Laptop ports explained: Every symbol and connector identified

Modern laptops include a dizzying array of ports—or perhaps just one. But how will you know what all of them do, or what you may want in a brand new system? Below we clarify each single laptop computer port, previous and current, together with images that can assist you establish their symbols.

Usually positioned alongside the edges or again of a laptop computer, these ports assist increase performance and supply connection factors for enter gadgets, exterior drives, networking, and extra. Understanding these ports, and understanding which of your peripherals will join simply—and which can want adapters—will assist you to make better-informed selections when searching for the proper laptop computer to fit your wants.

In our protection of the best laptops you can buy today, we’re cautious to notice which ports can be found.

Audio jack

The 3.5mm audio jack, also referred to as a headphone jack, is the most typical audio port on trendy laptops. Along with inputting and outputting audio, it additionally permits for connections to nearly all of wired headphones and audio system. Some older laptops have two audio jacks that break up mic and audio, however present fashions use the identical port for each. 

Some laptop computer producers have opted to not embody the audio jack in current fashions. If that is the case, you’ll need a USB wi-fi dongle to connect with your wi-fi headphones and audio system, otherwise you’ll want to attach through Bluetooth in case your audio gear helps that. Conversely, many wired headphones work through USB somewhat than analog 3.5mm jacks, and people may be an choice. If you solely have wired 3.5mm headphones however no 3.5mm audio jack in your laptop computer, you’ll must get both a USB or USB Type-C to 3.5mm adapter.

ShowPort/mini ShowPort

ShowPort is a digital show connection used to output video and audio out of your laptop computer to a video show, reminiscent of a monitor. While some TVs include ShowPort connections, it’s extra generally discovered on PCs and PC displays. 

Originally designed to switch VGA and DVI connections between computer systems and displays, it has change into essentially the most superior show connection accessible on laptops right now.

The newest iteration is ShowPort 2.0 launched in 2019, which has an elevated bandwidth as much as 77.37Gbps. Unlike different connections, ShowPort permits a number of displays to be run off of a single connection. 

Additionally, ShowPort helps each AMD’s FreeSync and Nvidia’s G-Sync know-how, permitting for so-called “tear-free gaming” (as long as your monitor helps these applied sciences as properly). Each iteration of ShowPort has seen enhancements in information price in addition to greater decision and better refresh charges:

• ShowPort 1.2: Supports as much as 4K resolutions at 60Hz
• ShowPort 1.3: Supports as much as 4K resolutions at 120Hz or 8K resolutions at 30Hz
• ShowPort 1.4: Supports as much as 8K resolutions at 60Hz and helps HDR
• ShowPort 2.0: Supports 16Okay resolutions (with HDR) at 60Hz and 10Okay resolutions (with out HDR) at 80Hz

Most laptops these days use the smaller, mini ShowPort connection or use USB Type-C ports to ship out ShowPort alerts. Unlike common ShowPorts, mini ShowPorts will want a multi-stream Transport (MST) hub to output to a couple of show.

IDG

DVI

DVI (Digital Visual Interface) is used to attach a video supply, reminiscent of a laptop computer, to a show, reminiscent of an exterior monitor. It was developed within the late 90s with the intention of changing analog VGA know-how with lossless digital video.

While not such a standard port on trendy laptops, it’s nonetheless discovered on many exterior displays with full-HD resolutions or decrease. A single DVI connection can output as much as UXGA 1920×1200 resolutions at 60Hz however wants a particular dual-link DVI connection to output at greater resolutions.

IDG

DVI is commonly your only option to output video out of your laptop computer to exterior funds shows that lack more moderen connections reminiscent of HDMI or ShowPort. One factor to notice, nevertheless: DVI connections solely help video alerts and don’t output audio. If you’ve got a laptop computer with no DVI port, however you need to connect with an exterior show utilizing DVI, you’ll need an HDMI-to-DVI or ShowPort-to-DVI cable.

Ethernet

Ethernet ports permit laptops to attach straight into wired networks. While Ethernet ports have gotten much less widespread on laptops as a result of proliferation of Wi-Fi, a wired connection through Ethernet remains to be essentially the most dependable means to connect with high-speed web. In areas the place wi-fi alerts could also be weaker, Ethernet permits you to overcome this by means of a direct connection.

Today’s Ethernet is also referred to as Gigabit Ethernet, which means the connection speeds are rated at 1Gbps or greater. Ethernet connections are rated by Category (or Cat) sort, and the newest Cat 8 customary connection permits for max speeds of as much as 40Gbps whereas sustaining backward compatibility with older class varieties.

IDG

Many newer and slimmer client laptop computer fashions now not have Ethernet ports, however they’ll nonetheless be discovered in lots of enterprise laptops. If your laptop computer doesn’t have an Ethernet port in-built, you should purchase a USB-to-Ethernet adapter, or alternatively you should use a docking station.

HDMI

HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) is the most typical strategy to join your laptop computer to a video show or house leisure machine. Many TVs, exterior pc displays, and projectors even have HDMI ports. HDMI connections can switch each high-definition video and audio digitally out of your laptop computer to an exterior show.

Over the years, a number of variations of HDMI have been rolled out and regardless of their variations in capabilities, the bodily ports themselves have remained the identical between variations. The newest model, HDMI 2.1, launched in 2017, permits for a 48Gbps transmission bit price and helps 4K resolutions at 120Hz or 8K resolutions at 60Hz.

HDMI 2.1 additionally presents backward compatibility which means it may be used with HDMI ports on older gadgets with out the brand new 2.1 options. 

IDG

Due to HDMI’s widespread use, many cheap adapters can be found to attach HDMI and different ports, reminiscent of DVI and USB Type-C. HDMI can’t output to twin shows from a single port, and a few laptops at the moment are being bought with mini HDMI ports, which means you’ll need an adapter for those who want to use it with common HDMI (pictured above).

Kensington Lock Slot

Also generally known as a Okay-lock or Okay-slot, the Kensington Lock Slots are small, strengthened holes generally discovered on laptops which might be used to connect a bodily safety lock to your machine. It was carried out in client laptops starting within the yr 2000. Depending on the laptop computer mannequin, this lock slot might be discovered both on the facet or again of your laptop computer. 

While many laptops have a Kensington lock slot built-in, they seldom include the cable locking mechanism itself. Using a appropriate cable lock inserted into the lock slot, the opposite finish of the cable might be connected to a safe location, thereby anchoring the laptop computer and stopping theft. The lock slot is commonly marked with a small lock icon subsequent to the opening.

IDG

SD Card Reader

The SD card reader slot is primarily used to learn reminiscence playing cards from digital cameras. SD Cards might be hot-plugged and hot-swapped, which means you may insert and take away them with out restarting your laptop computer. Data switch speeds fluctuate broadly, and rely on what SD playing cards the reader helps.

UHS-III SD Cards can theoretically switch information at charges of as much as 624Mbps, but when your SD reader solely helps the sooner UHS-I model, you’ll solely be capable to switch your information on the most UHS-I pace of 104MBps.

IDG

SD card readers usually are not accessible in all laptops, and as trendy laptops have change into thinner, they’re being phased out. However, you may nonetheless discover new laptops built for photo and video editing with SD Card Reader slots put in. If your laptop computer doesn’t have an SD card reader slot, you may simply purchase a reasonable USB adapter.

MicroSD Card Reader

MicroSD playing cards and card readers have been launched by SanDisk in 2005 to accommodate smaller reminiscence playing cards in cellphones. Similar to the bigger SD card reader, the microSD card reader is supposed to learn smaller reminiscence playing cards now mostly used for exterior storage in smartphones. MicroSD playing cards are additionally hot-pluggable and hot-swappable identical to the bigger SD playing cards.

IDG

Laptops with restricted onboard storage, reminiscent of some Chromebooks, typically make the most of microSD playing cards for added storage capability. Every yr the storage measurement of SD and microSD playing cards will increase, with the present largest accessible client fashions sitting at 1TB.

MicroSD playing cards are electrically appropriate with giant SD playing cards and with the assistance of a easy adapter, can be utilized in laptops that settle for SD playing cards as properly. If your laptop computer doesn’t have a microSD card reader or an SD card reader, you should use a USB adapter.

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is the most typical enlargement port on trendy laptops and dates again to 1996. It usually has an oblong form and connects to an enormous universe of peripherals, reminiscent of keyboards, mice, printers, and exterior exhausting drives. USB ports are available in quite a lot of varieties and every has its personal distinctive functionalities and traits.

USB Type-A is the unique 4-pin connector and is differentiated by its generations. Each subsequent era noticed an enchancment in each energy administration and information switch speeds. All newer generations are backward appropriate with older generations.

USB 2.0 is normally distinguished by black or grey port colours and presents information switch speeds of as much as 480 Mbps. 

IDG

USB 3.0 (now generally known as USB 3.1 Gen 1) normally sports activities blue or turquoise coloured ports and might attain a theoretical most switch price of 5 Gbps, which is 10 occasions sooner than USB 2.0. 

IDG

The newest customary of USB Type-A ports is USB 3.1 Gen 2. It seems to be the identical as USB 3.1 Gen 1 however supplies a big enhance in information switch charges of as much as 10 Gbps. 

Unlike Type-A, USB Type-B ports and connectors are square-shaped. They usually are not generally discovered on laptops, however many printers, scanners, docking stations, and hubs use these as an enter port. While adapters can be found, most USB Type-B cables already include a USB Type-B connector on one finish and a USB Type-A on the opposite.

USB Type-C

USB Type-C is the newly adopted customary connector for many trendy laptops and gadgets, and deserves its personal distinct place on this listing on account of its distinctive performance. Owing to its small and slim footprint, the USB Type-C port can match on most ultra-thin laptops being manufactured in right now’s market. This, together with the truth that USB Type-C can settle for Thunderbolt connections in the identical port, provides it the sting over different USB varieties. 

USB Type-C ports can help quite a lot of completely different requirements. Unlike the rectangular-shaped Type-A with a 4-pin connection, the USB Type-C comes with a 24-pin connector permitting it to deal with greater currents and sooner switch speeds. The skill to deal with greater currents permits for gadgets to cost in much less time utilizing a Type-C connection by offering as much as 100W of energy.

Furthermore, Type-C gadgets can help USB 3.1 Gen 2 switch charges of 5Gbps. If it doubles as a Thunderbolt port (acknowledged by the lightning bolt icon subsequent to the port), Type-C connections may even produce lightning-fast speeds of as much as 40Gbps. Furthermore, it could actually permit for video-out ShowPort alerts if outfitted with alt-mode performance. 

IDG

Adapters are available for connections between USB Type-C and different USB varieties. While these connections are backward appropriate, they’ll scale back the performance and switch charges between USB varieties.

Micro-USB

You’re not more likely to see the micro-USB port (and the marginally bigger mini-USB port) in trendy laptops, however they’ll nonetheless be discovered in lots of peripherals and equipment. In reality, not a single laptop computer in PCWorld’s huge stock of machines has this port, so we’re utilizing a photograph of a micro-USB B cable as an alternative.

Amazon

Micro-USB is mostly used for legacy smartphones, low-power tablets reminiscent of Amazon Kindles, some exterior exhausting drives, and random digital gadgets. They most frequently help USB 2.0 speeds of as much as 480 Mbps, however sometimes help USB 3.0, and micro-USB connections can be utilized interchangeably in each supported ports. USB Type-A and Type-C to micro-USB adapters can be found for those who want to join your supported machine to a laptop computer with out a micro-USB port.

Thunderbolt

Thunderbolt is the quickest connection accessible in right now’s market. It combines PCIe, ShowPort, serial alerts, and DC energy altogether in a single port. This permits the Thunderbolt connection to be deployed for quite a lot of functions, starting from peripheral connections to laptop computer energy charging. Thunderbolt ports can usually be recognized by a small lightning bolt icon subsequent to the port. 

IDG

The newest variations, Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4, can switch information at a blazingly quick price of 40Gbps, which is 4 occasions sooner than the USB 3.1 gen 2. Even legacy variations reminiscent of the unique Thunderbolt have switch charges as excessive as 10Gbps or Thunderbolt 2 at 20Gbps.

A single Thunderbolt 3 or 4 connection can be able to outputting to 2 4K displays without delay because of its utilization of twin ShowPort alerts. Some newer exterior graphics playing cards even come outfitted with Thunderbolt ports, permitting for laptops to be linked for high-end gaming. 

From Thunderbolt 3 onward, the port makes use of USB Type-C connections and subsequently can double as USB Type-C ports. Thunderbolt and Thunderbolt 2 ports use mini ShowPort connections, so you’ll need an adapter for those who want to connect legacy Thunderbolt gadgets to Thunderbolt 3 or greater.

VGA

VGA (Video Graphics Array) is a legacy analog video port relationship again to 1987. It is the primary interface between computer systems and older CRT displays and much more trendy projectors. Since it’s analog, VGA is inclined to sign degradation over longer cable distances and solely has a most decision of 640×480 with a 60Hz refresh price.

IDG

Due to the bigger measurement of the 15-pin VGA port and the rise in the usage of digital video, these ports are principally being phased out. Laptop producers are producing slimmer laptops these days and utilizing HDMI or ShowPort connections instead of VGA. While you can’t convert VGA to some other show customary (HDMI, DVI, ShowPort), you may convert any of them to VGA (with a subsequent drop in high quality) by utilizing the right cable or adapter.