USB-IF, the body in charge of making everything related to USB protocols evolve, has announced the launch of a new specification for the USB-C connector that will allow transferring through this connector up to 240 watts of power . This is a significant increase over the 100 watts in the previous specification.
The USB-IF has called this new capability “Extended Power Range” or “EPR”. To benefit from it, of course, it will be necessary to buy new cables, in addition to having a device that has implemented this new connector specification.
The organization also indicates that cables that support this power must have a distinctive logo (EPR) that allows buyers to easily identify them. These cables have to withstand 5 amps and 50 volts (which equates to 250 watts).
The key to this issue: that a USB-C port supports up to 240 watts opens the door to a wider range of uses . For example: a high-performance monitor could be powered using this connector. Or a desktop computer like the iMac. Or even some modern televisions. That is to say: USB-C would not only be limited to computers, tablets and smartphones, it could also reach products with much higher consumption.
USB-C is only a part of history
The USB-C, remember, is only the connector . A separate story is the protocol used to transfer information. That's where names like Thunderbolt, USB 3.2, DisplayPort, etc. come into play. Therefore, a USB-C port is multidisciplinary. And while all USB-Cs look the same, they don't all support the same technologies. The clearest example is found in the recent iMac: it has four USB-C ports, but only two of them support Thunderbolt.
This difference in compatible protocols has more than ideally complicated the history of USB-C , whose main objective has always been to simplify the situation of the cables we use to interconnect electronic devices. And, while it is true that this connector can do what several did before, we are still far from achieving that extreme simplicity that consumers probably need.
