Also, newer docks for PCs and docks for Macs have now
widely integrated USB-C. Having only one USB-C port
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both from PC manufacturers such as Dell and HP and
from third-party accessory makers including Belkin and
OWC. These docks can recharge your laptop, give you
access to extra ports (including Ethernet, HDMI, USB
3.0, and VGA), and add support for multiple monitors.
DO YOU NEED USB-C?
The presence (or absence) of a USB-C port is
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buying a PC. An ultrathin laptop will almost certainly
have at least one USB-C port, which will catapult you
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¿QGWKHSRUWVWKHUHWRRZLWKDWOHDVWRQHRQWKH
motherboard-side I/O panel and likely more on high-
end and gaming desktops. Some desktops and
aftermarket PC cases are putting a USB-C port on the
front panel, too.
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:H¶UHRQO\VFUDWFKLQJWKHVXUIDFHRIZKDW86%&FDQGR
but one thing is certain: The next generation of cross-
platform connectors is quickly replacing the old guard
just as the original USB standard replaced Apple
Desktop Bus (ADB), FireWire, parallel, PS/2, SCSI, and
serial ports on Macs and PCs. USB-C truly is one port to
rule them all.
The presence
(or absence)
of a USB-C
port is
increasingly
becoming a
consideration
when you’re
buying a PC.PC MAGAZINE DIGITAL EDITION I SUBSCRIBE (^) I AUGUST 2020