But what is USB PD, and how does it work?
What Is USB PD?
USB Power Delivery (USB PD) is a universal fast-charging standard that all USB devices can potentially use.
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USB-PD usesthe USB-C connector, which has become the universal wired USB port.
It automatically detects the connected machine’s power needs and delivers the appropriate level while supporting bidirectional power.
Why Is USB PD Important?
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So, why are we talking about USB PD specifically?
After all, if you look at thedifferent fast-charging standards, you’ll see plenty of competition.
Manufacturers developed them specifically for their products and nothing else.
USB PD aims to stop this through standardization.
It doesn’t matter how small or large a unit is or who made it.
That means a gadget can accept or give out energybut not both.
But with USB PD, devices now offer reverse charging.
When manufacturers started pushing in-house fast-charging technologies, each one went a different way.
Different fast-charging standards use various techniques to increase output.
USB Power Delivery Specification 1.0
That’s what the group that defines USB specifications, the USB Consortium, did.
The first iteration, 1.0, released in 2012, was pretty simple.
It kept the limit at 100W, which was enough for most use cases.
The ones you’ll notice while using the cables are the ports they’re compatible with.
Manufacturers can get details like battery charge rate and gear temperature through 3.0 cables.
Then, in 2021, theUSB Implementers Forum introduced USB PD 3.1.
For instance, phone chargers won’t ask for anything above 100W, even for fast charging.
How Do You Use USB PD?
So, how do you get started if you want to use this technology?
As such, you must double-check that everything can use USB PD when shopping.
Check their manuals and specifications for your devices to see if they support USB PD.
As for your chargers, you may already own a USB PD-compatible charger.
you’ve got the option to use these ports to charge your USB PD devices faster.
What Happens If You Use the Wrong Cable?
Countermeasures exist to prevent, say, a 100W charge pouring into a pair of headphones and overloading them.
However, the cable would have to be shoddily made for this to happen in a real-world scenario.
Alternatively, you could choosethe best safe-to-use USB-C chargersto avoid untoward incidents.
USB PD seems confusing at first and perhaps even unnecessary.
