5 ms·

After only reading the headlines promising the bright future of USB-C, I am very disappointed now that I carry three USB-C in my backpack for different use-case

After only reading the headlines promising the bright future of USB-C, I am very disappointed now that I carry three USB-C in my backpack for different use-cases.

yurishimo 5y ago
Can you explain the differences between them? I don't have many USB-C devices (Switch and MacBook) but wouldn't you be able to use the most "fully featured" cable for every scenario?
- ev1 5y ago
  The most "fully featured" cable with a USB-C tip is often like <0.5m long.
  - notatoad 5y ago
    which perfectly ecapsulates the "problem" with usb-c: everybody wants a cable with all the features, but only wants to pay for the cheapest cable. and then gets frustrated when their $3 cable doesn't support thunderbolt and high-power modes. you can get 3-metre thunderbolt cables if you want, you just have to pay a lot for them. all the problems with USB-C can be solved by spending more money. if you want to go the cheap route and buy cables that don't support all the various modes, then you're going to end up with a bunch of cables that don't support some modes and have to keep track of which ones those are. if you regularly use devices that need higher-spec cables, it's probably worth keeping one good high-spec USB-C cable in your bag, instead of three terrible ones.
  - texasbigdata 5y ago
    And $40+. Buying a long one for a music recording interface (that sweet sweet I/O) was super painful. I guess it's cheaper now but in what world is a $50 cable to power an accessory reasonable in any way. Source: https://www.sweetwater.com/c1225--Thunderbolt_Cables https://www.sweetwater.com/c1225--Thunderbolt_Cables
    - ev1 5y ago
      It's kind of funny when (pre-covid) at the office people would point out my dock TB/USBC connector and how thick it was. It carries probably 100W+ for power, multiple 4K displays, ethernet, half a dozen USB3 ports... I'd rather it not be the thickness of a 5W charging cable.

After only reading the headlines promising the bright future of USB-C, I am very disappointed now that I carry three USB-C in my backpack for different use-cases.

yurishimo 5y ago

Can you explain the differences between them? I don't have many USB-C devices (Switch and MacBook) but wouldn't you be able to use the most "fully featured" cable for every scenario?

ev1 5y ago
The most "fully featured" cable with a USB-C tip is often like <0.5m long.
- notatoad 5y ago
  which perfectly ecapsulates the "problem" with usb-c: everybody wants a cable with all the features, but only wants to pay for the cheapest cable. and then gets frustrated when their $3 cable doesn't support thunderbolt and high-power modes. you can get 3-metre thunderbolt cables if you want, you just have to pay a lot for them. all the problems with USB-C can be solved by spending more money. if you want to go the cheap route and buy cables that don't support all the various modes, then you're going to end up with a bunch of cables that don't support some modes and have to keep track of which ones those are. if you regularly use devices that need higher-spec cables, it's probably worth keeping one good high-spec USB-C cable in your bag, instead of three terrible ones.
- texasbigdata 5y ago
  And $40+. Buying a long one for a music recording interface (that sweet sweet I/O) was super painful. I guess it's cheaper now but in what world is a $50 cable to power an accessory reasonable in any way. Source: https://www.sweetwater.com/c1225--Thunderbolt_Cables https://www.sweetwater.com/c1225--Thunderbolt_Cables
  - ev1 5y ago
    It's kind of funny when (pre-covid) at the office people would point out my dock TB/USBC connector and how thick it was. It carries probably 100W+ for power, multiple 4K displays, ethernet, half a dozen USB3 ports... I'd rather it not be the thickness of a 5W charging cable.