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If you're a techie looking to understand everything, USB-C is a confusing mess - however if you're just a regular person buying a random USB-C dock at the compu

If you're a techie looking to understand everything, USB-C is a confusing mess - however if you're just a regular person buying a random USB-C dock at the computer store, it's very likely the model you're going to get will support charging, display out and fast enough port speeds that using an external drive won't be painful.

8ytecoder 4y ago
It’s like using a low-bandwidth hdmi cable on a 4K tv. People may not notice that their device isn’t charging well but as long as it’s charging they may not complain. Doesn’t mean the situation is anywhere close to ideal.
- spockz 4y ago
  I get this with a “cheap” USB c cable from Action. On good days it will train in at 60W charge. More often just at 30W. No problem for my 13” M1 laptop you never notice unless trying to rapid charge or looking at stats. But I did notice it with my old intel mbp it couldn’t stay charged.
- Gigachad 4y ago
  Life is better when you stop caring about having something ideal. Because nothing ever has been or ever will be ideal. As soon as we achieve today's ideals, the goal posts will have been moved to something else we can only just not get.
School-Cotton 4y ago
Not if you want to connect two 4K monitors at 60Hz, which is not an unusual thing to want to do. (It required that your dock, cables and machine support Thunderbolt 4).
paulmd 4y ago
> if you're just a regular person buying a random USB-C dock at the computer store, it's very likely the model you're going to get will support charging, display out and fast enough port speeds that using an external drive won't be painful. sure, but, when they plug it into their computer it's not going to work because almost no motherboards support video or pcie over their type-c connectors. the dock will do it, that doesn't mean the rest of the system will. also, while the cable that comes in the box will work... what if you need a longer one? if they buy a random usb-c cable off the shelf, will it work with video? survey says probably not... especially if they're a typical consumer and buy the cheapest one.

8ytecoder 4y ago

It’s like using a low-bandwidth hdmi cable on a 4K tv. People may not notice that their device isn’t charging well but as long as it’s charging they may not complain. Doesn’t mean the situation is anywhere close to ideal.

spockz 4y ago
I get this with a “cheap” USB c cable from Action. On good days it will train in at 60W charge. More often just at 30W. No problem for my 13” M1 laptop you never notice unless trying to rapid charge or looking at stats. But I did notice it with my old intel mbp it couldn’t stay charged.
Gigachad 4y ago
Life is better when you stop caring about having something ideal. Because nothing ever has been or ever will be ideal. As soon as we achieve today's ideals, the goal posts will have been moved to something else we can only just not get.

School-Cotton 4y ago

Not if you want to connect two 4K monitors at 60Hz, which is not an unusual thing to want to do. (It required that your dock, cables and machine support Thunderbolt 4).

paulmd 4y ago

> if you're just a regular person buying a random USB-C dock at the computer store, it's very likely the model you're going to get will support charging, display out and fast enough port speeds that using an external drive won't be painful. sure, but, when they plug it into their computer it's not going to work because almost no motherboards support video or pcie over their type-c connectors. the dock will do it, that doesn't mean the rest of the system will. also, while the cable that comes in the box will work... what if you need a longer one? if they buy a random usb-c cable off the shelf, will it work with video? survey says probably not... especially if they're a typical consumer and buy the cheapest one.