In today’s fast-paced, tech-filled world, many of our devices come with a wide array of ports to contend with. Every year, a new technology standard is introduced designed to make our lives easier, but sometimes, it creates new challenges with all the cables we must contend with.

As a result, it’s important to understand what you will need in to plug your devices into other peripherals. The same goes when you’re in the market for a new computer but don’t feel like replacing every device to make it compatible. Simple, inexpensive PC adaptors may do the trick at a fraction of the price. In this article, we’ll run down a few of the scenarios where you’ll need one!

Plug Your New Computer into an Older Monitor

If your monitor only has a DVI input (the white plug) or VGA input (the blue plug), this can be a bit of a problem. Most modern computers have video cards that only offer an HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface) port which allows an output of up to 4K resolution. As a result, you’re left there scratching your head on what to do.

An HDMI-to-DVI or an HDMI-to-VGA adaptor is an inexpensive solution that allows you to use your current cables. If your computer has DVI output and your monitor has a VGA input, you can purchase an adaptor that can convert the signal. Finally, if your screen has a DisplayPort, you’re going to need an adaptor since an unpowered DisplayPort-to-HDMI cable won’t do the trick.

Plug Your Device into Your Computer

Say you want to have the ability to plug your tablet into your monitor. Whether you want to show someone a video you watched or need some extra real estate to play your favorite mobile games, it’s great to have a larger secondary display you can rely on.

A wide range of tablets have either HDMI or a mini variant, so invest in an HDMI-to-mini or micro HDMI adaptor. This same adaptor can be used to plug in a DSLR or a Raspberry Pi to a computer.

Perhaps you simply want to plug your smartphone into a computer normally in order to charge it or transfer files and your laptop only has a USB-C port (the newer Apple Macbooks feature this). For that, you’re going to either need a USB-C to micro USB or a USB-C to USB-A adaptor. This is also useful if you want to hook up a controller to the computer to play some games!

Conclusion

So there you have it! These are only a few examples of how PC adaptors will help you avoid having to spend more money than you have to upgrade your tech. Of course, we always recommend speaking to a specialist if you aren’t sure of the connector you will need for your particular setup.

Do you have any questions or thoughts regarding the use of adaptors? Be sure to leave them in the comments section below!