- Microsoft has new rules to ensure more consistent consistency with USB-C ports
- This means that each USB-C port will offer data, supply and display support
- Previously, you were not guaranteed to obtain all these basic elements if the manufacturers of laptops cut the corners with their connectors
In the future, USB-C ports on Windows 11 laptops will be maintained according to more coherent standards than average users can expect a minimum amount of functionalities with a given connector.
Tom’s equipment noticed Microsoft’s blog post explaining a new update to the Windows equipment compatibility program (WHCP) designed to end the confusion around USB-C ports. The general idea is to ensure that each of these connectors offers certain key features in terms of data transfer, power delivery (load) and execution of an external monitor.
Currently, while the USB -C specification includes all these distinct elements – and a lot of versatility for the port there – parts can be missing with connectors on certain laptops, because it is not compulsory to include everything.
Microsoft has changed this with its new way of working, observing that: “Although USB specifications give PC manufacturers the possibility of choosing the optional functionalities that the port supports, we have decided to establish a minimum bar for USB-C port capacities.”
This basic bar means that with Windows 11 laptops (and tablets), all USB-C ports must provide display support (to connect a monitor), PC load support (power) and of course data transfer (that all USB connectors make, of course) at a certain speed.
In addition, Microsoft notes that any port that supports 40 GBPS USB will work well with the USB4 and Thunderbolt 3 devices.
These updated WHCP requirements have come into play with Windows 11 24H2, and laptops performing 24h2 will already support them.
Analysis: consistency with connectors
With the old way of working, the practical appearance of USB-C ports is that you could buy a laptop that comes with some of these connectors, and be very happy to use them by using them for USB or load sticks. Then, one day, when you plug in a monitor, you will suddenly discover that your ports do not support a screen, because the manufacturer of laptops produced these USB-C connectors without this particular capacity (to save a little money).
The problem is that there is no clear labeling on a USB-C port, and you may not be able to discover the missing parts of the feature puzzle until you meet them in this way-and it is too late at that time.
With the new minimum standard in place, all USB-C ports on Windows 11 WHCP Windows 11 laptops will certainly take charge of these three basic pillars: power, display and transfer of data.
Now, note that there are still variations in the specifications of USB-C ports, in terms of number of screens they can support, or the quantity of supply of the USB cable and the speed of data transfers (which should be clearly indicated in the specification of the notebook).
See the screenshot above for details, but the central point is that, from now on, you know that the three fundamental bases are covered with at least a certain level of functionality when you buy a new Windows 11 laptop – with each USB -C port on board the device – which must be a good thing.
