One last complicating factor: In 2021, the USB Type-C specification was updated to support power delivery up to 240 watts, instead of 100 watts. The change isn't yet supported by most machines, and will generally require a new cable. It comes with its own USB-C cable, and can rotate, so the ports you need closest are where you want them. Those sleek oval USB-C ports seem to be everywhere these days—they're now ubiquitous on smartphones and tablets, and they often appear on laptop and desktop PCs as well. But if you're in the market for a new laptop, you might be surprised to see them being used not only for connecting peripherals but for charging, in place of the familiar dedicated power port. Nearly all of the best laptops we recommend nowadays feature USB-C charging, and even those that come with a different AC adapter often support USB-C power. The main exceptions are gaming laptops and mobile workstations, which usually have beefier power adapters to handle the higher wattage those systems require. If you have a USB-C analog audio adapter connected to your PC, unplug it, then connect a USB-C digital audio adapter instead. Your PC (or phone) has a low battery, so it has temporarily limited the amount of power it can provide to the device.

It matches well on ports and power, although the Twelve South StayGo has one more USB-A port, and its SD and microSD cards can be read simultaneously while the PNY can read one card at a time – which will rarely be a problem for most users. Note: This applies to all the error codes shown in Device Manager except error Code 28 (drivers for the device aren’t installed).It won't hold up your iPhone 15 or Apple Watch like others on this list but has more than enough juice to charge all your devices at once and is small enough to not jut out from the wall it's plugged into. The little face on it changes depending on how charged your device is and it avoids overcharging with some smart tech. Notes: USB Type-C has a new feature called Alternate Modes which allows you to use non-USB connections with the USB-C cable and connection. There's no setting to turn on—your device automatically uses the appropriate mode if it's supported. Here are the display Alternate Modes that your cable may support: To charge faster, your PC (or phone), charger, and cable must all support the industry standards. Your charger and cable must also support the power levels your PC (or phone) requires for the faster charging. For example, if your PC requires 12V and 3A for the fastest charging, a 5V, 3A charger won’t give you the fastest charging. Many powerful laptops demand more than 100 watts when in use. In these cases, USB-C may work for charging a battery when the system is off or idle but may be unable to recharge the battery and power the system at the same time. As we said, all you may see is a slower rate of battery depletion with the PC plugged into a USB-C adapter.

Make sure the device or dongle is connected to the USB-C port on your PC (or phone) that supports the correct Alternate Mode. For example, a DisplayPort Alternate Mode adapter should be connected to the USB-C port on your PC (or phone) that supports DisplayPort Alternate Mode. Make sure the device or dongle is connected to the USB-C port on your PC that supports the correct Alternate Mode. For example, a DisplayPort Alternate Mode adapter should be connected to the USB-C port on your PC that supports DisplayPort Alternate Mode. This comes with some major caveats. You'll need a charger that matches your laptop's wattage, and as mentioned you may be able to charge the battery a little when the laptop's powered off but not get enough power to use the computer if the battery's empty. Still, many if not most USB-C power sources are interchangeable. In fact, built-in power regulation is part of the USB-C spec, which makes mixing and matching power adapters that much easier. When it comes to notebooks sold within the last decade, the answer is "It depends." Though USB-C ports and USB-C charging have become common on laptops, power over USB-C isn't standardized, and it’s not always easy to tell if it's even supported. Our team of expert reviewers have tested a massive range of home and office tech, from the best standing desks to the best monitors for video editing.A PC (or phone) with USB Type-C connectors has larger power limits. If the connector supports USB Power Delivery, it can charge even faster at greater power levels. Chargers that don't have a standard USB Type-C connector might use a proprietary, nonstandard connector that your PC (or phone) doesn’t support. The HDMI plus one Thunderbolt/USB-C port would connect two displays (4K at 60Hz for Thunderbolt laptops), while the third external display would use one of the USB-C ports (4K at 30Hz). Unless your display has a USB-C connection itself, you’ll need an adapter (not included) using the Thunderbolt and USB-C connections. Ports: 1 x HDMI v2.0, 2 x DisplayPort++, 1 x USB-C 3.1 Gen2, 1 x USB-A 3.1 Gen2, 4 x USB-A 3.1 Gen1 The Alternate Mode feature must be supported on the PC's hardware and software, and the connected device or dongle. You might also need a specific USB-C cable.

You also get seven USB ports (one 10Gbps USB-C, two 10Gbps USB-A and four 5Gbps USB-A). The USB-C port can charge devices at a generous 15W, plenty for storage devices or just your smartphone.

ROG Gaming Charger Dock

There's a driver in the device you connected to that isn't supported in the version of Windows 10 Mobile your phone is running. For information about the supported devices, see Universal Serial Bus (USB). Two of its USB-A ports support 10Gbps bandwidth, but the other two are the far more lowly 480Mbps USB 2.0. This USB port doesn't support DisplayPort or Thunderbolt or MHL. Plug the USB device into a different USB port on your PC. This HP Spectre laptop has a dedicated charging port (center) and two USB-C ports not used for charging. (Credit: Molly Flores) Make sure the device or dongle is connected to the USB-C port on your PC (or phone) that supports the correct Alternate Mode. For example, if you're connecting a Thunderbolt Alternate Mode device, make sure you connect to the USB-C port that supports Thunderbolt.