The first USB Type-C cables capable of providing huge amounts of power are here: Small retailer Club 3D launched three new cables that can each deliver up to 240 watts of power.
Such a power draw means that you should be able to charge most laptops with the new 240W USB-C cable, marking a huge change from the current maximum capabilities of this technology.
USB Type-C cables have been gaining in popularity consistently over the past few years, and the only thing that held them back was their relatively low power delivery. This should slowly begin to change after the introduction of the updated USB Type-C 2.1 specification released last year by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF). The new spec brought the power delivery from 100W up to 240W, but up until now, such cables haven’t made it to market. Club 3D changes that by introducing three new USB-C cables, each with 240W power delivery.
The three cables vary in their specifications and capabilities, and only the top cable (CAC-1576) can support a 240W peak wattage (48 volts and 5 amps) while maintaining the full USB4 40Gbps data-transfer rate. This is done through the Thunderbolt 3 protocol. It can also provide video through DisplayPort alt mode at a maximum quality of 8K 60Hz.
The remaining two models, CAC-1575 and CAC-1573, offer lower specifications. The midtier offering brings USB4 20Gbps data transfer and up to 4K/60Hz video, while the presumably cheapest model supports the 240W power delivery, but the data-transfer capabilities are largely reduced, all the way down to USB 2.0 and 480Mbps.
The previous maximum of 100W (20 volts and 5 amps) was insufficient for a lot of tasks, making something like charging a laptop via USB-C a bit of a chore — it could take a while for the device to charge up to full, and the best gaming laptops likely required more wattage than the cable could provide. However, with the upgrade to 240W, we may soon be able to charge our laptops through a USB-C cable.
It’s exciting to see new emerging tech, and the fact that we’re seeing these cables bodes well for the future of USB-C. However, before you jump the gun and buy one of Club 3D’s new products, be warned — you may not be able to utilize them to their maximum potential just yet.
As of right now, there don’t seem to be any compatible chargers that will support the 240W power draw of the new cables. According to Tom’s Hardware, Club3D’s top charger maxes out at 132W. Without a matching charger, the cable alone won’t be able to provide the full 240W output. On the other hand, with the emergence of these new USB-C cables, the chargers are soon likely to follow.
Club 3D lists a number of retailers on its website, but at the time of writing, none seem to have the product in stock just yet. If you want to get your hands on the new USB-C cable, make sure to check back soon.
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