USB-A adapters — to USB-C, HDMI & Ethernet

USB-A may feel old-school but on desktops, servers and older laptops it remains standard. Ask: what do you want to connect? For USB-C sticks/SSDs a passive USB-A to USB-C adapter is enough. If the host only has USB-A 2.0, however, you only get USB-2.0 speed (480 Mbps). External NVMe SSDs at 1000 MB/s+ need USB-A 3.0 (5 Gbps) or USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps). For USB-A to HDMI the adapter uses DisplayLink, requires a small driver, but works without DisplayPort Alt Mode.

USB-A 2.0 = 480 Mbps — mouse, keyboard, printer. USB-A 3.0 (USB 3.2 Gen 1) = 5 Gbps — standard for external HDDs and SSDs. USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 = 10 Gbps — rare on hosts. Blue connectors typically indicate USB 3.0. Passive adapters (USB-A to USB-C) need no chip, active adapters (USB-A to Ethernet/HDMI/audio) have their own controller.

Passive USB-A to USB-C adapters work everywhere without drivers. USB-A to Ethernet (Realtek/ASIX) is plug-and-play on Windows 10/11 and macOS. USB-A to HDMI with DisplayLink needs a small driver. Note: MacBook M-series only has USB-C — you need the other direction, a USB-C hub or USB-C to USB-A adapter.

All-metal aluminium housings keep heat under control under sustained load. Power use: passive adapters draw 0 W, active Ethernet/HDMI adapters 0.5–2 W. Aluminium is fully recyclable — take-back via the RPD recycling programme.

Shipped from our Basel warehouse — A-Post 1–2 working days, express next business day or free pickup in Basel, Aarau or Olten. 2 years Swiss warranty on all products, 14-day returns. Invoice payment available (credit check by Powerpay), best-price guarantee CH. Aluminium housings are fully recyclable — return old adapters, hubs and storage media via our RPD recycling programme. Visit one of our stores for personal advice — bring your laptop or iPad and we will find the right accessory together.