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Plugable USB 3.0 Passive Type-A to Type-C Cable (6in/15cm)
$7.95 USD
SKU: USBC-AF3Amazon Rating : (356 Reviews)
Features
- Universal Compatibility—Connect any USB C, USB4, Thunderbolt 3, or Thunderbolt 4 enabled laptop, phone, or tablet to a legacy USB 3.0 device or peripheral (flash drives, keyboards, mice)
- User Friendly—Plug-and-play USB to USB C adapter for home or office use, 20cm cable designed to fit side-by-side on laptops with two neighboring USB C ports. This also works well as a USB connection to phone adapter.
- Performance—This Plugable USB to USBC adapter cable allows for transfer speeds up to 5Gbps, backwards compatibility, syncing, and charging.
- Compatible With—MacBooks, most Windows systems with Windows 10 or newer, and most Chromebooks running ChromeOS 100 or newer that has a USB C port. Macbook Pro 13" / 14" / 15", 16", MacBook Air, MacBook Retina, MacBook M1 / M2 / M3, HP Spectre x360 / Pavilion / Envy, Dell XPS / Precision / Latitude, Lenovo ThinkPad / IdeaPad / Yoga / Flex, Surface Pro 7 / 7+ / 8 / 9, Surface Laptop 3 / 4 / 5 / Studio / SE, Surface Go / Go 2 / Go 3, LG Gram, Acer Aspire / Swift / Spin, ASUS Zenbook / Vivobook
- 2-Year Coverage, Lifetime Support—Every Plugable product, including this USB C to USB adapter cable, is covered against defects for 2 years and comes with lifetime support. If you ever have questions, contact our North American-based team - even before purchase
Plugable USB-C to USB 3.0 Adapter Cable
Connect Legacy USB 3.0 Devices to a New USB-C (USB Type-C) and Thunderbolt 3 Enabled Systems
Through our Male USB-C to Female USB 3.0 Cable (USBC-AF3), you can plug almost any legacy USB 1.1, 2.0, or 3.0 device you own into your new USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 equipped laptop, tablet, or phone.
Since this cable is a passive adapter and is short in length, its functionality prevents signal interference and timing issues associated with active cables. Adapter cable features clean shielding and is completely plug and play. (Though please note devices connected to the adapter will require drivers as normal.)
As a USB 3.0 cable, our USB-C to female Type-A cable supports up to 5Gbps SuperSpeed transfers for USB 3.0 devices, with backwards compatibility for USB 1.1 and 2.0 devices. USB 3.0 adapters like this one are also known as USB 3.1 Gen 1 or USB 3.2 Gen 1. In terms of functionality, it offers the same throughput as USB 3.0 with transfer speeds up to 5Gbps, and does not support USB PD (Power Delivery).
Note 1: Phones and non-Windows tablets with USB-C may not have the necessary drivers or power for attached legacy USB devices.
Note 2: Not a USB PD (Power Delivery) cable. Please note that smartphones and tablets may not deliver power through this cable.
FAQ
Can I use this cable to connect my old USB 3.0 Hub to my new PC with USB Type-C ports?
Yes, this USBC-AF3 cable supports USB 3.0. You should be able to connect your legacy USB 3.0 HUB as same as before by using this adapter cable.
Can I use this cable to charge my new smart phone with an USB-C port?
This cable does not support any special functionality for charging. It is not recommended to use this adapter cable for charging.I connected my USB Ethernet adapter to my smartphone by using this USBC-AF3 adapter cable, but it cannot connect to the network. Why is that?
It is possible that your phone does not support the USB Ethernet adapter. This means that the device driver for the USB Ethernet adapter has not been installed into your phone, or not activated, or has some other problem. In order to make any USB devices work by using this USBC-AF3 adapter, the proper device driver for the USB device must be running in the system.
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USB Port Types
USB-A
pietz, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
This is the standard USB connection that most computers offered prior to the introduction of USB Type-C (USB-C). Even after the introduction of USB Type-C, this is still quite common.
It can provide data transfer rates up to the USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10 gbps) specification depending on the host and device, but does not directly support video in the way that USB-C Alternate Mode does. This limitation makes DisplayLink USB graphics adapters and docking stations ideal on systems that do not have USB-C, or in instances where more displays are needed beyond available video outputs of a PC.
USB-B
Fred the Oyster, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
IngenieroLoco, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
This type of connection comes in a couple different styles depending on whether USB 3.0 and higher transfer rates are supported (bottom graphic). Usually this type of connection is used to plug into USB devices that do not have a fixed cable connected, such as USB docking stations, USB hubs, printers, and others.
USB Mini-B
Fred the Oyster, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
One of the first connectors for charging a smartphone, wireless game controller (such as the Sixaxis and DualShock 3), and other small devices such as external hard drives. Not commonly used today, but is still used in some cases. Most devices using USB Mini B are using USB 2.0, though a USB 3.0 variant does exist. This specification also added USB On-The-Go (OTG) functionality, though it is more commonly implemented with Micro USB.
USB Micro-B
Fred the Oyster, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
IngenieroLoco, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
A smaller connector that serves many of the same uses as the Mini B connector, with added optional features such as Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL) to allow devices like smartphones to output video to larger displays without requiring a dedicated port for video output.
The larger variant of USB-B is most commonly used for external hard drives for higher 5Gbps transfer rates.
USB-C, Thunderbolt™ 3, and Thunderbolt™ 4
Niridya , CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
The most recent USB connection, USB Type-C (USB-C), represents a major change in what USB can do. The connector is smaller, can be connected in two orientations, is able to carry substantially more power and data, and can directly carry video signals of multiple types (HDMI, DisplayPort, etc.) Intel has also adapted the USB-C connector for use with Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4.
It is important to note that while all Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 connections are USB-C, not all USB-C connections can be used with Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 devices.
More details regarding physical USB connections can be found on Wikipedia . The graphics depicted here are adapted from Wikimedia Commons by various artists under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
Do Plugable products support the Apple SuperDrive?
Unfortunately Plugable products do not support the Apple SuperDrive.
The Apple SuperDrive has stringent power requirements that can only be met by directly connecting the SuperDrive to your host laptop. As a result at this time Apple recommends only using their USB-C adapter cables. You can find more information on that here → How to connect the Apple USB SuperDrive
If you have purchased a Plugable product to use with your Apple SuperDrive, and would like some additional assistance please do not hesitate to reach out. You can do so by emailing support@plugable.com, or going to Plugable.com/Support.
How to Use Two External Displays with the Lid Closed on MacBook Air and MacBook Pro M3
Overview
With the release of Apple’s M3 CPU chips and the Sonoma 14.6 update your base MacBook Air and MacBook Pro systems with M3 chips can now host two external displays natively in clamshell mode. This guide will walk you through the process of setting up and using two external displays with the lid closed on your MacBook Air or MacBook Pro equipped with an Apple M3 chip.
Requirements
Before getting started, ensure you have the following:
- MacBook Air or MacBook Pro with an Apple M3 chip.
- macOS Sonoma 14.3 or later for an M3 MacBook Air or macOS Sonoma 14.6 or later for an M3 MacBook Pro.
- Two external displays with compatible video inputs (e.g., HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C).
- A dock or graphics adapter can be used as well.
- External keyboard and mouse (wired or wireless).
- Power adapter or power source for your MacBook
- A docking station that provides adequate charge can be used in place of the native power adapter, be sure to check the wattage your dock provides.
Steps to Set Up Dual External Displays with the Lid Closed
1. Set Up Your External Keyboard and Mouse
- If you’re using a wired keyboard and mouse, connect them directly to your MacBook or Plugable dock.
- For wireless peripherals, ensure they are paired with your MacBook and functioning properly.
- An AC adapter/power cable of some kind will also need to be connected for clamshell mode to function properly. This adapter can be one from a docking station or the included Apple adapter.
2. Connect Your Displays
- Connect the first external display to your MacBook using the appropriate cable (e.g., HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C)
- Close your laptop’s lid.
- Connect the second external display using a similar method.
- Ensure both displays are powered on and set to the correct input source.
3. Configure Display Settings
- Open System Settings on your MacBook.
- Go to Displays.
- You should see both external displays listed. Arrange them according to your preference by dragging the display icons.
- Adjust the resolution, refresh rate, and other settings as needed.
4. Enable "Clamshell Mode" (Lid Closed Mode)
- With your external displays connected and set up, close the lid of your MacBook.
- Your MacBook will automatically switch to "Clamshell Mode," where the internal display turns off, and the external displays become your primary screens.
- Ensure your MacBook is connected to a power source to prevent it from entering sleep mode.
5. Check the Display Arrangement
- With the lid closed, check that the external displays are functioning as expected.
- If necessary, re-open the Displays settings to adjust the arrangement, resolution, or other preferences.
Troubleshooting Tips
- No Display on External Monitors: If the external displays are not showing anything, open the lid of your MacBook and check the connections.
- MacBook Sleeps When Lid Is Closed: Make sure your MacBook is connected to a power adapter. Clamshell Mode requires the MacBook to be plugged into an external power source.
- Performance Issues: If you experience lag or performance drops, try lowering the resolution or refresh rate of the external displays.
Thunderbolt Dock Users
With these steps, one can use Plugable Thunderbolt docks to enjoy a dual-display setup without the need for additional software installation. The dock leverages the native capabilities of the MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Pro M3, providing a straightforward and efficient solution for expanding your workspace with additional USB ports, audio, and ethernet (as well as the dual displays).
Additional Resources
If you should need any assistance with your setup, please feel free to reach out to our support team at support@plugable.com.
