Question Can external hard drives use usb and usb-c

[Cowgoesmoo2]

My new laptop only has usb-c ports... and my old hard drives only use usb (3.0)

The thing is some USB cables are cheap and really they're for charging, not data. Now this is getting complicated.

So can this stuff support usb c in the first place and secondly.. how do I know which cables will support high data transfer speeds?

 

[lvt]

So can this stuff support usb c in the first place and secondly.. how do I know which cables will support high data transfer speeds?

Of course it does, USB-C simply means a type of connector while USB 3.0 means a standard, they are all the same thing.

You'd better buy an external 2.5" HDD case that is designed to use with the USB-C port, it will come with a Type-C to Type-C cable that can do both data transfer and charging.

 

[hotaru.hino]

Get a USB 3.0 to USB-C converter, like https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Anker-High-Speed-Transfer-Notebook/dp/B08HZ6PS61

If the external drive uses USB 3.0 Micro and you don't want to deal with a converter, you can also get a cable like https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Type-C-Micro-B-Gen2-Cable/dp/B01GGKYIHS/

 

[Cowgoesmoo2]

They're just type A usb. Not micro. So does that work the same?

And what about cables that are good for data transfer?

 

[lvt]

I would avoid using an adapter.

 

[hotaru.hino]

They're just type A usb. Not micro. So does that work the same?

And what about cables that are good for data transfer?

What do you mean? Is the cable you plug into the external drive Type A on both ends?

Otherwise, it doesn't really matter which cable you use for data transfer as long as it's a USB 3.x cable.

 

[Cowgoesmoo2]

I believe data transfer and charging cables are different

 

[lvt]

I believe data transfer and charging cables are different

It depends, if the enclosure doesn't have a power plug, then you don't need it. The cable included with the package will take care of both power and data.

 

[Cowgoesmoo2]

Indeed. I'm not quite sure it's so simple.

https://superuser.com/questions/126...ro-usb-cables-vs-charge-only-micro-usb-cables

 

[hotaru.hino]

I think you're overthinking this or making it complicated. Of all the USB cables I purchased on Amazon, none of them were "charge only." But on the flip side, I make sure to buy cables from a reputable vendor like Anker or U-Green. If I was curious about a charge-only cable, I had to be deliberate in my search.

You're more than likely to find a cable that does both power and data than you would one or the other. Just look at the reviews for the cable to see what people are saying about it and go from there.