With USB Type-C and Thunderbolt 3, the industry is moving towards new standards that may one day replace Micro-USB or even HDMI entirely. Unfortunately, it is the transitional period that is usually the most difficult for end-users as there is a juggling act to support both legacy interfaces and the push to use newer standards.
StarTech is the maker of high-end accessories and docking stations for desktops and laptops alike. We reviewed a StarTech docking station early last year and found it to be of premium quality that is reflective of its high starting price. Instead of just announcing availability, however, StarTech is also clarifying some confusion between the USB Type-C and Thunderbolt 3 standards.
Firstly, USB Type-C and Thunderbolt 3 share the same physical connection. Thunderbolt 3 ports support Type-C speeds, while not all Type-C ports support Thunderbolt 3. Standard USB Type-C can be limited to USB 2.0 at its slowest, such as on the OnePlus 2, or limited to USB 3.0 (5 Gbps) or 3.1 Gen. 2 speeds (10 Gbps), such as on the MSI GS60 6QE or GT72S. Few devices currently sport a full Thunderbolt 3 port capable of 40 Gbps with one example being the recent Asus G752.
StarTech's newest cables and docking stations aim to reduce confusion during the switch to the new technologies.
It's worth a look to check out StarTech's short descriptions of USB Type-C and Thunderbolt 3. We fully expect to see more smartphones, tablets, and notebooks sporting the reversible port come 2016 or even late 2015 with the Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X.
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