Connecting a pen display with a single USB-C cable

Overview

Ideally you would be able to connect your pen display to your computer with a single USB C cable. And that cable would provide display signal as well as enough power for the pen display. You should understand

Considerations

Key things to keep in mind:

  • Not all pen displays support this configuration - even if they do have USB C ports on the tablet

  • Not all computers are capable of sending power and display signal over their USB C ports

  • Not all USB C cables can be used for this purpose.

So, you have to do your research and plan carefully. Do not buy a pen display assuming that a single USB C cable connection will work.

Verify with your manufacturer

The first thing you should do is verify whether the tablet supports a single USB C connection. Ideally you do this before you even purchase the tablet.

You can do this verification easily:

  • Read the user manual for the tablet and see how it connects

  • Or contact product support for the tablet and ask them specifically if it will work for that specific model.

Summary of requirements

Display signal with DP alt mode support

Your cable and ports MUST support DP alt mode. To find out if you ports and cables support DP alt mode, read this: USB-C DisplayPort alt mode.

Power support

  • Cables

    • Thunderbolt USB-C cables can carry carrying enough power

  • Ports

    • Even if the cable supports power, your computers USB-C port may not supply enough power.

  • Power needed

  • The size of the pen display affects how much power is needed.

    • It's very likely that if your USB-C port can deliver enough power a 13" pen display

    • At 16", some pen displays require additional power usually from a power adapter that is plugged into a wall.

    • Above 16" most often in my experience a single USB-C cable is not enough and these pen displays require additional power.

USB-C Port preference

Often with tablets there are two USB-C ports.

Somtimes they are not interchangable:

  • Some tablets dedicate the top port for video and data, and the bottom to power

  • Some tablets dedicate the bottom port for video and data, and the bottom to power

  • Some tablets can any any combination of ports for video, data, and power

Recessed USB-C ports

If the ports are recessed, usually only specific cables from the manufacturer will fit them.

In those cases where both USB-C ports are recessed the size of the recessed area is different. So one cable mat fit one port, but not the other.

Manufacturer cables vs third-party cables

I recommend you get the USB-C cables the manufacturer provides for use with a single USB-C cable configuration for two reasons:

  • These cables are known to work with the device

  • The tablet may have recessed USB-C ports and these cables are designed to fit.

More here: Using 3rd-party cables with your drawing tablet

Thunderbolt 3/4 cables

To keep it simple, I often just use Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 cables since these are USB-C cables that are defined to support DP alt mode and enough power.

The specific Thunderbolt 3 cable I use

I use a CableMatters Thunderbolt 3 cable. The exact cable and my testing results can be found here. 7P notes: CableMatters Thunderbolt 3 cable.

Resources

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