How do I find out which connections support my computer or smartphone supports??

First, check the various ports installed on your computer or smartphone. If you are not sure, we recommend that you check the specifications and port type in the instruction manual/specification of your computer or smartphone, or contact the manufacturer directly.

Below are examples of ports that are commonly used on computers and smartphones.

1. Types of USB ports

There are many variations in USB terminals, but they are classified into three types: Type-A, Type-B, and Type-C. There are three types, Standard, Mini, and Micro, depending on the size, and are called "Standard-A/B", "Mini-A/B", and "Micro-A/B", respectively. Standard-A/B is the name used in the specification and represents the normal size. Currently, Type-A/B terminals refer to Standard-A/B terminals.

2. Types of monitor ports

There are the type of monitor ports currently available:

・HDMI

・VGA

・DVI-D

・DVI-I

・DisplayPort (abbreviated as DP)

・Mini DisplayPort (abbreviated as Mini DP, also known as Thunderbolt 2)

・USB Type-C (also known as USB-C, only some USB Type-C can output video)

・Thunderbolt 3/Thunderbolt 4

3. What’s the Difference Between Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C?

All Thunderbolt 3 ports are also USB-C ports, but not all USB-C ports are Thunderbolt 3 ports.

For the first two generations of Thunderbolt (2011) and Thunderbolt 2 (2013), Intel relied on the Mini DisplayPort connection. These iterations were primarily limited to Apple devices and not compatible with USB devices. That all changed in 2015 with the introduction of Thunderbolt 3. This new generation used the more versatile USB-C connection with the goal of interoperability and consistent performance across different computer and peripheral manufacturers. 

What’s driving a bit of the confusion is the ports look identical, and the only way to differentiate them visually is to look for the Thunderbolt logo imprint.