Those who work in the IT and technological fields know how annoying it can be to have to change cables every time we change PCs or connect any peripheral to the desktop PC or notebook. Since there are still many cables and cables present, it may be a good idea to create a “toolbox” where you can keep all the video adapters, adapters for PC cables and adapters for smartphones and tablets, so that they can be used in case of necessity.
In the following guide we will show you in detail how to create the toolbox with i best adapters for each type of cable, to keep and use every time we have to connect a new device or need to connect PC, notebook, TV. smartphones or tablets.
READ ALSO -> How to choose the right HDMI cable
Adapters and cables for desktop PCs
On desktop PCs we need a few adapters, since after all, on the back of modern computers we find any type of socket or connection. Things get more difficult if we have a few years old computer in our hands, if we want to connect an old monitor (to use as a second display on Windows) or if we try to connect a workstation.
The first adapters that we advise you to buy are definitely the video adapters; to find us well and be able to connect any computer or monitor in circulation we need the following video adapters:
- VGA-HDMI
- DVI-HDMI
- DisplayPort-HDMI
- DisplayPort-DVI
- DisplayPort-VGA
For video connections we can choose both i hybrid cables (where the two connectors are different) and real adapters, to be connected to the monitor or PC to allow connection with new generation cables (HDMI or DisplayPort).
Other useful adapters on desktop PCs are the HDMI Switch they USB Switchwhich allow you to connect two computers to a single monitor, even using a single keyboard and a single mouse for both.
Laptop adapters and cables
Modern notebooks have few ports and connections, sacrificed to favor the ultra slim design; if we use a new laptop we therefore need a adequate number of adapters to be able to connect any type of cable.
The adapters that we advise you to use together with a notebook are:
- Ethernet-USB
- Thunderbolt-USB (MacBook)
- Thunderbolt-HDMI (MacBook)
- USB/C-USB classico
- USB/C-HDMI
- USB/C-Jack cuffie
On laptops it is always handy to have the Hub USB they Hub USB-Cso you can connect any cable or device without sacrificing too many USB ports.
Adapters and cables for smartphones and tablets
On smartphones and tablets, the adapters mainly serve three purposes: charging the phone, connecting to the PC and listening to music via wired headphones (Headphone jack, absent on the latest generation models).
The best adapters we can buy are:
- microUSB-Jack cuffie
- USB/C-Jack cuffie
- Lightning-Jack cuffie
- Lightning-USB
- Lightning-USB/C
On phones and tablets we can also use the OTG USBas also seen in our guide to USB OTG connection on smartphones and tablets (Android and iPhone).
Adapters and cables for TV
Televisions do not need many adapters as, in most cases, we will only use the HDMI ports to connect the devices.
If we want to keep adapters for televisions, add the ones below to the toolbox:
- Switch HDMI 4K
- Multiple USB charger (for Fire TV, Chromecast and similar)
- DVI-HDMI
- DisplayPort-HDMI
- Video Converter TV
For more information, read our guide to HDMI adapters to connect older TVs.
Conclusions
With this toolbox full of adapters we will be able to brilliantly solve every difficulty when we connect old PCs to monitorswhen we connect old monitors or when we need to increase the number of devices to connect.
We never know when one of these adapters will do the trick, but if we usually repair or fix the computers of friends or relatives it is advisable to always have all types of adapters at handso you can use the right cable without going crazy.
Always on the subject of cables we can read our guides to differences between types of computer cables, ports, jacks and connectors and on different types of USB cables for each function.