Question USB 3.1 Data Transfer Only

[bobnz]

I couldn't see anything in search regarding this, but a Gaming laptop I'm considering buying has a couple of 3.1 USB ports that are described as "Data transfer only". The info I'm finding online is a bit fuzzy or contradicting, my take on this is that they cannot be used for peripherals that require power such as my USB backup drive or an external optical drive. Is that correct?

 

[kerberos_20]

USB 3.1 Gen 1 (data transfer only)” means USB 3.1 at half the current speed, without video, charging, or Thunderbolt capabilities. It means the USB ports can be used to transfer data but not do anything else. USB 3.1 is a Jack-of-all-trades specification.