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We’re likely to see a similar sea change, except this time, it might not just be laptops. Incidentally, HP was the first to introduce a (micro) USB-powered laptop all the way back in 2013. This is reminiscent of when Apple first launched the USB-C MacBook in early 2015 (and Google almost immediately followed days later with their own USB-C charging Pixel Chromebook) and the laptop industry soon all went to USB-C. Apple, which is often tempted into messing with standards is apparently leading the (ahem) charge on USB-C PD R3.1. Other companies have hacked USB-C to get over the 100W limit of USB-C (actually going from 5A to 6.5A instead of a higher voltage). Meanwhile Apple’s Power Adapter Tech Specs leave more than a little to be desired: Regulators are calling it USB PD R3.1 spec. In fact, there isn’t even a cool name for it. The standard is so new that USB-C cables that are compliant aren’t even on the market yet, and it’s part of the reason you can only charge at that speed with Apple’s $49 USB-C to Magsafe adapter cable, not directly to the USB-C ports that charge below 100W. It’s one of the first such adapters and certainly the first laptop to use the standard. But what’s hugely more interesting is that it’s USB-C Power Delivery 3.1 compliant.
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But this could be the biggest step change in the electronics industry this year.Īpple chose the gallium nitride (GAN, via Verge) format to allow it to be in a smaller package, and that’s certainly something we can get behind.
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Along with all of the fanfare during yesterday’s MacBook Pro launch, one thing I wasn’t expecting was a 140W USB-C power adapter.
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