If my current external HD is HD to USB and i switch the cable to HD to usb-c will it......

[audirs5]

affect the speed of data transfer?

I see usb type c is faster but i dont get it. is it still usb 3 with just a different form? is it another version of usb? and if so, will my devices still be limited to usb 3 speed even though the cable is now different.

thanks

 

[sinoka56]

probably, because of the enclosure and the HD speed.

 

[chabig]

affect the speed of data transfer?

I see usb type c is faster but i dont get it. is it still usb 3 with just a different form? is it another version of usb? and if so, will my devices still be limited to usb 3 speed even though the cable is now different.

thanks

You pretty much got it. It's just USB with a different plug. The Type-C plug is called that because it came after the USB Type-A and Type-B plugs. The new connector is meant to be universal and supports more protocols than just USB. But since you're hard drive is a USB hard drive, that's all you're going to get.

 

[scotty588]

Doubt it. Especially those little Western Digital Passport drives most likely have little 5400 RPM drives which are slow anyway.

 

[audirs5]

You pretty much got it. It's just USB with a different plug. The Type-C plug is called that because it came after the USB Type-A and Type-B plugs. The new connector is meant to be universal and supports more protocols than just USB. But since you're hard drive is a USB hard drive, that's all you're going to get.

Ok so if i get this right: It's called c because a-b-c just means how the plug looks like, right?

So then usb 3.1 type c means 3.1 speeds but the plus is c type, right?


So then explain thunderbolt as well, how does this work?

 

[Pootmatoot]

Ok so if i get this right: It's called c because a-b-c just means how the plug looks like, right?

So then usb 3.1 type c means 3.1 speeds but the plus is c type, right?


So then explain thunderbolt as well, how does this work?

Thunderbolt is a different internal protocol (just like, for example, an HDMI and a VGA ports are) but the same plug shape - meaning they can share a port. Therefore Thunderbolt devices and USB-C will use their own data transfer methods. They, err, know what they are. But not in a Westworld sense.

 

[chabig]

So then usb 3.1 type c means 3.1 speeds but the plus is c type, right?

That's exactly right. USB Type-C is the latest plug. It can carry USB 3 Gen 1 data at 5 Gbps, and USB 3 Gen 2 data at 10 Gbps. Original USB is no longer made, I think, so the USB variants are USB 2, USB 3.1 Gen 1, and USB 3.1 Gen 2. USB 3.0 was a 5 Gbps variety that has been replaced by USB 3.1 Gen 1, though you might still see it listed.

Thunderbolt is an entirely different, much higher speed (up to 40 Gbps) protocol that uses the same Type-C plug.

The Type-C plug is designed to be universal. So it can carry USB signals, Thunderbolt, DisplayPort, ethernet, firewire, power, PCI, etc. That can be confusing if you don't understand it. A Thunderbolt connection, for example, requires Thunderbolt capable devices on both ends of the cable. Just because the cable fits, doesn't mean you get Thunderbolt data transfer.