USB-C upgrade delivers 240W for gaming laptops and other devices | Hacker News Reader

USB-C upgrade delivers 240W for gaming laptops and other devices

cnet.com

20 pointstareqak14 comments

Key detail, from the new USB-C 2.1 spec:

> Extended Power Range (EPR) voltages (28 V – 48 V)

So so so good. Love it. We are so good at switching DC power these days. I am so happy to hear these connectors might have these voltage ranges in them. This is fabulous.

48v going straight from a solar battery bank to a USB port is very cool. So many 48/24v->12v->5v shenanigans occur with existing solar-to-charger systems.

I personally can't wait to melt the insulation off some cheap cables. This is going to be fun!

If it's 240W, that's 48V @ 5A. The same current as today's cables (100W: 20V @ 5A). Most likely won't get to melt any cables :)

This should have happened years ago.

At the begging you had proprietary docking stations with power delivery and multi display support. Then they got rid of that and went all in on usb-c docking station that suck (doesn't support multi display, limited charging) then came thunderbolt but that still had power limitation for up to 100w.

Most gaming laptops/desktop replacements need more than 100w so you need a docking station and another power brick just for charging, it's a mess.

USB-O can't come soon enough... the ultimate round connector

I feel you might be joking but that would actually be pretty cool

I am not joking, I have been dreaming about it since the first USB-C showed up.

Wonder if the aftermarker cables with magnetic breakaway tips will be able to keep up with the wattage. So far the 100W ones ive tried do work as advertised

going from 20V to 48V means there's more arc'ing potential, if the connector mis-aligns or starts to break away.

thankfully usb also has fairly high electrical ruggedness standards, so i doubt it'll break many ports/have much impact if this does happen.

Now if only systems like the Intel NUC, Asus PN, and the ASRock DeskMini would support being powered by USB...

I have some usb-c to 12v dc barrel jack cables. Someone could easily do the same for 20V cables, and you'd be in business. They're probably rated for 19V or 19.5V but they near certainly would do fine with 20V. They just need to be under 100W!!

You'd have to add some step down converters & this new spec to go higher. But under 100W, it's just a cable with a very very tiny chip embedded in one end that negotiates for 20V.

USB versions are confusing. We have usb4 which uses usb-c. And usb-c now has a new version called 2.1?

perhaps also expect a usb-pd (power delivery) 4.0 spec, which we'll probably need in order for devices to negotiate the extended power range.

i could be mistaken, it might not be necessary... but pretty sure it is a pre-requisite. perhaps an existing usb-pd version already is flexible enough though.

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