When you think of display outputs and inputs, the two most notable ports that will likely come to mind are HDMI and DisplayPort, with some maybe thinking back to the days of VGA or DVI. But in recent years, there's been a rise in a third type of connector for monitors, and that's USB Type-C, or USB-C for short.

If you have any high-end monitor these days, it's likely that it already has USB-C ports, but if you ask me, this should spread much further than mid-tier to high-end models. USB-C should be the standard for all monitors, and let me tell you why.

A smaller, easier port

It's reversible and everything

Right off the bat, the benefits of USB-C for monitors are the same as they are everywhere else. It's a small port, which makes it easy to fit on all kinds of devices. Of course, monitors are large and don't need the space that badly, but for a laptop, USB-C ports have quickly become the default, especially for higher-end machines. Pretty much every laptop these days has a USB-C port, but not all of them have HDMI, and none really have DisplayPort, so USB-C monitors are the best to ensure compatibility with a wider range of laptops. Not only that, but using USB-C also allows monitors to easily work with devices like phones and others that support direct USB-C output to a display.

On top of that, USB-C is just a better connector for a lot of reasons. Much like how it replaced the bigger USB Type-A ports and helped solve the old dilemma of flipping the connector around three times before it finally goes in, USB-C can do the same for monitors. And yes, DisplayPort and HDMI have more distinct shapes (somewhat), but when looking at these ports at an angle behind the monitor, I often can't tell which way they're facing right away, and sometimes I even get them mixed up. Also, USB-C connectors usually plug in more easily with less force, so it just makes the whole process a bit easier.

Plus, display output over USB-C uses DisplayPort Alt Mode, which historically has been more capable than the contemporary versions of HDMI. That means you can generally still make the most of your monitor's resolution and refresh rate compared to using HDMI.

You can charge a laptop, too

Power delivery is so useful

On top of the port itself being a bit easier to use and more widely compatible with laptops, USB-C monitors also enable an exciting possibility thanks to USB Power Delivery. This allows monitors to power and charge up a laptop while also serving as an output for them, all using a single port. If you're someone who works from a laptop and occasionally need a monitor, this means your laptop can always stay charged without having to plug in your dedicated power adapter. You can keep that in a bag for when you're traveling, so you don't have to think about that.

Some mini PCs can also be powered by a USB-C port, and that can help clean up your desk setup, too. Fewer cables around the desk are always a benefit in my book, so I'm completely in favor of this.

Your monitor is a USB hub

Perfect for hotdesking

Ports are a bit of a scarce resource on a lot of laptops today, and even if you have a desktop computer, sometimes it can be in a position where reaching its ports isn't super convenient. To help with those problems, many monitors can be used as USB hubs, offering a couple of additional ports, and sometimes have networking capabilities.

In the past, this happened by including a USB Type-B upstream port, which would connect to a USB Type-A port on your computer to expand that selection of ports. However, this meant having two cables run from the monitor to the computer, which naturally added complexity.

USB-C solves this problem, too. Because USB-C cables can handle video, power, and data, one single cable can power all of these features, and your monitor turns into a USB hub automatically. You can plug in your peripherals, and some may even allow you to control the monitor itself with them, as is the case with the LG Smart Monitor Swing I recently tested. What's more, USB-C also means the monitor can send additional kinds of data to your PC, so this enables, for example, a touchscreen to function using a single cable. Some monitors can also include a built-in webcam, for example, and that too works with a USB-C connection.

Importantly, this makes USB-C monitors fantastic for hot-desking scenarios in an office, too. You can come in, plug in a laptop (or a mini PC if that's how you want to live your life), and the monitor and all the peripherals light up automatically. You don't need to carry chargers or extra peripherals, it all just works with a single cable. Of course, you could replicate that with a docking station, but if the monitor can do it, why not make use of that?

There will always be limits

Not every monitor will support every feature

Even though all of the benefits above are great, I do understand that lower-end monitors will continue to exist, and they likely can't support all of those features. USB-C ports themselves may be more expensive to incorporate, and including support for video, power, and data will add costs that not every entry-level monitor needs to have.

But as a general rule, USB-C should be on the majority of monitors going forward. Things like power delivery may not even be necessary for every USB-C monitor, so that's one corner that lower-end models could cut if necessary. Offering USB-C as an option is always for the better, even if not every feature is supported. I can only hope to see more of them going forward.