'USB-A Isn't Going Anywhere, So Stop Removing the Port' (pocket-lint.com) 227
An anonymous reader shares a column: After nearly 30 years of USB-A connectivity, the market is now transitioning to the convenient USB-C standard, which makes sense given that it supports higher speeds, display data, and power delivery. The symmetrical connection is also smaller and more user-friendly, as it's reversible and works with smartphones and tablets. I get that USB-C is inevitable, but tech brands should realize that the ubiquitous USB-A isn't going anywhere soon and stop removing the ports we need to run our devices.
[...] It's premature for brands to phase out USB-A when peripheral brands are still making compatible products in 2025. For example, Logitech's current wireless pro gaming mice connect using a USB-A Lightspeed dongle, and most Seagate external drives still use USB-A as their connection method. The same can be said for other memory sticks, keyboards, wireless headsets, and other new devices that are still manufactured with a USB-A connection.
I have a gaming laptop with two USB-A and USB-C ports, and it's a constant struggle to connect all my devices simultaneously without needing a hub. I use the two USB-A ports for my mouse and wireless headset dongles, while a phone charging cable and portable monitor take up the USB-Cs. This setup stresses me out because there's no extra space to connect anything else without losing functionality.
[...] It's premature for brands to phase out USB-A when peripheral brands are still making compatible products in 2025. For example, Logitech's current wireless pro gaming mice connect using a USB-A Lightspeed dongle, and most Seagate external drives still use USB-A as their connection method. The same can be said for other memory sticks, keyboards, wireless headsets, and other new devices that are still manufactured with a USB-A connection.
I have a gaming laptop with two USB-A and USB-C ports, and it's a constant struggle to connect all my devices simultaneously without needing a hub. I use the two USB-A ports for my mouse and wireless headset dongles, while a phone charging cable and portable monitor take up the USB-Cs. This setup stresses me out because there's no extra space to connect anything else without losing functionality.
Adapter (Score:3, Insightful)
Keep a few adapters handy. Very tiny, very cheap, very easy. That makes a lot more sense than continuing to put USB-A ports on laptops.
Re:Adapter (Score:5, Insightful)
Doesn't help for adding ports. More ports is what he's looking for.
A USB hub is just annoying to lug around and even more annoying to assemble.
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Doesn't help for adding ports.
Actually, it does. USB-C ports are smaller, and more of them can fit in the same space.
More ports is what he's looking for.
That's a different issue and has little to do with USB-A vs C.
Re:Adapter (Score:4, Insightful)
USB-C is too resource intensive to be sprinkled around willy nilly. The correct thing to do is have lots of 4-pin USB 2.0 ports for the miscellaneous devices.
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It can carry USB2 only, if you so desire.
That isn't what people desire, though.
Re:Adapter (Score:4, Insightful)
I am sorry that is *worst* option.
Force users to look for tiny little icons next to otherwise identical ports to know what its actual capabilities are, and worse create situations where incorrectly selected ports silently just deliver performance orders of magnitude slower but cause no error to be reported to a user who might not know what to expect from a given device and even realize they are not getting the performance they could be.
The 'universal' part of USB is important the whole black/red/blue 1.x,2.x,3.x except when it isn't situation on USB-A ports is plenty bad enough.
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You can have TB over it. USB4 over it. USB3 over it. DP over it. HDMI over it. Any propriety protocol over it.
USB2 is the only protocol that gets any special consideration by the connector- it has dedicated lines, while all the others listed go over the high-speed lanes.
Personally, I agree- I hate devices I have that have multiple USB-C ports, but only some of them being TB ports- but every single dock I have is like that.
So we're stuc
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A USB hub is just annoying to lug around and even more annoying to assemble.
I like still having one or two USB-A ports on my laptop, but I can't say I've ever been annoyed by having to "lug around" a USB hub (with a gigabit ethernet interface) in my laptop bag. It weighs around an ounce.
I also think the article complaining about shit like mice, keyboards, and headsets is a bit out there, since any of this crap connected to my laptop is connected via bluetooth which has been around over a quarter of a century and has been ubiquitous in laptops for at least 15 years.
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It matters because USB-C is very resource demanding. Lots of 4-pin USB 2.0 ports don't burn the resources.
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That's a horrible idea. I don't want to have to pick the laptop and check what port is what when plugging something in. All USB C ports should be full featured. No amount of labeling will make anything else convenient, or even tolerable.
Re:Adapter (Score:5, Insightful)
Yep because the thing I love about a laptop is the bag of dongles needed to make it work.
I have a laptop with USB-A, USB-C and HDMI ports and they all get a fair amount of use. I've never actually seen a USB-C mouse or keyboard in the wild. I am sure they exist but they're relatively rare. There's still a ton of USB-A storage around and it's still useful, and I still use it for a few things (not everything is in the cloud). I'm also yet to encounter a USB-C/RS485 adapter. Oh and USB micro-B is still in the long tail of existence and while C to micro B cables certainly exist they are not nearly so common and bags of the A type exist,
So yes, I could also carry round a bag of dongles, but having the top 4 ports (3.5mm 4 lyfe) on a laptop enhances the portability, given they all get plenty of use for many people.
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Keep these permanently attached to your peripherals. You'll never notice them. They don't qualify as "dongles". I'm curious to hear how these reduce portability.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c... [bhphotovideo.com]
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Oops, those are the wrong direction. But you get the idea.
Re:Adapter (Score:5, Informative)
They create a longer leverage on the port of your device which may cause damage to the ports of your computer.
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Or you could embrace some modern thinking and get a cable or two that have magnetic attachments on the end [amazon.com] that become whatever USB cable you need it to be.
I love how people bitch and cry about wireless peripherals, and then also bitch and cry that they might have to bring a few cables around with them if they insist on wired peripherals.
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Some much of this port argument smacks of laziness or just a general inability to make perfectly viable adaptions to the modern world. You mention USB type B as though that makes your case because of the difficul
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Yep because the thing I love about a laptop is the bag of dongles needed to make it work.
I have a laptop with USB-A, USB-C and HDMI ports and they all get a fair amount of use. I've never actually seen a USB-C mouse or keyboard in the wild. I am sure they exist but they're relatively rare. There's still a ton of USB-A storage around and it's still useful, and I still use it for a few things (not everything is in the cloud). I'm also yet to encounter a USB-C/RS485 adapter. Oh and USB micro-B is still in the long tail of existence and while C to micro B cables certainly exist they are not nearly so common and bags of the A type exist,
So yes, I could also carry round a bag of dongles, but having the top 4 ports (3.5mm 4 lyfe) on a laptop enhances the portability, given they all get plenty of use for many people.
I have seen native-USB-C keyboards, but they're typically mechanical keyboards with lighting effects or are intended for desks where the overall look and feel of the laptop connected to peripherals is important and when there's no docking station involved.
I haven't yet seen a USB-C mouse, nor have I seen a USB-C headset.
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I've never actually seen a USB-C mouse or keyboard in the wild.
You haven't looked very hard. Virtually everyone I know has mice with USB-C connectors, either for charging only, or in my case charging and wired connection, though I use a dongle for one PC and bluetooth for the laptop on this mouse.
There's still a ton of USB-A storage around and it's still useful
Slap an adapter on the end. THey are tiny and cost $2 from Amazon. Why gimp your device with legacy connections that could be better solved another way.
But all of this is beside the point. You clearly have a product that suits your needs so TFA is just a pointless whinge from
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This post is good, keep adapters around.
Re:Adapter (Score:4, Insightful)
The USB-C is also a lot more sensitive than USB-A, they wear out faster. Something I have observed at work and it doesn't matter what marketing says, the USB-C isn't as good from the resilience and wear perspective as the connectors it replaces.
The good thing with USB-C is that it's at least possible to insert two ways instead of one.
Adapters is often a good way to break your device because they offer a lot more leverage on a soldered connector.
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The USB-C is also a lot more sensitive than USB-A, they wear out faster.
The USB-C port on my phone is its achilleas heel. Only about 1/3 of new cords work at all, and those that do wear out in a few months.
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I've never had a USB-C port fail (in that things that are plugged into it no longer work, or work intermittently)
As opposed to lightning cables/ports, which have cost me a small fortune.
My USB-C host ports tend to be on really fucking expensive things... I'd be pretty sad if one of them wore out.
To give an idea of usage, I lug my laptop to work 3 days a week, and use 2 of its ports (dock, portable display).
My iPhone 15 battery is at like 68% life, so it gets plugged and unplugged ~10 times
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Alas, the cheap ones are junk.
Re: Adapter (Score:2)
Exactly. Backwards compatibility is a necessity but also providing the hardware is ridiculous especially when there are space constraints.
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When you move around between meetings you don't want to lug around a hub or an adapter just to get your wired headset or mouse working well.
Transitions (Score:5, Insightful)
Someone didn't live through the loss of the floppy drive, DB9 ports, and parallel ports.
Re:Transitions (Score:5, Informative)
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Yup. And I've got my USB (A) to DB9 serial adapter handy.
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Yup. And I've got my USB (A) to DB9 serial adapter handy.
Which is unreliable in many situations. I worked on several projects that had issues involving intermittent data loss on a DB9 port, and every time the culprit turned out to be a USB/DB9 adapter. When we'd install dedicated RS232 cards, the problem went away.
For laptops, the answer to this kind of thing should be a standard space where a customer can specify what ports he wants... you get X number of standard ports, and then you can choose what goes into one or two available spaces. But you're just not goin
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DB9 ports are still useful.
I still use a DB9 on both hyperterm and putty almost weekly.
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I've worked a little bit with audio/video installations, such as conference rooms and auditoriums.
RS-232 serial ports are used a lot in those for control and communication of screens, projectors, DSPs and other devices.
The second most common interface is RS-232 over Ethernet.
These installations can last for decades. While components in them can get replaced like the Ship of Theseus, the interfaces tend to still stay the same.
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RJ45 is a ridiculously better and more convenient port for RS232.
Literally 100% of my serial-connected facilities equipment is RJ45 these days. Can't remember the last time I needed a DB9.
Re:Transitions (Score:5, Insightful)
Somone quite possibly made a living bitching about the loss of the 3.5" headphone jack, and possibly DB9, parallel, floppy drives, optical drives, firewire, PS2 keyboard and mouse ports, micro USB, VGA, s-video, composite, RJ14, S/PDIF and PCMCIA.
It's always good fodder for an article or a Slashdot story.
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* Unless you had a Zip drive that once damaged, would destroy any disk you inserted from that point on.
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Someone didn't live through the loss of the floppy drive, DB9 ports, and parallel ports.
In my day, to plug in a mouse: We took the box apart, installed a proprietary bus card, and then tried to figure out non-conflicting spots for the I/O and IRQ jumpers. Then we typed a bunch of gibberish into AUTOEXEC.BAT. And we liked it!
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Good one!
Not going anywhere fast (Score:5, Funny)
is right: it's going nowhere.
Adapters are your friend. Undo that knot in your pants.
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Doesn't help for adding ports. More ports is what he's looking for.
A USB hub is just annoying to lug around and even more annoying to assemble.
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We're in a transition phase from A to C. Manufacturers currently split the number of ports they provide between A and C.
Once the transition is over and A goes away, manufacturers will provide all type C ports and no type A, so you'll get more type C ports.
C ports are also smaller, so you can have more of them in the same space.
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Well... the "Pro" models will probably get more USB Type C ports. The base model will probably just get 2 (with one of them being for charging), because they'll want you to upgrade to the Pro model to avoid using dongles or a hub to get more ports.
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If they're going to be stingy with ports they can do so irrespective of what type those ports are.
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They won't because USB-C is very resource intensive. The idea is to push everyone into using hubs.
Whereas the 4-pin USB 2.0 plug is very low resource so can have lots of them.
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USB-C is a plug. A lot of them run USB 3.2, which is also supported by A ports (less bandwidth, though).
You can run USB-C ports at 2.0 speeds if you don't have enough CPU lanes and you want more ports. The form factor doesn't require more resources on its own, it's the connected devices that do. Other than occupying lanes, that is.
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Hurry up already (Score:4, Insightful)
I have a gaming laptop with two USB-A and USB-C ports, and it's a constant struggle to connect all my devices simultaneously without needing a hub.
You have this problem precisely because you have a mix of current and legacy peripherals, and a laptop that doesn't fully embrace the new standard. You are suffering from the transition phrase, and you're advocating delaying the transition for longer?
Instead of 2x A and 2x C ports, you should just have 4x C and then any device can go into any port.
The sooner type A goes away and is replaced completely with type C the better. Delaying the inevitable transition just causes exactly the kind of problems you're complaining about.
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"The sooner type A goes away and is replaced completely with type C the better"
Depends on your use-case. Type A is a lot more robust and that matters when outdoors in certain enviroments.
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I meant in the sense of coping with leverage forces and generally bumping, not waterproofing.
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He actually wants more than four ports. That's his main beef.
And since USB-C is so demanding on the hardware there is no allocation available for lots of them. Whereas the black USB 2.0 ports can be littered all around and still not burn the resources.
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I mean, some delays are good. An example of this is when Apple decided to leave only USB-C ports for everything on Macbook Pros, but in the newer generations, they added HDMI back and also an SD card reader.
Which is very welcome. Adding HDMI to a $2k machine costs nothing and can save your ass. If you're a speaker at a conference and need to connect your laptop, it's probably gonna be HDMI, certainly not USB-C.
The SD card is also welcome by photographers and videographers who make heavy use of SD cards.
Cert
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They also reduced the number of type-C ports from 4 to 3...
I'd rather have a type C port that i can use for multiple things, than an HDMI port that can only be used for connecting to a monitor.
If you're a speaker at a conference go prepared - that means HDMI, DVI and VGA dongles because they could be using any of these. Eventually all of this legacy hardware will get retired, and you can do away with the adapters.
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I have a macbook pro here, and 2x 4k monitors.
The monitors support both type-c (displayport) and hdmi.
I tried connecting the macbook using hdmi, but it will only do 30hz. If connected via type-c it does 60hz and HDR.
So now i use 2 of my type-c ports to connect the monitors, and have a completely useless hdmi port empty that i can't use for anything else.
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Technically it's Apple that made the HDMI port useless. It's not like HDMI doesn't support those things.
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It's so easy to use an adapter for items with USB-A that I hardly think about it but sometimes the extra options of USB-C would be nice.
Deal with it, USB-A is going the way of the floppy (and I do have a USB-A floppy drive which I've used once in several years).
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Having an extra type A port won't help him if the extra device he wants to plug in is type C.
Having an extra type C port won't help him if the extra device he wants to plug in is type A.
Having extra USB ports won't help him if the device he wants to plug in is DB9.
So long as there are multiple port types, the manufacturer will be split between what extra ports they provide.
If everything is standardised on type C, then an extra type C port will be helpful in all cases.
Number of ports is down to the device ma
User Problem (Score:5, Funny)
That's entirely why they inventing docking stations.
hmmmmmm (Score:5, Funny)
Really? Dude if this stresses you just wait till you grow up, and face real problems and challenges in your life.
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No kidding!
Try taking a shit when connected to a IV infusion pump pumping drugs into a port in your chest, CO2 monitor cannula in your nose, and a heart monitor with 8 leads, with wires and tubes hanging out all over the place and not making a mess out of everything, like I was just doing.
USB-A ports, dongles and hubs are a dream compared to all of that!!
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I can't do that, because my IV infusion pump is USB A, the CO2 monitor is RS485 and the heart monitor is IEEE1284 parallel port.
A, C, and lightning (Score:2)
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Because you don't prepare properly.
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Sorry about my last reply. I had lot going on and hit save before was ready. Sorry if it seemed terse.
Anyway, the key to this is to make a little travel kit. The right little container, with just the stuff to cover your needs. Depending on what you're doing, you may have a larger kit, with things broken up into sub-kits, for easier and quicker access.
I have a headphone kit. It has my headphones, the charging cable they need, and my Bluetooth relay for them:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DM... [amazon.com]
That is all that
Chicken and egg situation (Score:2)
It's premature for brands to phase out USB-A when peripheral brands are still making compatible products in 2025
Why would peripheral brands stop making USB-A peripherals though, if computer manufacturers keep including USB-A ports? And then, reductio ad absurdum, we never get rid of it, or at least not for many years. I say give it up already and let's move on, otherwise we'll still be using USB-A when USB-D or whatever comes along. Let's have a few years with a sort-of-standard port, before the next change
Re:Chicken and egg situation (Score:5, Insightful)
USB-D will never arrive. Since USB-C is now entrenched by EU regulations.
Re: Chicken and egg situation (Score:2)
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Since USB-C is now entrenched by EU regulations
Precisely nothing is entrenched by EU regulations. EU regulations require a review of the connector used for common charging in the radio equipment directive every 5 years. But good work showing the world you don't know much about the regulations you complain about.
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It's premature for brands to phase out USB-A when peripheral brands are still making compatible products in 2025
Why would peripheral brands stop making USB-A peripherals though, if computer manufacturers keep including USB-A ports? And then, reductio ad absurdum, we never get rid of it, or at least not for many years. I say give it up already and let's move on, otherwise we'll still be using USB-A when USB-D or whatever comes along. Let's have a few years with a sort-of-standard port, before the next change comes along, hey?
They say they don't want to use a USB hub, but they make USB hubs small enough that it should be trivial to travel with them. It's really the easiest solution to the "problem".
Just use the old apple solution... (Score:2)
TSB-C (Score:2)
The sooner, the better (Score:2)
USB-C will start going somewhere when mfrs stop building stuff with it. The sooner, the better. 30 years is enough already!!
Dongle up and use adapters and hubs when necessary in the meantime. I recently got a USB-powered hub. It's got a shitload of ports on it. Get one!
Powered USB 3.1 Hub, ACASIS 16... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G... [amazon.com]
All my power strips and such have USB-A ports on them.
My new laptop is USB-C only. I'm glad.
My phone is USB-C only. Glad.
My headphones, also USB-C only. Glad.
My keyboard and t
USB-C much less durable (Score:2)
USB-C is much smaller and weaker, physically. Plug it in and out 2-3 times a day for a year or two, and it wears out, becomes loose or god forbid put a bit of pressure on it from a slightly angled/bent cable for a few weeks and it's game over. USB-A is much more durable, cable seems much more flexible, and it just holds things better without becoming loose. Some of this is helped with dongles/hubs/docks, but then again you take your laptop home every day and the first thing you do when get to work plug it i
This is one symptom of a deeper problem (Score:2)
Modern tech has a short useful life and is designed to be disposable.
Standards change, backward compatibility is becoming less of a priority, and repairability is eroding, both by technology and law.
Even worse are expensive machines like CNC or lab equipment that was built with old tech. The machines themselves were built to last, but their controllers are becoming increasingly obsolete. Some very expensive and perfectly good machines run on 286 motherboards, DOS and floppys.
I love progress, but we need to
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I disagree. This is much more a consequence of "Moore's Law" applied more generally. USB-C has much higher bandwidth and adds significant power distribution, at the cost of new connectors. Thunderbolt 4, using the same connectors, has even more bandwidth. But at some point, we could well see 'copper' replaced with 'fiber' or 'composite' cables, with fiber for data and copper for power.
That being said, it looks like USB-C and HDMI as form factors/connectors will provide a reasonable lifetime for connecti
Too many USB-C connector standards (Score:5, Insightful)
100% Disagree! (Score:2)
Death to the USB-A port! Long live the USB-C port!
Just use an adapter to downgrade to the few things that still require USB-A. That being said my understanding a fully capable USB-C is much more expensive to implement (not the connector but supporting all the data rates and powers) so I'm OK with a mix if that's the way to meet the power and dollar budget. However, as a user I would prefer if we just standardize on USB-C and avoid products that still use USB-A. I know I do this personally. If there's some o
Is USB-C the end? (Score:2)
What USB-A precisely? (Score:2)
I'm happy that the USB-A is being phased out. Mainly because there are still too many fancy over-beautified USB-A plugs that are (a) large and (b) block neighboring USB ports.
So far, this wasn't a problem with USB-C, since it's too small to be f*cked up by the marketing.
P.S. But I guess it's only matter of time before they find a way to screw over USB-C too. "Progress."
P.P.S. Let's not forget that some companies still insist on using "USB 2.0 Mini" connector. In the past we had to stack Serial<->PS2
Switch to Bluetooth for some peripherals (Score:2)
adapters, hubs, wireless (Score:2)
USB-A is legacy and is going away. It's like serial ports and VGA. Get an adapter for single accessories (they're CHEAP, like $5 for two) or get a little travel dock if you need several USB-A ports and only have one or two USB-C. (or go wireless)
Everything is either going wireless (because it can) or USB-C (because of the laundry list of upgrades it provides)
In a few years the only new things I expect to see on the market that are USB-A are the handful of things still trying to get minimal power or charg
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I have the opposite Problem (Score:2)
so sad my laptop doesnt have enough port (Score:2)
That is why they make docking stations. You only need one high speed USB-C cable for the entire dock.
Meh (Score:2)
USB-A is ancient and can't be phased out fast enough IMO. Laptops aren't intended for you to plug a bunch of stuff in - if you're out of ports, buy a desktop or a dock.
Heard of Bluetooth? Works great for mice and keyboards. If you're gaming competitively on a laptop and need something more responsive than BT then you're in a very small minority and can't expect manufacturers to cater to you at this point.
Many monitors have USB hubs built-in now. Dell's hub monitor costs barely more than a regular one and ha
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Yes, adapters exist, but USB-A has been so ubiquitous for so very long, it won't simply go away. We'll still need it for years. It's also cheaper to implement on both sides of the port.
Hubs (Score:2)
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hey, I know!!! (Score:2)
Forget USB. I just invented a new standard. It's wireless, has a guaranteed maximum range of 1 meter, and can handle up to 511 peripherals simultaneously.
I think I'll call it "SharkTeeth"
One small issue with USB-C (Score:2)
The one quibble I have with USB-C is the pin doesn't seat far enough into a device. It's one thing if the connection is vertical. The pin is sitting in the port. However, when plugged in sidewarys, that itsy bitsy pin now has to bear all the weight of the cable pulling it down.
To me, that seems like stress which doesn't need to be there.
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USB-A? (Score:2)
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Where N is the number of form factors and speeds, I have 2N*(2N-1) adapters. Yes, that could be reduced by daisy-chaining, but life is short.
A constant struggle... (Score:2)
Framework laptops solve this problem (Score:2)
They've got little expansion ports that you can populate with the external ports that you care about. USB A, C, HDMI, etc.
It's pretty cool.
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Reversible USB-A do exist. The connectors are on a thinner board in the middle of the connector. And they are of course non-standard.
You'd most often find them on a cable with reversible Micro USB B at the other end.
But I think I've seen some Matias Keyboards come with them as well.