A new standard in USB Type-C power delivery means we would be able to power our gaming laptops and 4K display over USB-C with up to 240 watts. This is almost twice the power capacity of the currently available USB-C which tops out 100 watts. This upgrade to the USB-C standard in power delivery means users will eventually be able to plug the same USB-C cable to juice up the power-hungry machines such as gaming laptops at 240 watts.
This information was announced by the USB Implements Forum (USB-IF), which is the group behind the development of this technology. The new update of USB-C to 240 watts option, according to USB-IF, is called the Extended Power Range (EPR).
The reversible USB has come a long way from being a mere connectivity slot for external devices to power source on mobile phones. With 240W EPR, the USB-C standard will make sure it is the way forward to deliver power to a range of power guzzling devices.
Of course, USB Type-C cables supporting the new wattage speeds will be different from those currently available. Reportedly these new cables will use special icons for clear identification so that the 240W USB-C cable is not mixed with the lesser watt option.
240W seems a lot of capacity, on the ground it is good enough to power certain gaming laptops, printers and monitors. It is however not enough for gaming PCs and laser printers that tend to draw power way above 240 watts. There is no word on when to expect EPR in the mainstream yet, but it has us excited already.