USB has been evolving. 

With a USB-C connection, the small and flippable interface also called USB Type-C, you will be able to charge your phone or laptop up to 100W, transfer data at the speed of 10 Gbps, as well as stream 8K video over a single port.   

But not all USB C are created the same. To make the best use of your USB C devices for video streaming or screen mirroring, you need to make sure your USB C device supports DisplayPort Alternate Mode (Alt Mode) technology.  

What is the Alternate Mode?

Prior to the introduction of USB-C and Alternate Mode, devices that do not have DisplayPort or HDMI ports, such as phones or tablets, can't deliver video signals directly over a simple cable.

Since the day it is introduced, USB-C was designed not only for USB data transmission but also for transmission of other non-USB signals. As a result, the Alternate Mode technology is released to support various protocols, such as DisplayPort(DP), high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), Thunderbolt™, mobile high-definition link (MHL), and Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe), to name a few. 

At the moment, the most functional Alternate Mode is DisplayPort™ Alternate Mode, published by Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA®) and USB-IF. 

What is DisplayPort™ Alternate Mode over USB Type-C?

The USB Type-C connector is a popular USB interface nowadays, and it appears on your MacBooks, Smartphones, tablets, Dock stations, Displays, TVs, and peripherals. 

With DisplayPort™ Alternate Mode over your USB-C connector, you can get:

• Full DisplayPort audio/video (A/V) performance (up to 8K at 60Hz)
• SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.1) data transfer rates of 10Gbps
• Up to 100W of bi-directional charging (USB Power Delivery)
• Backward compatibility with devices that have traditional video ports, such as VGA, DVI, HDMI, etc. (You will need to get a USB-C adapter)

How will I know if the USB Type-C connector on my device supports DisplayPort over USB Type-C? 

Despite all the advantages described above, it is also important to note that not all USB-C ports support DisplayPort Alt-Mode. For the brands that are targeting a low-to-mid market, the USB-C port on their product might only support data speed function, USB Power Delivery. 

As there is currently no standard for identifying a USB-C port with DP Alt Mode, chances are there is a DisplayPort (DP) logo near the connector. 

But still, there are some brands that don't even bother printing.  

So the best place to find out whether your device support DP Alt Mode is to check on the product specs on the manual or manufacturer website. 

Our Compatibility List for atolla USB C Video Products

We've tried our best to collect a list of popular devices which support USB-C Alternate Mode. Generally, the devices listed below support either Thunderbolt 3 (which also supports DP Alt Mode), or DisplayPort Alt-Mode. 

But remember, this list is not complete and may not up to date. Always check with your product manufacturer or manual to know for sure whether it supports DP Alt Mode.