Why Doesn't the Surface Laptop Have USB Type-C?

Microsoft's new Surface Laptop has very few ports: USB, Mini DisplayPort and a headphone jack. But strangely, USB Type-C is nowhere to be found.

It ends up that Microsoft did at one time consider using the new standard, which could have easily replaced all three existing ports.

Eagle-eyed Tom Warren at The Verge points out that in a promotional video discussing the craftsmanship of the Surface Laptop, you can see a prototype with a pair of USB-C ports (it's at 1:02. Blink and you'll miss it).

Reports suggest that Microsoft didn't think that USB Type-C was ready for primetime, both in terms of charging and market adoption. I don't completely buy that answer: for video, I would imagine more users are likely to use HDMI or full-size DisplayPort than the laptop's mini DisplayPort, so not including USB Type-C feels a bit like a cop out.

MORE: You Need to Pay $300 Extra for Surface Laptop's Cool Colors

We've seen several laptops, like the 15-inch HP Spectre x360 and Apple's MacBook lineup use USB Type-C for charging, and it works great. But Microsoft is seemingly committed to using the same charger across all of its mobile Surface devices; The Surface Laptop uses the same charger as the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book. Eventually, I imagine, the future will come and we'll see Microsoft move from a proprietary connector to USB Type-C.

We'll know soon if Microsoft is right, and if people don't really want or care about USB Type-C just yet. It certainly didn't hurt our first impressions of what looks like a great laptop with no frills or gimmicks. We'll let you know what we think with a full review as soon as the Surface Laptop shows up in our labs.

Photos: Andrew E. Freedman / Laptop Mag

[via The Verge]

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Andrew is a contributing writer at Laptop Mag. His main focus lies in helpful how-to guides and laptop reviews, including Asus, Microsoft Surface, Samsung Chromebook, and Dell. He has also dabbled in peripherals, including webcams and docking stations. His work has also appeared in Tom's Hardware, Tom's Guide, PCMag, Kotaku, and Complex. He fondly remembers his first computer: a Gateway that still lives in a spare room in his parents' home, albeit without an internet connection. When he’s not writing about tech, you can find him playing video games, checking social media and waiting for the next Marvel movie.

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