It’s time for USB-A to retire, plain and simple. For nearly 30 years, USB-A has held center stage, but I’m ready for USB-C to be the only port my desktop has.
USB-A ruled the roost for nearly 30 years
Credit: Patrick Campanale / How-To Geek
USB-A has been the gold standard for USB connections since the year I was born, and it’s a great standard. It has gone through many iterations, from moving data at just 1.5Mb/s with USB 1.0 to 10Gb/s with USB 3.2 Gen 2 (or 20Gb/s with USB 3.2 Gen 2×2).
The computing world wouldn’t be where it is today with USB-A, but, much like other connection standards (Micro USB), it’s time to move on. USB-A is still the standard for USB connections in 2025, nearly 30 years after its inception, and it’s time we moved on.
Micro USB was introduced in 2007, over 10 years after USB-A was brought to market. USB-C became a standard in 2014, and saw official mass-market adoption in 2016, less than a decade after Micro USB released.
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Don’t get me wrong, USB-A is relatively easy to use and cheap to make at this point. However, I’m tired of having to look at my cable and my port when I go to plug something in. I’m ready to embrace a reversible (and more powerful) future. I’m ready for USB-C on everything.
While USB-C makes the most sense on laptops, it’s great for desktops too
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USB-C was originally introduced on smartphones where space is at a higher premium. Originally, I saw the standard as a replacement for Micro USB—as it was.
However, in 2016, Apple released its refreshed MacBook Pro lineup with only USB-C, marking the first major mass adoption of the port in a mainstream product line. Today, it’s harder to find a laptop with USB-A ports than it is to find one with USB-C.
The thing is, USB-C makes perfect sense on phone and laptops. Those devices are thin and space is at a premium, making the smaller connection standard simply the easy choice. However, that’s not the only place we should have USB-C.
I can’t tell you how many USB-C to USB-A cables I need for my desktop to function. My webcam is USB-C, so is my keyboard, my gaming headset 2.4GHz dongle, my gaming mouse 2.4GHz dongle, and several other peripherals at my desk.
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USB-C Was Great for Laptops, but Not Desktops
As it turns out, one port to rule them all had some drawbacks.
The problem is, most desktops have one to two USB-C ports, with the front I/O of a case offering one more (if that). Because of this, I’m either stuck using a bunch of USB-C to USB-A cables, or getting USB hubs that give me more than one USB-C ports to use.
Why should desktops adopt more USB-C ports? For starters, USB-C can handle much faster data transfer rates—up to 120Gb/s with Thunderbolt 5 and 40Gb/s with the current USB4 standard (though USB4 2.0 promises 80Gb/s transfer rates).
USB-C is also capable of handling video signals, meaning you can hook a monitor up over USB-C—this is something that USB-A could never realistically do. Oh, and do I have to mention that USB-C is reversible?! With a USB-C cable, I don’t have to worry about what direction a cable is facing to plug it in.
I’m ready to leave USB-A behind and fully embrace USB-C
Credit: Jason Montoya / How-To Geek
USB-A has had a good run, I’ll give it that. Any technology standard that stays at the front of the race for nearly three decades deserves all the applause. But it’s time to step aside, grandpa USB-A and let the young buck USB-C take center stage.
I get it, USB-A is the “gold standard” and that’s what most older peripherals still use to connect with. I’m not saying to remove all USB-A ports from every motherboard on the market. Just give me a choice to buy a motherboard with more USB-C ports than USB-A, that’s all I ask—for now. Eventually, I really do want USB-C to be the only port on my motherboard (and my graphics card, but that’s a story for another day).
Some people might complain that the USB-C spec is full of confusion—and I don’t disagree. USB-A is plagued by the same fate, though. There’s USB-A 2.0, 3.0, 3.1, 3.1 Gen 2, 3.2, 3.2 Gen 1, 3.2 Gen 2, 3.2 Gen 2×2, and some that are power only. If USB-A can be the standard with all that confusion, USB-C can be the standard with the same amount of confusion.
USB-C is better than USB-A in every single way. I’ve already covered many, but one thing I haven’t mentioned is power. USB-C can (currently) deliver up to 240W of power (on top of data) through a single cable. Imagine a slim form factor desktop that had a remote USB-C dock that powered the desktop and handled all your I/O. Instead of reaching around to the back of a desktop, you’re plugging into a remote hub—that’s also powering that desktop.
Reduced cable clutter, more features, and a reversible plug. I’m ready for USB-A to retire and allow USB-C to take center stage.
