Microsoft has announced new minimum standards for USB Type-C ports on laptops running Windows. According to the company’s official blog, all devices certified under the Windows Hardware Compatibility Program (WHCP) must now meet these specifications without exception.
For USB Type-C ports supporting the USB4 standard, devices must offer data transfer speeds of 40 Gbps or 80 Gbps and be fully compatible with Thunderbolt 3. Additionally, these ports must provide at least 15 W of power to charge external devices, and tablets must support at least 7.5 W. Support for Power Delivery, the PCIe interface, DisplayPort Alt Mode, and the ability to connect up to two 4K monitors at 60 Hz is also required.
For USB 3 ports, the required data transfer speeds are 5, 10, or 20 Gbps, depending on the version. These ports must deliver charging power between 4.5 and 15 W and support connection to at least one external monitor.
However, Microsoft’s announcement did not specify any penalties or actions against manufacturers that fail to meet these standards.