box. It's honestly really silly in how Apple's own products don't work well out of the box in regards to this. Sure, Continuity and all that stuff is actually very nicely done. But sometimes, even the simple stuff got overlooked.

[kingforge]

12 minutes ago, D13H4RD2L1V3 said:

USB-C is the future....in both good and bad ways.

 

For one, I love its potential, especially when it has a Thunderbolt 3 controller, acting as a USB port, power input/output, DisplayPort and even for external GPUs.

 

On the other hand, the transition could've been done better. Not by removing all ports and slapping USB-C without at least providing a dongle in the box....Apple.

I'm really hoping for USB-C to rule all ports to be honest. If it ever does. It would make over the phone calls with clients about where to plug which into a computer really simple. I Would be like... "Plug the "thicc" cord to the port on back of the tower that is different from all the rest of the ports of the computer". Than "Plus everything else anywhere you would like".

Though I could still see my clients messing that up somehow...

 

Maybe they'll make USB type-c cables powerful enough to deliver power to power supplies.... One day...

[Sniperfox47]

4 minutes ago, D13H4RD2L1V3 said:

If you own an iPhone or bought one at the same time you bought one of the new MacBooks, you can't plug them into the MacBook out of the box. You would have to buy another cable that has a USB-C end.

Yeah, but let's be honest? How many people actually plug their iPhone into their Mac anymore? Mobile photographers, maybe. Jailbreakers. Maybe a tech savvy person looking to back some stuff up without iCloud. But the *vast* majority of their user base likely just plugs phone into wall and laptop into wall and calls it a day.

 

8 minutes ago, D13H4RD2L1V3 said:

The really funny part is that the Google Pixel can do so out of the box. It's honestly really silly in how Apple's own products don't work well out of the box in regards to this. Sure, Continuity and all that stuff is actually very nicely done. But sometimes, even the simple stuff got overlooked.

Yeah. Google's good like that. The Pixel phone comes with an adapter too. They may push for the newer standard but at least they're considerate enough to go "but we do understand that you likely still have older stuff, so don't worry."

[Drak3]

18 minutes ago, Sniperfox47 said:

They're far happier if they can charge you $50 for that 50¢ adapter a week from now. Anybody who buys an Apple product expecting to not get destroyed on first party accessories has clearly missed the past 10 years of Apple being Apple.

Actually, Apple's first party adapters, and Belkin's 'made for the Apple store' adapters, at least in Idaho, are either the same price, or cheaper than any and every equivalent in quality. Only way I got male C to female A cheaper than Apple's asking price is just straoght using the adapters that came with my S8 twins, or thr HD500 that I got with my Lumia 950XL.

[KE2012]

33 minutes ago, Sniperfox47 said:

Weird, the cables that came with the 6P were pretty decent afaik. Mines still holding up fine 2 years later with near-daily use.

You're sure they were USB-C? I've been searching and searching for speakers that use Type-C for charging instead of micro or mini... even if they don't accept USB audio...

 

I've been trying to get as much of my ecosystem switched over as possible so I can cut down on cables.

Yeah it just charged off USB C which I found to be stupid if I'm honest. Think it was a 'Oooh look, we're using usb c! Buy us!" Sort of thing when USBC was relatively new.  I'll dig through what receipts I have and see if I can find it but don't hold ya breath, I tend to bin stuff like that once it's past its best. 

[Sniperfox47]

5 minutes ago, KE2012 said:

Yeah it just charged off USB C which I found to be stupid if I'm honest. Think it was a 'Oooh look, we're using usb c! Buy us!" Sort of thing when USBC was relatively new.  I'll dig through what receipts I have and see if I can find it but don't hold ya breath, I tend to bin stuff like that once it's past its best. 

Don't go out of your way. Just surprised. I'll take another look around.