USB a deal-breaker

[overboard08]

Thoughts on those complaining about lack of USB-C.

Is it really that big of a deal breaker? What are common (or rather, since it's a newer technology) or more advanced uses with a laptop having USB-C? Pros/cons? Is is that prevalent in the market?

v/r
BMK
From Surface Pro 4

 

[-8-]

Well yeah it's a deal breaker on a latest generation laptop that is such high-end. They should've left out the proprietary Surface Connect and maybe even the mini display port. With USB type-C you just plug in one USB hub that has everything on it, including your screen and power for charging.

Yes it is not as often used yet but if you buy an expensive laptop as this you're expecting to keep it for a couple of years at least and USB type-C is becoming more and more common (see phones).

 

[Username92]

The major benefit of USB C / Thunderbolt 3 is increasing functionality. Thunderbolt 3 can do 40Gb/sec. You don't understand how fast that is until you use it #gamechanger . The Surface Laptop has no dedicated GPU and a Thunderbolt 3 port would allow external GPU. With that option you could have ultra light weight laptop that you could dock at your desk and run AAA title games at the highest settings and run Adobe / AutoCAD. A missing Thunderbolt 3 port was the biggest miss EVER! Not to mention the fast charging and an ever growing selection of 3rd party accessories.

 

[Zachary Boddy]

I think it's a massive drawback. Microsoft should've thought for the future. I would gladly use the Laptop without Type C, but I wish I had that future proofing. I love it on my 950 XL.

 

[ryanhuangg]

Honestly, it's really not a big deal breaker as I don't use anything that's USB-C. It will probably be widespread in the future, but right now, I'm fine without it.

 

[kashgohel]

USB C port is not exactly a deal-breaker. The way I understand it, the Surface Laptop has been designed with United States students in mind. And unless you're a gamer or a high-end design program user, the standard ports do the job well. Surface Laptop has been designed for ultra-portability, not sure where people would be carrying extra monitors to attach the laptop to. Personally love the design as is, its a great deal.

 

[Yves Deziron]

I think standard prots will just do fine, USB C is not that popular for the moment. I will pop up more and more off course.

Ok maybe after bringing the Lumia 950 with USB C you should think Microsoft would bring it also to it's newest products, to be ready for the future

 

[Patrick Nexxus Pasia]

Not much of a big deal to me ... for now i think

 

[kaktus1389]

For some it could be the deal breaker if they need that external GPU for their productivity as Username92 already said. Though people that this is targeting are college students and a lot of them don't know what USB type C is and likely won't care about that as long as they have a USB port. It would still make sense to put it on, but that would again require adapters if you would want to plug in a simple USB stick.

 

[petvas72]

Definitely not a big deal for me. I almost never use any external storage or other peripherals, so for my usage pattern it's ok that the Surface Laptop doesn't have USB-C. Of course it would be nice to have it and Microsoft should include it.

 

[overboard08]

Thanks for the feedback all, great points and perspectives -- based on that and factoring in my uses, probably not a deal breaker for me. One less thing to scrutinize if I'm gonna ditch my Pro 4 for the Laptop!

Cheers

 

[Jeffery Holderness]

Not a big deal at all. If you need it you will look at other options anyway.

 

[chain13]

Usb type c has so many confusements. It's actually just a new connector type that support usb 3 transfer speed. But to make it even faster (thunderbolt), it needs more expensive ic controller. That's why some usb c out there are just usb 3 in a form of c connector. Eventhough it's more universal, the smaller form factor is just wondering me in term of durability.

 

[Drael646464]

There are only really three things that can utilize that much bandwidth as found in thunderbolt 3:

1) Graphics - Like low latency high resolution display esp multi-monitor or external graphics card (note you can get USB 3 multi-monitor external graphics cards and docks, they just don't do 3d so much)
2) Hard drive, esp external SSD
3) Networking esp wired high end fibre connections

I think of those two, the most likely use cases people might want are eGPU, and fast external harddrive. So basically turning your laptop into a desktop by docking it, and playing with mixed reality or games, or storing masses and masses of media and connecting to a big screen for personal media hording enjoyment.

Neither of those are typical use cases, but they are also things I'd probably want to do. There again usb 3 of any kind is plenty fast enough for external media hard drives etc anyway, and most wired connections will also do fine with normal usb 3.

Really the best use of thunderbolt 3, would be all three - external harddrive, external GPU running to high res screen and high speed wired network connection.

Note that, usb c is not always thunderbolt 3. If you get USB c on an ARM chip, or last gen intel, its not as fast as it is on the latest Intel.

 

[benbg55]

USB-C is an early tech for now, it's not common to everyone. Fir sure it will be inegrated in a next version of the Surface Laptop but for now it's not a real deal breaker.

 

[anon(5415472)]

Here's a similar thread from yesterday just in case you guys want to read other opinions about the issue of usb-c on surface laptop.

 

[zlat]

Not a deal breaker yet but should definitely be in next line of surface pro products