Micro-USB C. Even Worse than Micro-USB, B ?

[yorksrob]

I've posted on here before about my tribulations with flimsy, badly designed micro-USB connectors. These were USB-B as it turns out.

I recently bought a new phone that has the much awaited Micro-USB C connector. It has been good for a few months, however imagine my dismay to find that the Micro-USB C connector, supposed to be a great leap forward in technology, can no longer even stay attached to the port. It's so flimsy and badly designed that it falls out of the socket without connecting.

Why are the cream of out technological designers so incapable of designing a robust phone connection that works ?

Perhaps they ought to forget about having a data connector anyway. Doesn't everyone just use blutooth nowadays ? All I want is a robust charging port that won't fail after four months. It won't happen though. The cretins who design this rubbish all think they know best.

 

[alxndr]

I've not had any trouble with USB-C connectors, but I've had multiple micro USB connectors disintegrate before. They're both slightly worse than Apple's lightening connectors for fluff and dirt collecting, if only because they're slightly harder to stick a pin in and flick the fluff out again. That's probably more a reflection on the state of my pockets though than the connectors themselves.

 

[Trackman]

I'm sick of buying of buying new micro USB connectors, had one delivered on Monday. I keep a back-up now as I know the other will fail.

 

[Lewlew]

I rarely plug a cable into my phone. All of my phones in the last 5+ years have had wireless charging. If yours has it, then I recommend giving it a go.

I only ever plug it in if I'm away in a hotel or something.

 

[D365]

What’s a ”micro USB-C”? I thought the whole point of USB-C is that there is one type of connector, and that’s it. Just checking that I haven’t missed something.

I've posted on here before about my tribulations with flimsy, badly designed micro-USB connectors. These
Perhaps they ought to forget about having a data connector anyway. Doesn't everyone just use blutooth nowadays ? All I want is a robust charging port that won't fail after four months. It won't happen though. The cretins who design this rubbish all think they know best.

Be careful what you wish for; Apple is trying to remove their charging/sync port as soon as the technology allows… and we all know how the other manufacturers seem to blindly follow.

On the topic of Apple, their connectors have a wonderful habit of collecting jeans lint. Perhaps this has happened to your phone?

My only other suggestion would be trying a new USB-C cable (once you’ve picked the correct type!)

 

[yorksrob]

I rarely plug a cable into my phone. All of my phones in the last 5+ years have had wireless charging. If yours has it, then I recommend giving it a go.

I only ever plug it in if I'm away in a hotel or something.

I must admit, it doesn't say anything about remote charging so I suspect not. I would gladly give it a go if it did.

What’s a ”micro USB-C”? I thought the whole point of USB-C is that there is one type of connector, and that’s it. Just checking that I haven’t missed something.


Be careful what you wish for; Apple is trying to remove their charging/sync port as soon as the technology allows… and we all know how the other manufacturers seem to blindly follow.

On the topic of Apple, their connectors have a wonderful habit of collecting jeans lint. Perhaps this has happened to your phone?

My only other suggestion would be trying a new USB-C cable (once you’ve picked the correct type!)

Good riddance if they did.

Even I'm not retro enough to transfer data to/from my phone using a cable and I've got a black and white telly.

 

[GB]

You must be doing something wrong or using cheap cables. I’ve been using usbc on my iPad Pro since it’s release in 2018 and have had no problems.

 

[AM9]

You must be doing something wrong or using cheap cables. I’ve been using usbc on my iPad Pro since it’s release in 2018 and have had no problems.

Same here with micro D USB connectors. The whole point of this type of connector (both C and D) is that the loose side , i.e. the cable is sacrificial and easily replaced rather than the connector on the device. It's perfectly possible to design a connector pair that would in most use outlive the device, but it would just add cost. USB cables are cheap and it is good engineering practice on a consumer item.

 

[ainsworth74]

You must be doing something wrong or using cheap cables. I’ve been using usbc on my iPad Pro since it’s release in 2018 and have had no problems.

Yes I've been using USB C for charging a laptop since at least 2017 and phones since 2018 and I've never had a problem. Its blown previous connectors out of the water as far I'm as concerned. I tend to use the manufacturer supplied cable (ASUS for the laptop, Samsung and OnePlus phones) or I'll buy Anker cables though at the moment I'm using a Ugreen cable and it's working fine.

I don't at all recognise the issue of it cables falling out so I think either the device is poorly designed or its a cheap cable issue rather than it being USB C itself.

 

[yorksrob]

You must be doing something wrong or using cheap cables. I’ve been using usbc on my iPad Pro since it’s release in 2018 and have had no problems.

It was the one that came with the phone unfortunately.

Same here with micro D USB connectors. The whole point of this type of connector (both C and D) is that the loose side , i.e. the cable is sacrificial and easily replaced rather than the connector on the device. It's perfectly possible to design a connector pair that would in most use outlive the device, but it would just add cost. USB cables are cheap and it is good engineering practice on a consumer item.

I've seen this written before, but it's not been my experience. Certainly with micro-USB, cables have been degraded, but I've also had to have the socket in the phone replaced as well.

This idea of a sacrificially plug to "save" the phone socket seems like manufacturers pipe dreams to me.

Yes I've been using USB C for charging a laptop since at least 2017 and phones since 2018 and I've never had a problem. Its blown previous connectors out of the water as far I'm as concerned. I tend to use the manufacturer supplied cable (ASUS for the laptop, Samsung and OnePlus phones) or I'll buy Anker cables though at the moment I'm using a Ugreen cable and it's working fine.

I don't at all recognise the issue of it cables falling out so I think either the device is poorly designed or its a cheap cable issue rather than it being USB C itself.

Perhaps it is lousy manufacturing standards. But then again, the old Nokia charging ports probably weren't manufactured to a noticeably higher standard, but the design was so tributary they probably didn't need to be.

I'm convinced the data transfer aspect is the core problem.

I find most manufactured products seen to be crap quality these days. I bought a pair of trainers from a reputable brand a month or so before Christmas and they're already falling apart.

 

[dosxuk]

Loose USB-C connections are almost always traced to a particularly rubbish cheap cable connector or dirt in the socket. It doesn't take much pocket fluff to get stuffed into the socket to make the retention weak, and there's not much you can do about that (make the socket bigger so you can get the fluff out = more larger stuff can get in there; make the retention stronger = potential arcing if the connection isn't seated properly causing permanent damage; and so on).

As for getting rid of the data connection entirely - no. Just because you don't need to transfer files on and off your phone using it doesn't mean there isn't a whole host of other use cases. It was bad enough when phones decided to get rid of 3.5mm headphone sockets.

 

[ainsworth74]

It was bad enough when phones decided to get rid of 3.5mm headphone sockets.

Yes. Whilst I have adapted to Bluetooth headphones it is begrudgingly rather than willingly...

 

[AM9]

I've seen this written before, but it's not been my experience. Certainly with micro-USB, cables have been degraded, but I've also had to have the socket in the phone replaced as well.
This idea of a sacrificially plug to "save" the phone socket seems like manufacturers pipe dreams to me.

It's actually in the USB spec that whist both mating parts should be to the requirement, the design is such that the plug takes the wear as it is much easier to replace. Changing the socket on a device is bound to be expensive as yuo have probably found, and far many devices would involve scrapping them and buying new. It is important not to use poorly manufactured cables, (but not necessarily use expensive ones). I normally buy cables from CPC in Preston, they supply the trade who then rack the price up to customer 'expectations'.

Perhaps it is lousy manufacturing standards. But then again, the old Nokia charging ports probably weren't manufactured to a noticeably higher standard, but the design was so tributary they probably didn't need to be.

Virtually all USB connectors globally are made by three or four manufacturers, similarly priced and meet the specification. The installation of the connector in devices isn't alway best for encouraging successful first time mating, (we are talking connectors here, nothing else ), - frequent attempts per connection will obviously shorten life. That applies to type Cs as well.

I'm convinced the data transfer aspect is the core problem.

The connectors only have to make simple connections, - the cable does have an influence on the data transfer, moreso as the data rate increases. On tpye Cs data rates can go up to 40Gb/s (e.g. Thunderbolt 4) but the maximum cable length is then constrained.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Feb 2022 ==

Yes. Whilst I have adapted to Bluetooth headphones it is begrudgingly rather than willingly...

Just another battery waster.

 

[DelW]

One of the issues I've had with micro-USB cables is that some of them appear only to work for charging, not for data transfer. I'm not sure how common that is, but I think I have at least a couple among my collection. There doesn't seem to be any way of determining which they are visually.

I keep meaning to put tags on them to identify the charge-only ones, but that's always a job for next time ...

 

[AM9]

One of the issues I've had with micro-USB cables is that some of them appear only to work for charging, not for data transfer. I'm not sure how common that is, but I think I have at least a couple among my collection. There doesn't seem to be any way of determining which they are visually.

I keep meaning to put tags on them to identify the charge-only ones, but that's always a job for next time ...

Not all cables are wired the same, some are only intended to supply a dumb 5V 100mA supply. At the opposite end of the scale, there's OTG (On The Go) cables where one wire on the 5 pins of a micro D plug is connected to ground, informing the device that it is connected as a slave to a master, e.g connecting a smartphone to a desktop. The phone's default is a bus host, meaning that it can control other devices.

 

[dgl]

I have some dumb USB-C cables that came with some Lidl electric screwdrivers.
But as had been said I have had no issues with any USB-C cables, including the Microsoft charger supplied with my phone, the Microsoft C-C lead supplied with the display dock, Lidl and IKEA leads(A-C and C-C) and the Delta Electronics charger that cane with my MSI laptop.

One thing to note is that not all USB-C leads are equal and it's always best to buy a decent one (no poundland cheapies!), and not all USB-C chargers work with everything as USB-C supports a few different voltages plus a laptop charger will probably have a greater current capacity, your little phone charger will probably not charge your laptop!
My phone chargers only support 5V/3A whereas my laptop charger supports 20V/3.25A, plus 15V, 9V and 5V at 3A.

 

[cactustwirly]

Yes I've been using USB C for charging a laptop since at least 2017 and phones since 2018 and I've never had a problem. Its blown previous connectors out of the water as far I'm as concerned. I tend to use the manufacturer supplied cable (ASUS for the laptop, Samsung and OnePlus phones) or I'll buy Anker cables though at the moment I'm using a Ugreen cable and it's working fine.

I don't at all recognise the issue of it cables falling out so I think either the device is poorly designed or its a cheap cable issue rather than it being USB C itself.

My OnePlus is about to have it's 3rd connector installed.
Works fine for 6 months, but the mechanism breaks so the cables don't clip in anymore or don't go all the way in.

Still on the original cable though

 

[yorksrob]

My OnePlus is about to have it's 3rd connector installed.
Works fine for 6 months, but the mechanism breaks so the cables don't clip in anymore or don't go all the way in.

Still on the original cable though

How much does that cost you ?

6 months sounds about right too me.

 

[cactustwirly]

How much does that cost you ?

6 months sounds about right too me.

First time change was done under warranty.
Second port I've just ordered off eBay for £15

 

[yorksrob]

First time change was done under warranty.
Second port I've just ordered off eBay for £15

Ah cheers.

 

[GusB]

I'm having some issues with the USB-C port on my phone now, but to be fair it's getting on a bit (4+ years old) so I'm putting it down to general wear and tear. I have to give it a good wiggle before I get a proper connection, but I agree that the cable does make a difference.

I'll be looking to buy a new phone fairly soon and one of the features I want is wireless charging.

 

[najaB]

I recently bought a new phone that has the much awaited Micro-USB C connector. It has been good for a few months, however imagine my dismay to find that the Micro-USB C connector, supposed to be a great leap forward in technology, can no longer even stay attached to the port. It's so flimsy and badly designed that it falls out of the socket without connecting.

Add me to the list of people who don't recognise this experience. I have had three phones with USB-C and haven't had any problem with the connector falling out of any of them. In fact, I often mistreat them by dragging them across the desk or from the other side of the bed by the cable!

 

[david1212]

MD at work recently bought a laptop not far off £1000 ex VAT. I was surprised to see the charging was USB-C not a barrel connector. I do wonder about durability with laptop being heavier than a phone so more likely to stain connector than laptop move plus higher charging current than a phone.

So far I've had not issue even with Poundland cables but have seen phones on eBay where the connector has clearly got hot due to a poor connection. To use my micro-USB OTG adapter and chargers I have bought micro-USB to USB-C adapters/converters too.

 

[najaB]

MD at work recently bought a laptop not far off £1000 ex VAT. I was surprised to see the charging was USB-C not a barrel connector. I do wonder about durability with laptop being heavier than a phone so more likely to stain connector than laptop move plus higher charging current than a phone.

Our standard work laptop model switched to one that uses USB-C charging about two years ago, I haven't heard that anyone has had problems with the connector.

 

[Crossover]

Most of our work laptops have USB-C docks and I have found them to be rather fragile. That said, I am unsure if it is the connector itself or the cable, but I always advise users to be careful with them. Even on my laptop/dock, which is fairly new, if I move the cable too much I lose my monitors briefly!

No issues with USB-C charging on the iPad, though

 

[najaB]

Even on my laptop/dock, which is fairly new, if I move the cable too much I lose my monitors briefly!

I had that quite frequently with my USB3 dock so I suspect it's more a problem with USB docks generally than with USB-C specifically.

 

[nlogax]

Perfectly possible to build decent USB-C ports and cables that withstand daily usage. Apple has this down pat from a laptop perspective. I've also had pretty negative experiences with an HMD (Nokia-branded) phone which needed to be returned to Hungary for repair to the USB-C port twice during its life. It broke a third time so I caved in and bought a Samsung which has been fault-free for two years and running. Sony phones are also similarly robust in the USB-C dept.

Point of note; USB-C is not 'micro'. The two are quite different.