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
Video signal with DP alt mode support
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.
Sometimes they are not interchangeable:
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
USB-C Ports that are recessed
You should be aware that recessed USB-C ports on your pen display typically mean that only the manufacturer-provided USB-C cables will fit them.
Manufacturer cables vs third-party cables
I recommend you get the USB-C cables provided by the manufacturerfor two reasons:
These cables are known to work with your tablet
The tablet may have recessed USB-C ports and these cables are designed to fit that port. Other cables may not even fit inside.
Thunderbolt 3/4/5 cables
To keep it simple, I often just use Thunderbolt 3/4/5 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
How to tell if a USB-C cable could be used as a single-cable for your pen display
Unfortunately, this can be very hard since there are reliable indicators for USB-C cables. The vast majority of USB-C cables are unmarked.
Thunderbolt labeled USB-C cables- if you see a thunderbolt logo on A USB-C cable. This means it is either a thunderbolt 3,4,or 5 cable. And this means it supports all the needed requirements
USB4 labeled USB-C cables - I've never seen a cable labelled USB4. But if you see one, it should support all the requirements needed.
Unlabeled USB-C cables - You will have to rely on manufacturer specs to determine this. Sometimes these cables are described as "Full-featured" USB-C cables.
Resources
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