Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

A "dumb" device that doesn't negotiate will get the minimum 5V@100mA that the USB spec allows, dedicated chargers often decide to not drop the power after the negotiation window is over but a proper host device (laptop, etc.) will drop all power if a device fails to negotiate.

So yeah, if you plug something into the Macbook charger it will either not charge (dunno if it supports traditional USB power specs since it's a type-C only charger) or charge as any other charger already does.



Re: "dumb" devices, this is how it's supposed to work, yes, but I don't think I've ever seen a charger that won't happily dump 1A into a resistor wired over the power pins - including brand name (Apple) chargers and yes, the USB ports on a MacBook Pro. I've never seen a modern device supply only 100 mA.

For devices that DO attempt to negotiate, yes in those cases usually you'll see it work according to spec.

I haven't tried USB-C yet, it would be interesting to see if devices have gotten stricter.




Consider applying for YC's Fall 2026 batch! Applications are open till July 27.

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: