I'm shopping for a friend to get a replacement laptop.
I am struggling with the differences in USB port specifications.
My latest laptop, a Dell XPS 9315. has 2 USB-C ports, one of which is used for charging.
No other connections, use adapters!
So more expense.
The Dell Inspiron 3520 from Dell Outlet, on the other hand, has 2 * USB
3.2 amongst other things.
What would my friend lose by having USB 3.2 instead of USB-C (assuming use
of adapters)?
For a low intensity home user it it worth having at least one USB-C?
David <wibble@btinternet.com> wrote:
I'm shopping for a friend to get a replacement laptop.
I am struggling with the differences in USB port specifications.
My latest laptop, a Dell XPS 9315. has 2 USB-C ports, one of which is used >> for charging.
No other connections, use adapters!
So more expense.
The Dell Inspiron 3520 from Dell Outlet, on the other hand, has 2 * USB
3.2 amongst other things.
What would my friend lose by having USB 3.2 instead of USB-C (assuming use >> of adapters)?
For a low intensity home user it it worth having at least one USB-C?
It appears the 3520 has no USB-C ports. That means you can't charge from
any random USB-C charger (of sufficient wattage) you have lying around, you have to drag around the proprietary Dell charger.
USB-C has changed the way I charge - I have various chargers dotted around the place and plug into the nearest one to charge phone/tablet/laptop/earphones/etc. That means I don't have to go rummaging about for mains plugs. It also means you can use any charger if the Dell
one breaks (as one of mine did).
For data, most of the time you can buy USB-C to X cables, eg if you need micro USB for some widget don't use an adapter just buy a USB-C to microUSB cable. Simple adapters are annoying but cheap, for eg USB sticks which have a USB-A built in. Fancier adapters (HDMI, ethernet, etc) are more
expensive but you only really need those if you want those outputs.
Thin and light laptops tend to use USB-C because the port is smaller than a USB-A. Larger laptops can have more dedicated ports (charger, USB-A, HDMI, SD reader, ethernet, ...) but there's not space on smaller machines.
USB-C allows video (Displayport) and Thunderbolt (high speed peripherals
like eGPUs) which you can't do over USB-A. It allows use with docking stations where you can plug into charger, monitor, network with one cable.
A home user might not be using it for high intensity things, but still appreciate being able to plug into the same charger as their phone or use it both on a desk with a monitor and then easily take it somewhere.
Personally I'd look for a mix of USB-C and at least one USB-A port, but I don't use laptops with USB-A any more and it's fine.
Theo
I'm shopping for a friend to get a replacement laptop.
I am struggling with the differences in USB port specifications.
My latest laptop, a Dell XPS 9315. has 2 USB-C ports, one of which is used for charging.
No other connections, use adapters!
So more expense.
The Dell Inspiron 3520 from Dell Outlet, on the other hand, has 2 * USB
3.2 amongst other things.
What would my friend lose by having USB 3.2 instead of USB-C (assuming
use of adapters)? For a low intensity home user it it worth having at
least one USB-C?
I'm shopping for a friend to get a replacement laptop.
I am struggling with the differences in USB port specifications.
My latest laptop, a Dell XPS 9315. has 2 USB-C ports, one of which is
used for charging.
No other connections, use adapters!
So more expense.
The Dell Inspiron 3520 from Dell Outlet, on the other hand, has 2 * USB
3.2 amongst other things.
What would my friend lose by having USB 3.2 instead of USB-C (assuming
use of adapters)?
For a low intensity home user it it worth having at least one USB-C?
On Fri, 01 Nov 2024 15:12:54 +0000, David wrote:
I'm shopping for a friend to get a replacement laptop.
I am struggling with the differences in USB port specifications.
My latest laptop, a Dell XPS 9315. has 2 USB-C ports, one of which is
used for charging.
No other connections, use adapters!
So more expense.
The Dell Inspiron 3520 from Dell Outlet, on the other hand, has 2 * USB
3.2 amongst other things.
What would my friend lose by having USB 3.2 instead of USB-C (assuming
use of adapters)?
For a low intensity home user it it worth having at least one USB-C?
Thanks for all the responses.
Came across a deal for a 13" Dell XPS, USB-C only, but looked very good value.
Bluetooth mouse required.
Waiting to find the hidden "gotcha".
Cheers
Dave R
On 02/11/2024 19:05, David wrote:
On Fri, 01 Nov 2024 15:12:54 +0000, David wrote:
I'm shopping for a friend to get a replacement laptop.
I am struggling with the differences in USB port specifications.
My latest laptop, a Dell XPS 9315. has 2 USB-C ports, one of which is
used for charging.
No other connections, use adapters!
So more expense.
The Dell Inspiron 3520 from Dell Outlet, on the other hand, has 2 *
USB 3.2 amongst other things.
What would my friend lose by having USB 3.2 instead of USB-C (assuming
use of adapters)?
For a low intensity home user it it worth having at least one USB-C?
Thanks for all the responses.
Came across a deal for a 13" Dell XPS, USB-C only, but looked very good
value.
Bluetooth mouse required.
Waiting to find the hidden "gotcha".
Do you have a linky, please? Or, it's a one-off? I'm looking for a new laptop.
<https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B6G46WYQ?th=1>
I linked through from the "Retailers" part of the Which? review.
So far I haven't spotted the hidden flaw.
Low specification for an XPS, but looks a good price.
David <wibble@btinternet.com> wrote:
<https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B6G46WYQ?th=1>
I linked through from the "Retailers" part of the Which? review.
So far I haven't spotted the hidden flaw.
CPU is 'ok', lower end and two generations old but it could be worse. At this price bracket you can't be too choosy.
LPDDR5 RAM so very likely to non-upgradeable. That means you're stuck with 8GB.
Seems like the SSD is soldered too: https://dl.dell.com/content/manual46406456-xps-13-9315-xps-9315-service-manual.pdf
Reviews say the webcam is poor too.
Low specification for an XPS, but looks a good price.
Depends if the out of the box spec is acceptable, as you won't be able to improve it (unless you have external SSDs or similar).
Theo
On Mon, 04 Nov 2024 11:01:10 +0000, GB wrote:service-
On 03/11/2024 17:39, Theo wrote:
David <wibble@btinternet.com> wrote:
<https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B6G46WYQ?th=1>
I linked through from the "Retailers" part of the Which? review.
So far I haven't spotted the hidden flaw.
CPU is 'ok', lower end and two generations old but it could be worse.
At this price bracket you can't be too choosy.
LPDDR5 RAM so very likely to non-upgradeable. That means you're stuck
with 8GB.
Seems like the SSD is soldered too:
https://dl.dell.com/content/manual46406456-xps-13-9315-xps-9315-
manual.pdf
touch-sky-no-kb-w11h64-1yr-pro/
Reviews say the webcam is poor too.
Low specification for an XPS, but looks a good price.
Depends if the out of the box spec is acceptable, as you won't be able
to improve it (unless you have external SSDs or similar).
Theo
Google found the same machine for £200 less, and with 16GB RAM. Too
good to be true?
https://esupply.co.uk/dell-xps-13-9315-i5-1230u-16gb-512ssd-13-2-in-1-
That looks nothing like my XPS 13!
No KB? As in keyboard?
I would suggest that this is a dodgy listing through ignorance or
something worse.
On 03/11/2024 17:39, Theo wrote:
David <wibble@btinternet.com> wrote:
<https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B6G46WYQ?th=1>
I linked through from the "Retailers" part of the Which? review.
So far I haven't spotted the hidden flaw.
CPU is 'ok', lower end and two generations old but it could be worse.
At this price bracket you can't be too choosy.
LPDDR5 RAM so very likely to non-upgradeable. That means you're stuck
with 8GB.
Seems like the SSD is soldered too:
https://dl.dell.com/content/manual46406456-xps-13-9315-xps-9315-service- manual.pdf
Reviews say the webcam is poor too.
Low specification for an XPS, but looks a good price.
Depends if the out of the box spec is acceptable, as you won't be able
to improve it (unless you have external SSDs or similar).
Theo
Google found the same machine for £200 less, and with 16GB RAM. Too goodtouch-sky-no-kb-w11h64-1yr-pro/
to be true?
https://esupply.co.uk/dell-xps-13-9315-i5-1230u-16gb-512ssd-13-2-in-1-
Looking at it again this seems to be a 2 in 1 (that is, a tablet which can attach to a keyboard to make it a "laptop")
No keyboard I assume means that this is only the tablet part.
No longer available from Dell.
That looks nothing like my XPS 13!
On Mon, 04 Nov 2024 12:28:44 +0000, David wrote:
On Mon, 04 Nov 2024 11:01:10 +0000, GB wrote:service-
On 03/11/2024 17:39, Theo wrote:
David <wibble@btinternet.com> wrote:
<https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B6G46WYQ?th=1>
I linked through from the "Retailers" part of the Which? review.
So far I haven't spotted the hidden flaw.
CPU is 'ok', lower end and two generations old but it could be worse.
At this price bracket you can't be too choosy.
LPDDR5 RAM so very likely to non-upgradeable. That means you're stuck >>>> with 8GB.
Seems like the SSD is soldered too:
https://dl.dell.com/content/manual46406456-xps-13-9315-xps-9315-
manual.pdf
touch-sky-no-kb-w11h64-1yr-pro/
Reviews say the webcam is poor too.
Low specification for an XPS, but looks a good price.
Depends if the out of the box spec is acceptable, as you won't be able >>>> to improve it (unless you have external SSDs or similar).
Theo
Google found the same machine for £200 less, and with 16GB RAM. Too
good to be true?
https://esupply.co.uk/dell-xps-13-9315-i5-1230u-16gb-512ssd-13-2-in-1-
That looks nothing like my XPS 13!
No KB? As in keyboard?
I would suggest that this is a dodgy listing through ignorance or
something worse.
Looking at it again this seems to be a 2 in 1 (that is, a tablet which can attach to a keyboard to make it a "laptop")
No keyboard I assume means that this is only the tablet part.
No longer available from Dell.
Cheers
Dave R
On Mon, 04 Nov 2024 12:28:44 +0000, David wrote:
On Mon, 04 Nov 2024 11:01:10 +0000, GB wrote:service-
On 03/11/2024 17:39, Theo wrote:
David <wibble@btinternet.com> wrote:
<https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B6G46WYQ?th=1>
I linked through from the "Retailers" part of the Which? review.
So far I haven't spotted the hidden flaw.
CPU is 'ok', lower end and two generations old but it could be worse.
At this price bracket you can't be too choosy.
LPDDR5 RAM so very likely to non-upgradeable. That means you're stuck >>>> with 8GB.
Seems like the SSD is soldered too:
https://dl.dell.com/content/manual46406456-xps-13-9315-xps-9315-
manual.pdf
touch-sky-no-kb-w11h64-1yr-pro/
Reviews say the webcam is poor too.
Low specification for an XPS, but looks a good price.
Depends if the out of the box spec is acceptable, as you won't be able >>>> to improve it (unless you have external SSDs or similar).
Theo
Google found the same machine for £200 less, and with 16GB RAM. Too
good to be true?
https://esupply.co.uk/dell-xps-13-9315-i5-1230u-16gb-512ssd-13-2-in-1-
That looks nothing like my XPS 13!
No KB? As in keyboard?
I would suggest that this is a dodgy listing through ignorance or
something worse.
Looking at it again this seems to be a 2 in 1 (that is, a tablet which can attach to a keyboard to make it a "laptop")
No keyboard I assume means that this is only the tablet part.
No longer available from Dell.
Cheers
Dave R
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