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USB-C is the connector, most systems have USB3.1 protocol running over USB-C. Some phones have USB 2.0 protocol running over USB-C connector. And the new MacBoo

by ytjohn 10y ago

USB-C is the connector, most systems have USB3.1 protocol running over USB-C. Some phones have USB 2.0 protocol running over USB-C connector. And the new MacBooks and some new PCs have Thunderbolt3 protocol running over USB-C. The protocol will self-negotiate and fall back to the most advanced protocol both devices speak.

rocky1138 10y ago
Then why does the article state that it's got both a 1xUSB Type-C and a 1xThunderbolt 3? Why does it differentiate if Thunderbolt 3 requires a USB Type-C connector?
- maxsilver 10y ago
  > Why does it differentiate? Because Thunderbolt 3 is faster than USB, and allows for more powerful devices. All USB Type C ports support USB, but only some USB Type C ports also support Thunderbolt 3, so they are labeled differently to show that.
  - rocky1138 10y ago
    OK but why would they ever have a USB 3 USB Type-C port if they had one Thunderbolt 3? Why would they put a crappy one in if they also have a good one? Why not just have two good ones?
    - mattnewton 10y ago
      Why have a crappier version of anything? I suspect it is because it is more cost effective and the average customer will not know the difference, as most devices don't speak (and don't need to speak) thunderbolt yet anyways.
      - rocky1138 10y ago
        The customer will notice the difference when the TB3 device only works on one side of their laptop and not the other. This brings us back to the fallacy of USB Type-C and the idea of One True Plug.
    - mikhailt 10y ago
      Power and budget constraints set for the laptop. If they could afford it, they would've add two. TB3 controllers are bulky, more power-hungry, and expensive. The reason TB3 is so fast without using up too much CPU is that its controllers handle most of the processing, not the CPU (bulky/power hungry). They're expensive because only Intel is offering the controller at large scale that companies need. USB 3.0 and USB 2 do not need such a large controller, they offload to CPU mostly and you can buy it from anywhere, so they're cheap too.
    - khedoros1 10y ago
      Presumably, it has something to do with the data lanes between the CPU and Thunderbolt controller, and probably only using a 1-port TB3 controller.

by ytjohn 10y ago

rocky1138 10y ago

Then why does the article state that it's got both a 1xUSB Type-C and a 1xThunderbolt 3? Why does it differentiate if Thunderbolt 3 requires a USB Type-C connector?

maxsilver 10y ago
> Why does it differentiate? Because Thunderbolt 3 is faster than USB, and allows for more powerful devices. All USB Type C ports support USB, but only some USB Type C ports also support Thunderbolt 3, so they are labeled differently to show that.
- rocky1138 10y ago
  OK but why would they ever have a USB 3 USB Type-C port if they had one Thunderbolt 3? Why would they put a crappy one in if they also have a good one? Why not just have two good ones?
  - mattnewton 10y ago
    Why have a crappier version of anything? I suspect it is because it is more cost effective and the average customer will not know the difference, as most devices don't speak (and don't need to speak) thunderbolt yet anyways.
    - rocky1138 10y ago
      The customer will notice the difference when the TB3 device only works on one side of their laptop and not the other. This brings us back to the fallacy of USB Type-C and the idea of One True Plug.
  - mikhailt 10y ago
    Power and budget constraints set for the laptop. If they could afford it, they would've add two. TB3 controllers are bulky, more power-hungry, and expensive. The reason TB3 is so fast without using up too much CPU is that its controllers handle most of the processing, not the CPU (bulky/power hungry). They're expensive because only Intel is offering the controller at large scale that companies need. USB 3.0 and USB 2 do not need such a large controller, they offload to CPU mostly and you can buy it from anywhere, so they're cheap too.
  - khedoros1 10y ago
    Presumably, it has something to do with the data lanes between the CPU and Thunderbolt controller, and probably only using a 1-port TB3 controller.