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Created in the mid-1990s, USBs (Universal Serial Bus) are the general go-to standard for connecting devices, charging, and data communication. And with such a long running standard, it has been updated over there years with 2.0, 3.0, Micro-USB, and Type C versions (just to name a few).
While USB was once used as mainly for data communication with limited charging capabilities, many devices now use a USB primarily for charging. This includes many mobile phones, computers, and plenty of other devices. However, this can lead to some issues as certain devices or cables are not compatible with other types of ports. Compounding that is the fact that there are speed differences between different types of USB. Case in point, Type C is faster than USB 3.0 which in turn is faster than 2.0. This leads to a lot of e-waste as people are constantly buying new cables or devices when USB technology advances further.
However, this issue of compatibility is about to be a thing of the past with the introduction of the USB Power Delivery Specification. USB Power Delivery (or PD, for short) is a single charging standard that can be used all across USB devices. Normally, each device charged by USB will have their own separate adapter, but not anymore. One universal USB PD will be able to power a wide variety of different devices.
So now that you know a bit about what the USB Power Delivery standard is, what are some of the big features that make it worthwhile? The biggest draw is that USB Power Delivery has increased standard power levels to up to 100W. This means your device will be able to charge much faster than before. Also, this will work for most devices and will be great for Nintendo Switch users, as there have been many complaints about it charging slow.
Another great feature of USB PD is the fact that the power direction is no longer fixed. In the past, if you plugged your phone into the computer, it would charge your phone. But with Power Delivery, the phone you plug in could be responsible for powering your hard drive.
Power Delivery will also ensure device are not overcharged and will only provide the necessary amount of juice needed. While most smart phones won’t be able to take advantage of the added power, many other devices and computers will be able to.
In conclusion, this new standard for USB charging could change the world of technology as we know it. With Power Delivery, a range of devices can share their charges with one another and power each other without hassle. Power Delivery is simply a much easier and a streamlined way to go about charging all of your devices.
As our phones and devices continue to use up more and more power, USB Power Delivery is likely to become more and more common. Even power banks now have USB PD to charge or operate devices that demand a lot of power (think MacBooks, Switches, GoPros, drones and more). We are certainly looking forward to a future where power can be shared.