It is pretty flexible. But ethernet, displayport, 3.5mm, etc require an adapter. Plus, usb-c’s bandwidth is typically 40gbps max, whereas DisplayPort is 80gbps, for example. Not to mention that the number of ports is way lower than it used to be.
The Apples of this generation pictured all support DisplayPort alt mode, and Thunderbolt 3, through those USB-C ports. That means that you could use passive USB-C to DP cables that didn’t need active translation in the cable/adapter itself.
That means that you could use passive USB-C to DP cable
Precisely, you need to use an adapter and you’re already down a significant % of ports just plugging in a monitor. The ports in lots of laptop models are a joke and it’s baffling that more people aren’t laughing.
Is this a joke? That’s literally the definition of an adapter.
Talking about the first part, of course. Adapting from usb- a to b is not adapting anything other than the physical connector. It’s not the same as usb-c to hdmi or dp, for example.
Adapting from usb- a to b is not adapting anything other than the physical connector.
Neither is the DisplayPort cables I’m talking about, where one end is just USB-C, but the signal actually transmitted through the USB-C connector and the cable itself is the HBR/UHBR transmission mode of any other DisplayPort cable (whatever the combination of the two ends physical connectors, between full DisplayPort, mini DisplayPort, or USB-C). It’s not “adapted” because the data signals aren’t converted in any way.
So it’s as much an “adapter” as a DP cable that is a mini one one side and a full size on the other.
Technically, yes. However, show me a monitor that comes with a dp to usb-c cable. Included cables are 99% the same connector on botj ends. That means that you’d need to buy extra cables (or a hub) for all of you non usb-c ports/devices.
Well, the last two monitors I bought didn’t come with any signal cables at all, probably because the manufacturers don’t need to presume whether the consumer prefers HDMI or DP, or whether the other side is full size, mini-DP/mini-HDMI, or USB-C alt mode. Just right there, that’s 5 possibilities, each about as common as the others.
Sure, but that’s not a common scenario anymore. We have wifi that is faster than most client Ethernet installations, and if you’re at a desk anyways you probably want a dock. I suppose there is the network engineer who needs to plug directly into various switches and such, but if that’s your debug mechanism, well I am very sorry, look into remote management options to make your life so much easier.
Common according to who? Also, do you think that’s a coincidence? It’d be like saying that user “chose” to use primarily tws earphones instead of cabled ones. Manufacturers just removed the option and forced people to use rheir devices the way they wanted to.
Regarding ethernet, please show me an inexpensive dock with 10gbe. You also don’t need to be a network engineer to take advantage of those speeds. For example, you could be editing video directly from a NAS.
You have a pretty selfish viewpoint. Why would it be so bad to have more connectivity options? If you don’t want to use them, don’t.
Find me a laptop that has 10GbE. I’ve only seen 1Gb and recently 2.5GbE. Note that thunderbolt 3 is 40 Gb/s, or 4 times that. Thunderbolt 5 is up to 120Gb/s, or 12 times that. If you’re editing video directly from your high-bandwidth NAS on a several-thousand dollar laptop, I find it extremely unlikely that a sub-$500 dock would be a concern. Even more, anybody who actually does that on a day-in-day-out basis would clearly see the benefit in using a dock in the first place, due to the convenience of having so much bandwidth and power able to be provided over a single cable.
Straight from the integrated nic is not something common but here’s an example.
However, my point was that more ports means that you have more bandwidth. If you plug in a 10gbe adapter to one tb3 port, you’re añready using up 25% of your bandwidth and you could no longer plug in 2 high resolution monitors to that same port for example. Not to mention that I don’t think there are hubs with 10gbe (they’re adapters exclusively for ethernet). So that means that you plug in 1 adapter and you already lose like half of youe available ports.
I don’t know why you keep coming up with excuses for being upcharged. You’re giving me strong Stockholm Syndrome vibes.
USB-C is awesome though. I carry one charger amd dongle for HDMI and ethernet. It serves my many devices including Steam Deck, phone and laptop.
It is pretty flexible. But ethernet, displayport, 3.5mm, etc require an adapter. Plus, usb-c’s bandwidth is typically 40gbps max, whereas DisplayPort is 80gbps, for example. Not to mention that the number of ports is way lower than it used to be.
The Apples of this generation pictured all support DisplayPort alt mode, and Thunderbolt 3, through those USB-C ports. That means that you could use passive USB-C to DP cables that didn’t need active translation in the cable/adapter itself.
Precisely, you need to use an adapter and you’re already down a significant % of ports just plugging in a monitor. The ports in lots of laptop models are a joke and it’s baffling that more people aren’t laughing.
No, it’s not an adapter. It’s literally just a cable with two different ends.
Unless you consider an ordinary USB-A to USB-B (or mini B or micro B) to be an “adapter,” too.
Is this a joke? That’s literally the definition of an adapter.
Talking about the first part, of course. Adapting from usb- a to b is not adapting anything other than the physical connector. It’s not the same as usb-c to hdmi or dp, for example.
Neither is the DisplayPort cables I’m talking about, where one end is just USB-C, but the signal actually transmitted through the USB-C connector and the cable itself is the HBR/UHBR transmission mode of any other DisplayPort cable (whatever the combination of the two ends physical connectors, between full DisplayPort, mini DisplayPort, or USB-C). It’s not “adapted” because the data signals aren’t converted in any way.
So it’s as much an “adapter” as a DP cable that is a mini one one side and a full size on the other.
Technically, yes. However, show me a monitor that comes with a dp to usb-c cable. Included cables are 99% the same connector on botj ends. That means that you’d need to buy extra cables (or a hub) for all of you non usb-c ports/devices.
Which is unnecessary and also precisely my point.
Well, the last two monitors I bought didn’t come with any signal cables at all, probably because the manufacturers don’t need to presume whether the consumer prefers HDMI or DP, or whether the other side is full size, mini-DP/mini-HDMI, or USB-C alt mode. Just right there, that’s 5 possibilities, each about as common as the others.
Ethernet goes down USB C, 3.5 is built into the computer and Deck.
My point was that you require a physical adapter. You can’t plug in an RJ45 into a USB-C port.
You can’t plug it into a USB-A port either. Checkmate.
Sure, but that’s not a common scenario anymore. We have wifi that is faster than most client Ethernet installations, and if you’re at a desk anyways you probably want a dock. I suppose there is the network engineer who needs to plug directly into various switches and such, but if that’s your debug mechanism, well I am very sorry, look into remote management options to make your life so much easier.
Common according to who? Also, do you think that’s a coincidence? It’d be like saying that user “chose” to use primarily tws earphones instead of cabled ones. Manufacturers just removed the option and forced people to use rheir devices the way they wanted to.
Regarding ethernet, please show me an inexpensive dock with 10gbe. You also don’t need to be a network engineer to take advantage of those speeds. For example, you could be editing video directly from a NAS.
You have a pretty selfish viewpoint. Why would it be so bad to have more connectivity options? If you don’t want to use them, don’t.
Find me a laptop that has 10GbE. I’ve only seen 1Gb and recently 2.5GbE. Note that thunderbolt 3 is 40 Gb/s, or 4 times that. Thunderbolt 5 is up to 120Gb/s, or 12 times that. If you’re editing video directly from your high-bandwidth NAS on a several-thousand dollar laptop, I find it extremely unlikely that a sub-$500 dock would be a concern. Even more, anybody who actually does that on a day-in-day-out basis would clearly see the benefit in using a dock in the first place, due to the convenience of having so much bandwidth and power able to be provided over a single cable.
Straight from the integrated nic is not something common but here’s an example.
However, my point was that more ports means that you have more bandwidth. If you plug in a 10gbe adapter to one tb3 port, you’re añready using up 25% of your bandwidth and you could no longer plug in 2 high resolution monitors to that same port for example. Not to mention that I don’t think there are hubs with 10gbe (they’re adapters exclusively for ethernet). So that means that you plug in 1 adapter and you already lose like half of youe available ports.
I don’t know why you keep coming up with excuses for being upcharged. You’re giving me strong Stockholm Syndrome vibes.
It doesn’t serve my IEMs
With the new Mac, on the otherwise of the laptop there is a 3.5mm combo jack, so you can still use your IEMs and headphones.