4 ms·

Today I learned that Thunderbolt is the name of the interface/protocol, not the connector.

• IgorPartola 8y ago
  Mhm. Same USB 3 is the protocol while USB C is the connector. You can totally have USB 2.0 only USB C ports.
  • phinnaeus 8y ago
    Many of the first phones that launched with USB-C connectors were USB 2.0.
  • BeeOnRope 8y ago
    Can you have USB 3.x over Type A?
    • dogma1138 8y ago
      Yes, USB 3.X type A has additional pins, all the “blue“ type-a ports can support USB 3.0 and 3.1 gen 1/2 depending on the controller powering them. USB-C adds additional pins for alt-mode as well as a higher power delivery allowance, but the USB data protocol part of it is the same as any other type of port of the same spec.
    • ac29 8y ago
      Type A, Type B, Micro B, and C are all valid: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB#Receptacle_(socket)_identification https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB#Receptacle_(socket)_identi...
  • habitue 8y ago
    Additionally, it might even make sense to have the power plug only be USB-2.0, if it's cheap. No reason to have a thunderbolt 3.0 cable plugged into the wall all the time
    • hiker512 8y ago
      Unless you want to use your external display as power supply and usb hub at the same time with just one cable. Some of us do work in actual offices and not in some coffee shops down the street. ;)
      • akoncius 8y ago
        but it’s not what parent author wrote. idea was to use usb-2 cheap cable as a cable to transfer electricity between charger and laptop.
        • PascLeRasc 8y ago
          USB 2.0 specifies a maximum of 20AWG wire width for power transmission, which would limit you to 1.5A for charging. http://sdphca.ucsd.edu/lab_equip_manuals/usb_20.pdf http://sdphca.ucsd.edu/lab_equip_manuals/usb_20.pdf
          • habitue 8y ago
            We're talking about usb-2.0 data over usb-c cable. It'll still have the power delivery of usb-c
        • hiker512 8y ago
          And that wastes physical real estate that could be used for a more modern cable. And with more USBC / thunderbolt cables around, theyll also get cheaper.
      • habitue 8y ago
        > Some of us do work in actual offices Whoah, what's up with that? Not sure why you're inferring this coffee shop story or why you're doing this smug posturing thing but it's pretty obnoxious.
• ClassyJacket 8y ago
  Yep, before USB-C was out, Thunderbolt used a MiniDisplayPort connector.