⚡ Power Delivery Calculator
Calculate charging requirements, cable compatibility, and power negotiation for any USB-C PD setup.
🔋 PD Negotiation Simulator
— W
Delivered Power
— V
Negotiated Voltage
— A
Current Draw
—
Charge Rate
— min
Est. 0→80% Time
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Bottleneck
PD Standard Voltage Profiles
| Standard | Max Power | Voltage Profiles | Current Max | Cable Req. | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PD 1.0 | 100W | 5V, 12V, 20V | 5A | USB-C 3A or 5A | 2012 | Deprecated. Rarely seen. |
| PD 2.0 | 100W | 5V / 9V / 15V / 20V | 5A | USB-C 3A (max 60W); 5A for 100W | 2013 | Most iPhones, common adapters |
| PD 3.0 | 100W | 5V / 9V / 15V / 20V + PPT | 5A | 5A E-Marked for 100W | 2017 | Programmable Power Transfer (PPT). iPad Pro, MacBook Air |
| PD 3.1 | 240W | 5V / 9V / 15V / 20V / 28V / 36V / 48V | 5A | EPR cable required for >100W | 2021 | ⚡ EPR (Extended Power Range). Powers gaming laptops, monitors |
| TB 3/4 | 100W | Up to 20V | 5A | TB3/4 cable (active > 0.8m) | 2015/2020 | 40Gbps data + DisplayPort + PD combined |
| TB 5 | 240W | Up to 48V (EPR) | 5A | TB5 EPR cable | 2023 | 120Gbps data, M4 MacBook Pro native |
📋 USB-C Standards Reference
Complete spec sheet for every USB-C / Thunderbolt generation — speeds, power, alt-modes.
240W
Max PD 3.1
120G
TB5 Bandwidth
8K
Max Display
48V
Max EPR Voltage
0.5m
Max Passive TB4
| Standard | USB IF Name | Max Speed | Max PD | Alt Mode | DisplayPort | Max Display | Connector | Cable Max | Intel Cert |
|---|
Connector Icon Quick Guide
USB-C (USB 2.0 speed)
Shape only guarantee. No speed guarantee from shape alone. Always check cable markings. Common on cheap cables, phone chargers.
SuperSpeed SS Mark
SS = USB 3.2 Gen1 (5Gbps). SS+ = Gen2 (10Gbps). SS+ with 2 arrows = Gen2×2 (20Gbps). Logo on cable indicates minimum spec.
Lightning Bolt = Thunderbolt
TB3 = same connector as USB-C. TB4 = stricter cert, guaranteed 40Gbps, two 4K displays or one 8K. TB5 = 120Gbps, M4 native.
E-Mark Chip
Active IC inside cable. Required for: cables >60W, speeds >20Gbps, lengths >0.5m (Thunderbolt active). Check manufacturer spec sheet.
EPR Cable
Required for PD 3.1 above 100W. Must be rated for 240W / 5A. Not backward incompatible — will negotiate down on older devices.
USB4 ≠ Thunderbolt 4
USB4 Gen 3×2 = 40Gbps (same speed as TB4) but optional features. TB4 mandates 40Gbps + two 4K displays + Intel VT-d. Overlap but not identical.
🔀 Connector Compatibility Matrix
What works with what. Green = full compat. Yellow = adapter/limited. Red = no signal/power.
Full Compatibility
Native connection works at full rated spec. No adapter required. All features available.
Adapter Required
Physical adapter needed. May limit speed, power, or display capability. Check adapter cert.
Incompatible
No native compatibility. Adapter will not provide functional signal/power in this direction.
⚠ Thunderbolt Backward Compatibility Rules
TB5 port → TB4 cable → TB4 device: Works at TB4 speeds (40Gbps) ✅
TB4 port → TB3 cable → TB3 device: Works at TB3 speeds (40Gbps) ✅
TB3 port → USB-C cable → USB device: Works, but at USB speeds only (up to 10Gbps) ⚠
TB4 port → TB3 active cable > 2m: Works but only at USB3 Gen2 speeds (10Gbps) ⚠
TB2/TB1 (Mini DisplayPort) → USB-C: Requires active TB2-to-TB3 adapter. Apollo Twin MkII uses TB2.
TB4 port → TB3 cable → TB3 device: Works at TB3 speeds (40Gbps) ✅
TB3 port → USB-C cable → USB device: Works, but at USB speeds only (up to 10Gbps) ⚠
TB4 port → TB3 active cable > 2m: Works but only at USB3 Gen2 speeds (10Gbps) ⚠
TB2/TB1 (Mini DisplayPort) → USB-C: Requires active TB2-to-TB3 adapter. Apollo Twin MkII uses TB2.
🖥 Empire Hardware — Port Reference
Every device in the Ark Empire stack with its port specs, PD rating, and known issues.
🔌 Cable Advisor & Buy Guide
Recommended cables by use case. Empire-specific gotchas highlighted.
✅ Recommended Cables by Use Case
Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 Gen 3×2 — Main Data Cable
40Gbps, 100W PD, dual 4K displays. Use for: Mac mini → hub, dock → monitor. Anker TB4 Pro or Apple TB4 cable. Max 0.8m passive, up to 2m active.
USB-C PD 3.0 / E-Marked 5A — Charging
100W capable, USB 3.2 speeds. For charging MacBook Air, iPad Pro, worker laptops. Anker 240W USB-C cable covers all scenarios up to PD 3.0.
USB-C to USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2, 10Gbps) — SSD Transfers
For Samsung T7 2TB, SanDisk Pro 1TB. Verify cable is marked SS+ not just SS. Cable Matters and Uni-Link are reliable picks.
USB-C to DisplayPort 1.4 — Monitor Output
For 4K/144Hz or 8K/30Hz displays. Must be DP 1.4 (not 1.2) for 4K@144. Club3D and Cable Matters rated cables. TB3+ port required on source.
USB-C to Lightning — iPhone 14 and older
Apple MFi certified only. Untrusted cables will trigger "This accessory may not be supported." iPhone 16 Pro Max uses USB-C natively.
⚠️ Empire-Specific Gotchas
Apollo Twin MkII — Thunderbolt 2 (Mini DP connector)
TB2 ≠ USB-C. Requires Apple TB2-to-TB3 adapter + TB3 cable to connect to Mac mini M4. Active adapter required — passive will NOT work. Part: Apple MMEL2AM/A.
WAVLINK / MOKiN Docks — Verify PD Passthrough
Many USB-C docks cap PD passthrough at 60W even if rated higher. Mac mini M4 needs 28W; fine. Worker laptops (USB-C only) may need 65W — verify dock spec.
APANAGE 11-Port Hub — USB-A Only on Most Ports
USB 3.0 hubs downstream are USB-A. Connecting USB-C SSDs requires a USB-C to USB-A adapter, capped at USB 3.0 speeds (5Gbps). Use direct connection for SSD transfers.
Worker Laptops (USB-C only) — Power Bank Compatibility
USB-C only machines won't charge from USB-A power banks without adapter. Need PD-capable power bank (e.g., Anker 737) for proper fast charging.
Generic "USB-C" Cables — Power Risk
Counterfeit 5A cables without E-Mark IC are a fire/overcurrent risk at >60W. All high-power cables should be from Anker, Belkin, Apple, Cable Matters, or similar certified brands.
Cable Spec Comparison Table
| Cable Type | Max Power | Max Data | E-Mark | Max Length | Display | Use Case | Buy Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USB 2.0 C-to-C | 60W (3A) | 480Mbps | No | 4m | No | Phone charging only | Skip |
| USB 3.2 Gen1 (5G) | 60W | 5Gbps | Optional | 2m | DP 1.2 | Basic peripherals, 1080p display | Low |
| USB 3.2 Gen2 (10G) | 100W (5A) | 10Gbps | Yes (for 5A) | 2m | DP 1.4 | SSD transfers, 4K display | Good |
| USB 3.2 Gen2×2 (20G) | 100W | 20Gbps | Yes | 1m | DP 1.4 | High-speed external SSD | Best SSD |
| Thunderbolt 3 | 100W | 40Gbps | Yes | 0.5m passive / 2m active | DP 1.2 / 2×4K | Hub, dock, eGPU | Good |
| Thunderbolt 4 | 100W | 40Gbps | Yes | 0.8m passive / 2m active | DP 2.0 / 8K or 2×4K | Primary data cable for Empire | Best Overall |
| Thunderbolt 5 | 240W (EPR) | 120Gbps | Yes | 0.8m passive | DP 2.1 / 16K | M4 MacBook Pro, future-proof | Future Buy |
| USB-C PD 3.1 EPR | 240W | 10Gbps | Yes | 2m | DP 1.4 | 240W charging, gaming laptops | Specialty |