Some computers and Chromebooks only have USB-C or Thunderbolt ports and no USB-A ports. Such devices include all Apple MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models, as well as some Dell, HP, and Lenovo laptops. Many Chromebooks also have only USB-C ports.

A USB-A port is rectangular and has been used for about 25 years. A USB-C port is much smaller than a USB-A and is distinct from a mini or micro USB port. Thunderbolt 3 ports are physically the same as USB-C and are compatible with USB-C, but they have additional capabilities.

Computers and Chromebooks with only USB-C ports will require either an adapter or a native USB-C cable to use Vernier USB products. Whenever possible, we recommend using a native USB-C cable rather than an adapter.

Vernier products come with cables utilizing USB-A for connection to computers and Chromebooks and, in some instances, charging. USB-C cables are sold separately. We offer the following USB-C cables for use with our products USB products:
● Mini USB-C Cable (CB-USB-C-MINI)
● Micro USB to USB-C Cable (CB-USB-C-MICRO)

Which cable you need depends on the type of USB connector the Vernier product uses. Some products use a mini-USB connector, some use a micro-USB connector, and some use a standard USB connector. The table below identifies which cable will work for a particular Vernier product.

Product Type Vernier Products Appropriate
USB-C Cable
Sensor Interfaces LabQuest 2 (LABQ2), LabQuest Stream (LQ-STREAM), Original LabQuest Mini1, LabQuest (LABQ) Mini USB-C Cable (CB-USB-C-MINI)
LabQuest 3 (LABQ3), LabQuest Mini (Model 2)1 (LQ-MINI) Micro USB to USB-C Cable (CB-USB-C-MICRO)
LabPro (LABPRO) Full-size USB-B Cable not sold by Vernier
Go!Link (GO-LINK), EasyLink (EZ-LINK)2 USB-A to USB-C Adapter not sold by Vernier
USB-only
Motion Detectors		 Go! Motion (GO-MOT), CBR 2 (CBR2) Full-size USB-B Cable not sold by Vernier
USB-only
Temperature Probes		 Go!Temp (GO-TEMP), EasyTemp (EZ-TMP)2 USB-A to USB-C Adapter not sold by Vernier
Spectrometers Go Direct® SpectroVis® Plus Spectrophotometer (GDX-SVISPL), Go Direct® Emissions Spectrometer (GDX-SPEC-EM), Go Direct® Fluorescence/UV-VIS Spectrophotometer (GDX-SPEC-FUV), Go Direct® UV-VIS Spectrophotometer (GDX-SPEC-UV), Go Direct® Visible Spectrophotometer (GDX-SPEC-VIS), Vernier UV-VIS Spectrophotometer (VSP-UV), Vernier Fluorescence/UV-VIS Spectrophotometer (VSP-FUV), Vernier Emissions Spectrometer (VSP-EM) Mini USB-C Cable (CB-USB-C-MINI)
Original SpectroVis and SpectroVis Plus, Vernier Spectrometer and other Ocean Optics Spectrometers, Vernier Flash Photolysis Spectrometer Full-size USB-B Cable not sold by Vernier
Gas Chromatographs Go Direct® Mini GC™ (GDX-GC), Mini Gas Chromatograph 2, Mini Gas Chromatograph Mini USB-C Cable (CB-USB-C-MINI)
Balances OHAUS Balances (all models – OHAUS USB adapter cable also required, sold separately) USB-A to USB-C Adapter not sold by Vernier
Go Direct Sensors All Go Direct Sensors (except Spectrometer and Mini GC) Micro USB to USB-C Cable (CB-USB-C-MICRO)

1Which LabQuest Mini model do I have?

2EasyLink and EasyTemp require an additional Easy to Go! Adapter (MINI-USB) USB adapter to work with computers or Chromebooks.

For an overview of USB-C connections, see
http://arstechnica.com/apple/2016/11/the-complete-guide-to-living-a-new-fangled-usb-c-and-thunderbolt-3-lifestyle/

Published: June 14, 2019. Updated: March 11, 2025.