USB Power Delivery
USB Power Delivery is a groundbreaking technology that harnesses the USB-C interface to deliver significantly higher levels of power than conventional USB bus power. Before the advent of USB-C, USB cables were limited to fixed maximum bus power delivery from the host to the device: USB 2.0 at 5V/0.5A and USB 3.0 at 5V/0.9A.
Enabled by the USB-C interface, the USB PD standard facilitates power profile negotiation between USB-C ports on hosts and devices. This negotiation ensures the safe transfer of power between USB-C ports, accommodating various voltage and current profiles, with a maximum power delivery of up to 240W at 48V/5A.
USB C to Legacy USB Connector Cable
e.g. USB A to C, USB B to C, USB Micro B to C cables |
| Voltage Profile |
Max. Current |
Typical Charging Device |
| 5 V |
0.9 A |
USB 3.0 devices |
USB C to C Cable
Default power at max 3A. E-marker IC is required to negotiate 5A current and voltage profiles higher than 20V according to USB PD 3.1 |
| Voltage Profile |
Max. Current |
Typical Charging Device |
| 5 V |
3 A |
Web camera, external SSD |
| 9 V |
3 - 5 A |
Phone, studio camera, drone |
| 15 V |
3 – 5 A |
Tablet, Chromebook |
| 20 V |
3 – 5 A |
Portable monitor, laptop |
| 28 V |
5 A |
Extended Power Range (EPR) devices: monitor, powerful laptop |
| 36 V |
5 A |
| 48 V |
5 A |
USB-C PD to Reduce E-waste:
A growing number of regions and states, including the European Union and California, have enacted mandates to ensure that small electronics such as smartphones and laptops adopt the USB-C port and USB PD as the common charging method. This move aims to reduce electronic waste generated by obsolete chargers in the coming years. USB PD over Type-C is anticipated to be widely embraced by the small electronics industry.
