That's the ideal, isn't it, assuming it's even possible: a number of ports (2/4/6?) on your laptop, each of which you can plug any peripheral into, whether it's a monitor, power supply, hard drive, or keyboard. This, as far as I'm concerned, is best for the user: no thinking, no struggle, just plug things in and they work.

This was the promise of usb-c - at least, that's what many of us thought was the promise. Now we're finding out reality isn't quite up to it. And it's far worse for people who, naturally, assume if the plug fits, it'll work.

Maybe that ideal is impossible, or financially prohibitive. Usb-c implies it isn't, though.

Why isn't really up to it though?

It works exactly like that on modern Macs - whatever you plug into whichever USB-C port will work. Worst case scenario is that your ultra-high-speed TB3 RAID array will work ever so slightly on the left hand side ports, but it'll still work and it'll still be plenty fast.

And I understand that USB-C ports on other highend laptops are the same? They support TB3, HDMI, DP and other alternate modes so this will quickly become a moot point, just like having to differentiate between USB 1.1 and USB2.0 ports?