Some computers and Chromebooks only have USB-C or Thunderbolt ports and no USB-A ports. Such devices include all Apple MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models, as well as some many Dell, HP, and Lenovo laptops. Many Chromebooks also have only USB-C ports.
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 native USB-C cable to use Vernier USB products. Whenever possible, we recommend using a native 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/