USB A to C cable for SSD

TidBITS Talk
1

I have a CalDigit Element TB4 hub. It has three type C TB4 ports, and four type A USB 3.2 ports. I want to connect it to a Samsung 1TB SSD (model 870 QVO) in an Eluting housing that has a type C port. The natural connection, of course, is with a “C-to-C” cable. But since I’m using all three of the hub’s type C ports, I need to use one of the type A ports, hence the need for an “A-to-C” cable. I have one that I think came with either the drive or the housing, but it’s proving unreliable. What cable should I get? There seem to be so many choices on Amazon, and I want to be sure of getting one that will support the throughput the drive is capable of.

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You can buy USB-c to USB-A adapters. These work for me with SSD drives.

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Thanks. Unfortunately, I need a cable, not an adapter (sorry if the topic title was misleading–fixed now). And in the fine print, Elebase has the following guidance: “Speed of data transfer is in line with USB 2.0 protocol. Manage your expectation, please.” Too slow for me.

4

Otherwise, maybe adding a hub to your hub?

However the throughput might be restricted with the satellite hub. Can you put up with slower speeds for some of your TB/USB-c accessories and connect the SSD to the main hub.

5

There are indeed adapters/dongles that support 10 Gbps USB 3. This one works fine for me.
$8 with coupon.
https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-XAOSUN-One-Sided-SuperSpeed-Charging/dp/B083XXLW77/

But if you want a cable, there’s that too. Just make sure it supports the full 10 Gbps of those A ports on your Element Hub. Exact choice likely depends on length. Here’s a 3-ft cable that works fine for me. $12
https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-USB-Cable-USB-C-USB/dp/B00YEDSD6C/

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6

Can you get a cable? Absolutely yes. But pay attention to what it can and can not deliver.

USB-C supports several different underlying protocols, and different pins are used in different modes:

  • USB 1.x and 2.0 only use ground vBUS and a single differential-pair for data - mimicking the lines in a standard 4-pin USB 1/2 cable. An adapter that only wires these pins will obviously not be capable of higher speeds.

  • USB 3.0, 3.1 and 3.2 use two differential pairs, vBUS, ground and a configuration-channel pin. This mimics the pins that are used by a USB-3 cable when operating in its superspeed modes (5G and 10G). An adapter that only wires these pins will support 5G and 10G operation, but not slower speeds.

    As far as I know, all USB-3 A-C adapters also wire the USB 1.2/2.0 differential pair, in order to support all 9 pins of a USB-3 type A connection, and should therefore support all speeds.

Higher speed USB-3 connections (20G and 40G) require dual links - that is, four differential pairs. That is supported by a type-C connector, but is not in any type-A connector. So such speeds will not work through adapters. Ditto for various aternate modes like Thunderbolt, DisplayPort, etc.

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