Some computers and Chromebooks only have USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 ports and no USB-A ports. Such devices include all but one of the Apple MacBook Pro and MacBook models currently sold, as well as some some Dell, HP, and Lenovo laptops and the Google Pixel Chromebook.
A USB-A port is rectangular and has been used for about 20 years. A USB-C port is much smaller than a USB-A and is distinct from a mini or micro USB port. Thunderbolt 3 ports are physically the same as USB-C and are compatible with USB-C, but they have additional capabilities.
Computers and Chromebooks with only USB-C ports will require either an adapter or a specialized USB-C cable to use Vernier USB products. Whenever possible, we recommend using a USB-C cable rather than an adapter.
Vernier products come with cables utilizing USB-A for connection to computers and Chromebooks and, in some instances, charging. USB-C cables are sold separately. We offer the following USB-C cables for use with our products USB products:
Mini USB-C Cable (CB-USB-C-MINI)
Micro USB to USB-C Cable (CB-USB-C-MICRO)
Which cable you need depends on the type of USB connector the Vernier product uses. Some products use a mini-USB connector, some use a micro-USB connector, and some use a standard USB connector. The table below identifies which cable will work for a particular Vernier product.
| Product Type | Vernier Products | Appropriate USB-C cable |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor Interfaces | LabQuest 2 (LABQ2), LabQuest Stream (LQ-STREAM), LabQuest Mini (LQ-MINI), Original LabQuest | Mini USB-C Cable (CB-USB-C-MINI) |
| LabQuest® 3 (LABQ3) | Micro USB to USB-C Cable (CB-USB-C-MICRO) | |
| LabPro | Full-size USB-B Cable not sold by Vernier** | |
| Go!Link (GO-LINK), EasyLink (EZ-LINK)* | USB-A to USB-C Adapter not sold by Vernier** | |
| USB-only Motion Detectors |
Go! Motion (GO-MOT), CBR 2 (CBR2) | Full-size USB-B Cable not sold by Vernier** |
| USB-only Temperature Probes |
Go!Temp (GO-TEMP), EasyTemp (EZ-TMP)* | USB-A to USB-C Adapter not sold by Vernier** |
| Spectrometers | Go Direct® SpectroVis® Plus Spectrophotometer (GDX-SVISPL), Vernier UV-VIS Spectrophotometer (VSP-UV), Vernier Fluorescence/UV-VIS Spectrophotometer (VSP-FUV), Vernier Emissions Spectrometer (VSP-EM) | Mini USB-C Cable (CB-USB-C-MINI) |
| Original SpectroVis and SpectroVis Plus, Vernier Spectrometer and other Ocean Optics Spectrometers, Vernier Flash Photolysis Spectrometer | Full-size USB-B Cable not sold by Vernier** | |
| Gas Chromatographs | Mini Gas Chromatograph 2, Mini Gas Chromatograph | Mini USB-C Cable (CB-USB-C-MINI) |
| Balances | OHAUS Balances (all models – OHAUS USB adapter cable also required, sold separately) | USB-A to USB-C Adapter not sold by Vernier** |
| Go Direct Sensors | All Go Direct Sensors (except Go Direct SpectroVis Plus) | Micro USB to USB-C Cable (CB-USB-C-MICRO) |
* EasyLink and EasyTemp require a additional Easy to Go! Adapter (MINI-USB) USB adapter to work with computers or Chromebooks.
**Purchase third-party cables with care. The USB-C standard is new enough that there are some poor quality cables being sold:
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/02/google-engineer-finds-usb-type-c-cable-thats-so-bad-it-fried-his-chromebook-pixel/
For an overview of USB-C connections, see
http://arstechnica.com/apple/2016/11/the-complete-guide-to-living-a-new-fangled-usb-c-and-thunderbolt-3-lifestyle/