Modern electronic devices, from keyboards to hard drives, use Universal Serial Bus (USB) connections. Many monitors have USB ports to quickly connect these devices, which allows you to keep them in one place even if you change the computer or laptop you use with the monitor. Not all USB connections are created equal, as some support extra features that others don't. Although there are three common USB connections found on monitors, the two most common are USB-A and USB-C. They support many of the same features, like data transfer, but USB-C ports can offer additional perks, like video signals and higher-power delivery.
In this article, we'll break down the main differences between USB-A vs. USB-C, including the benefits of each and when to use them.
If you want to learn more about other topics, check out all our monitor guides.
What Are USB Ports On Monitors?
Monitors have USB ports so you can easily connect your devices directly to them instead of a computer. This is ideal if you switch between computers or don't have any ports available on your computer. Monitors only have female USBs, also called receptacles or ports. A male connection, called a plug, is found on devices or cables.
Although USB-A and USB-C are the most common USB types, monitors also use a third type: USB-B. Each version is shaped differently:
Below is a breakdown of each connection type and what they offer:
| Aspect | USB-A | USB-B | USB-C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Device connection | Data passthrough | Device or laptop connection Data passthrough |
| Reversibility | No | No | Yes |
| Power Delivery | Yes | Sometimes | Yes |
| Data Transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Video Display | No | No | Yes |
| Host Connection | Yes | No | Yes |
What can we do with USB connections on monitors?
Generally speaking, USB-A ports are only for connecting devices, like your keyboard or mouse. USB-C ports offer more versatility because you can either connect these devices or use them as a video connection with a laptop. Not all USB-C ports allow this, though, as it needs to support DisplayPort Alt Mode or Thunderbolt if you want to connect your laptop. USB-B ports are upstream-only, meaning they only pass data through to a computer. For example, if you connect your mouse and keyboard to a monitor's two USB-A ports, the data from them then passes through the monitor's USB-B port to reach your computer. Without an upstream port, the other USBs on the monitor would be useless. Keep in mind that a monitor doesn't need a USB-B port for upstream; some use USB-C instead.
USB Versions
Different USB versions have been released throughout the years. The main difference between each version is the data transfer speed and the connection types that it's available with. You can see a breakdown of the different versions below. Some versions have different generations, which is what happened with the different USB 3.0 versions released in 2008, 2013, and 2017. USB 3.0 and newer are also marketed as SuperSpeed due to their increased speeds.
| USB Versions |
USB 1.0 USB 1.1 |
USB 2.0 |
USB 3.0 USB 3.1 Gen 1 |
USB 3.1 Gen 2 |
USB 3.2 Gen 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 |
USB4 USB4 2.0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Release Year(s) | 1996 1998 |
2000 | 2008 | 2013 | 2017 | 2019 2022 |
| Max Data Speed | 1.5 Mbps 12 Mbps |
480 Mbps | 5Gbps | 10Gbps | 10Gbps 20Gbps* |
40Gbps 80Gbps |
| USB Types | A, B | A, B, C | A, B, C | A, B, C | A, C | C |
*For USB 3.2 Gen 2, the 20Gbps transfer speed is only possible over USB-C. USB-A and USB-B ports are limited to 10Gbps transfer speed.
The color of the USB port is supposed to specify which version it has, but this isn't always 100% accurate. Monitors that support USB 3.0 or newer are generally blue, whereas USB 2.0 ports are usually black. However, there are symbols indicating which type of SuperSpeed data transfer it supports: SuperSpeed supports 5Gbps, and SuperSpeed+ supports 10Gbps. As mentioned above, a USB-C port can go up to 20Gbps with SuperSpeed+. You can see examples of each symbol on a monitor below:
| SuperSpeed (5Gbps) | SuperSpeed+ (10Gbps) |
|---|---|
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Power Delivery
Another difference between the USB versions is their power delivery, which isn't as straightforward as the data transfer speed. For USB 1.0 and 2.0, the max power output is 2.5W (500mA, 5V), and that increased to 4.5W (900mAm, 5V) with USB 3.0. There are different power specifications part of USB 3.1 and newer, but not all are relevant to monitors, as some have to do with dedicated chargers.
USB-C ports also support higher power delivery than USB-A ports, as they support higher amperage. It may support from 7.5W up to 240W of power, depending on its USB version and supported voltage. This means not all USB-C ports deliver the same amount of power. If you're connecting a laptop, you'll need a monitor with at least 65W of power to keep it fully charged while you're using it, but you may need more if you have a powerful laptop. Monitors with 5 to 15W of power don't keep laptops fully charged as you're using them.
Cables
Of course, for your devices to work at the correct USB specification, the cables must also meet your monitor's USB version. You can't use an old USB 1.0 cable on a USB 3.1 device and expect a 10Gbps transfer speed. Most monitors come with necessary USB cables, which are usually USB-B to USB-A, USB-C to USB-C, or USB-C to USB-A. Generally speaking, you shouldn't have to worry about the cable you're using with your monitor, as it should come with it, or your devices come with their own cables. However, if you need to buy a cable, you can look at its advertised USB version or the color of its plugs to see which version it supports. You can see examples of different cables below.
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USB-A
The main use of USB-A ports is for data transfer, and it's what you'll connect your hard drives and peripherals to. Having extra ports on your monitor frees up ports on your PC, which is great if you need to connect many devices. Another advantage of USB-A is that it offers power delivery. Although limited, it has enough power to charge smaller devices like your mouse.
The main disadvantage of USB-A is that it isn't reversible, and you can only plug it in one way. It doesn't act as a video port, either. This means you can't directly display an image from a device like a laptop through USB-A. However, remember that this is different than transferring video files, which you can still do with a USB-A port, but that's part of the benefits of data transfer.
USB-C
USB-C is the most versatile USB connection, and easiest to plug in because it's reversible, so you don't need to flip the cable around multiple times just to plug it in the right way. There are plenty of advantages of USB-C, and different ways you can use it:
- Data transfer: Like USB-A, you can use these USB-Cs for simple data transfer from a USB-C device, like a mouse or keyboard. These are usually labeled with the SuperSpeed logo. That said, if it's downstream only, the monitor needs to have an upstream port to connect these devices to your PC.
- Upstream data passthrough: Like USB-B, some USB-C ports may also be upstream only for data passthrough to a computer. This means you need to connect your computer to this port if you want to use the other USBs on the monitor. These upstream ports are also important if you want to use the USB ports as part of a monitor's KVM switch, which allows you to change sources and use the same devices on both computers. In the example below, the USB-C upstream port is labeled with 'PC,' while the other downstream USB-Cs have the SuperSpeed logo.
- Video support: Some USB-C ports may also support multimedia interfaces, like DisplayPort Alt Mode or Thunderbolt, to display video signals from a compatible laptop. Combined with power delivery from the monitor, this means you can connect your laptop to display an image and charge it with a single cable. These USB-Cs also serve as an upstream port, so you don't need an additional connection to use the other ports. Monitors that support these multimedia interfaces usually label their USB-C ports as such. You can see this below with the DisplayPort logo on the Dell and the Thunderbolt logo on the Apple monitor.
| DisplayPort Alt Mode | Thunderbolt |
|---|---|
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USB-A vs. USB-C: Which Port To Use?
When considering any difference between USB-A and USB-C and deciding which port to use, you have to think about what connections your devices support. If you have USB-A devices that you need to connect to your monitor instead of your computer, you need to get a monitor that has these ports. If you have USB-C devices or want to connect a laptop, a USB-C monitor is the best option. Many monitors have both these connection types, though, so you should look for these if you need both connection types.
If you're looking for a specific monitor, check out the best USB-C monitors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: I plugged my mouse into the USB-A port on my monitor; why isn't it working?
Answer: You need to plug the upstream USB-B or USB-C port from the monitor into your computer so that data from the USB ports can be passed through to your computer.
Question: My laptop isn't charging even when connected via USB-C; why?
Answer: Some monitors have limited power delivery over USB-C, with some as low as 5W. If that's the case, your monitor can't charge your laptop, and you'll need to plug in an external power source.
Question: Can I use older devices on newer USB ports on my monitor?
Answer: Definitely. USB-A is backward compatible with any past USB version as it maintained its shape, but keep in mind that if you plug a USB 2.0 device into a USB 3.0 port, you're limited to USB 2.0 speeds. However, USB-B ports aren't as backward compatible as they have changed shape over the years.
Question: How can I connect if my laptop only has a USB-C port and my monitor only has USB-A ports?
Answer: Unfortunately, you can't get a USB-C to USB-A adapter to display an image on the screen. Luckily, there are many USB-C to HDMI or DisplayPort adapters available, so you can connect via HDMI or DisplayPort.
Conclusion
USBs have many capabilities and help us transfer data or power our devices. Getting a monitor with a USB hub is very useful if you want extra USB ports to plug your peripherals into. USB-C ports on monitors are also handy if you want to connect a laptop easily. Various USB versions are available with different transfer speeds and power delivery, and each USB version affects the user experience when connecting your devices to the USB hub on your monitor. All things considered, you need to think about the USB ports your devices have when looking for a USB monitor.