MacBook Neo: Getting to Know Your USB-C Ports
Podcast 🎧 • Video 📽 • Short 📽
MacBook Neo: Getting to Know Your USB-C Ports
Introduction
The MacBook Neo doesn't have a lot of ports.
But the two USB-C ports on its left side give the little Mac considerably more flexibility than you might expect.
You can use them to charge the computer, connect accessories, charge another device, move files, and even connect an external display.
There is just one important thing to know.
The two ports aren't the same.
Two USB-C Ports
Look at the left side of the MacBook Neo and you'll see two USB-C ports next to each other.
They look identical.
The port on the left supports USB 3, with data-transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbit/s.
The port on the right supports USB 2, with data-transfer speeds of up to 480 Mbit/s.
That's a substantial difference.
It doesn't matter very much when you're doing something simple like charging the Mac. But it can matter quite a bit when you're transferring data or connecting another device.
The Left Port Is the Fast One
The easiest way to remember the difference is simple:
Left port for performance.
If you're connecting a fast external SSD or another device that needs to move a lot of data, use the left USB-C port.
It's the faster connection.
The left port is also the one you'll use if you want to connect an external display, projector, or HDTV.
That makes the left port the more valuable of the two when you're using the Neo at a desk.
The Right Port Is Perfect for Charging
Both USB-C ports can charge the MacBook Neo.
But Apple recommends using the right USB-C port for charging when possible.
There's a practical reason.
Charging doesn't require the faster USB 3 connection, so using the slower port for power leaves the high-speed left port available for an external drive, display, or other accessory.
That gives us another easy rule:
Right port for power. Left port for performance.
You don't have to follow that rule. Either port can charge the computer.
It's simply a good habit.
Connecting Things You Already Own
The USB-C ports also help make the MacBook Neo part of a much larger world of devices.
You can connect compatible external drives, phones, cameras, keyboards, mice, hubs, and other USB accessories.
You can also use either USB-C port to charge another device, such as an iPhone.
And if an older device doesn't have a USB-C connector, that doesn't necessarily mean you can't use it.
A compatible cable or adapter may provide the connection between the older device and the Neo.
That's important because buying a new computer shouldn't necessarily mean replacing all of the accessories you already own.
One Important Limitation
There is one distinction worth knowing.
The MacBook Neo's USB-C ports are not Thunderbolt ports.
A device that supports USB as well as Thunderbolt may still work with the Neo through its USB compatibility.
But a device that requires Thunderbolt alone won't work.
For most everyday accessories, this won't be something you have to think about.
But it's worth checking before buying an expensive dock, external storage device, or other accessory specifically for the Neo.
Don't Forget the Headphone Jack
There is another familiar connection sitting beside those USB-C ports.
The MacBook Neo has a 3.5 mm headphone jack.
That means ordinary wired headphones can plug directly into the Mac without Bluetooth, an adapter, or any additional setup.
Sometimes the old way is still wonderfully simple.
A Small Computer That Can Connect to a Lot
The MacBook Neo may be a small and relatively simple Mac, but it isn't an isolated computer.
Those two USB-C ports provide a bridge to storage, displays, phones, accessories, and devices you may already own.
And you really only need to remember one thing about them:
Right port for power. Left port for performance.
Once you know that, the rest is pretty easy.
Aaron Rose is a software engineer and technology writer at tech-reader.blog.
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