The availability of new, faster-charging devices is limited right now, and because the implementation and compatibility among manufacturers is still a mess, you won’t always get the promised benefits. The promise of faster charging may be enticing, but we don’t think most people should toss out-ahem, we mean recycle-their current devices and accessories quite yet.

Fortunately, a new generation of connectors (USB-C) and a fresh mélange of fast-charging standards (including USB Power Delivery and Quick Charge) have arrived to charge those devices’ larger batteries much faster than before.

But the connectors and speeds people have gotten used to-USB-A, Mini-USB, Micro-USB, USB 2.0-have gotten a bit long in the tooth, as the original port and cable designs weren’t built to handle the power-hungry, fast-data devices everyone has come to rely on. It’s been over 15 years since the modest USB port first became a fixture on computers around the world, initially as a way to connect basic peripherals and then as a standard for faster data transfer.

Usb 2 vs usb 3 for charging