Shopping for a USB-C cable? Beware these 6 essential gotchas

Don’t purchase from no-name manufacturers

This tip is true for many electronics, but it surely’s particularly vital for USB-C cables. You may suppose a USB-C cable is only a little bit of wiring in a sheath, however really there are a number of security options — at the least, there needs to be — that guarantee protected energy supply.

In fact, simply because security rules exists doesn’t imply that each one producers comply with them, particularly producers who don’t have a fame to uphold. That tends to be the case for producers on the opposite aspect of the world who promote to the worldwide market via websites like Temu, AliExpress, and Amazon.

Though sticking to recognizable manufacturers isn’t a wholly foolproof technique of securing a high-quality USB-C cable, it does get rid of a whole lot of the chance so far as security transgressions are involved. There’s additionally extra probability of recompense if one thing does go improper.

USB-C cable manufacturers we advocate embrace:

• Anker
• Apple
• Belkin
• Cable Issues
• Dockcase
• JSAUX
• Microsoft
• SooPii
• Ugreen

Keep away from USB-C-to-USB-A cables

If switch velocity is vital to you and in case your units and chargers help it, all the time want to make use of a USB-C-to-USB-C cable somewhat than a USB-C-to-USB-A cable or changing it from one to the opposite with an adapter.

USB-A is restricted in knowledge switch velocity to 10Gbps and restricted in charging velocity to simply 15W. Though there are some USB-C-to-USB-A cables that declare to deal with as much as 100W, these are usually based mostly on proprietary charging applied sciences and solely attain these charges when paired with appropriately suitable units and chargers.

Compared, trendy USB-C-to-USB-C cables can deal with as much as 40Gbps of knowledge switch and as much as 240W for quick charging. (That mentioned, 100W and fewer continues to be the most typical.) You don’t want to purchase a cable with the best specs, however higher-spec cables are normally greater high quality, and that may assist be sure that you’re getting a very good USB-C cable.

So except you’re powering legacy units that solely help USB-A, you’re higher off transferring to end-to-end USB-C for each knowledge transfers and charging if efficiency is a precedence.

Purchase Thunderbolt or USB4 for those who can

Mark Hachman / Foundry

Thunderbolt (3, 4, or 5) and USB4 cables provide the best charging and knowledge switch speeds attainable for USB-C as of this writing. However most individuals don’t precisely want these tip-top specs, proper?

Even so, there’s one other good motive to purchase certainly one of these cable sorts: they need to adhere to stricter specs to earn their Thunderbolt or USB4 labels, particularly Thunderbolt.

A USB-C 3.2 cable isn’t simply slower and fewer succesful than a USB4 cable, it’s really constructed to a weaker commonplace and doubtless isn’t as high-quality. Thunderbolt 3, 4, and the most recent Thunderbolt 5 commonplace have far greater minimal necessities and taller ceilings on potential high quality.

All of which means that you’re manner much less prone to buy a harmful or underperforming USB-C cable for those who persist with Thunderbolt or USB4. Simply be sure you get no matter’s supported by your units. (I imply, if none of your units help Thunderbolt 4, you may as nicely save a bit of money and go for Thunderbolt 3 as an alternative.)

Verify the cable’s weight

Marcus Urbenz / Unsplash

Weighing cables before you purchase them may appear to be some old-timey superstition, but it surely’s as respectable as the rest on this checklist.

Larger-quality USB-C cables are constructed with a thicker wire gauge, and that thicker copper wiring delivers a cleaner sign. Though a few of a thicker cable’s heft and weight comes from its sheath, a few of it comes from the wire itself — and extra of meaning a greater cable.

We now have the receipts to again this up, too. We beforehand examined whether or not all USB-C cables are the identical and in contrast a $9 USB-C cable to a $19 different. Each measured six ft in size, however the cheaper one was a lot thinner and lighter. (The $9 one weighed 38 grams whereas the $19 one weighed 86 grams. A big distinction.)

Now, I do know it’s not all the time straightforward or attainable to weigh a cable before you purchase it on the web, however you’ll be able to normally discover weight within the cable’s technical specs. Just a little variation is okay, but when one cable is considerably lighter than others, take into account axing it as a possible purchase.

Keep away from third-party magnetic adapters

Michael Crider / IDG

You might have seen magnetic tip adapters that connect a USB-C cable and turns one finish right into a magnetic fast launch, very similar to what we noticed in Apple’s defunct MagSafe cables. However it’s best to keep away from these as a result of they pose a big danger of {hardware} harm.

Many third-party magnetic USB-C cable adapters don’t provide safety towards environmental harm to uncovered pins. Others aren’t protected towards particles shorting out the pins. There’s even the potential of electrical arc harm when unplugging the connector.

That final level is especially harmful, and it occurs as a result of the USB-C commonplace was designed with the concept that a USB-C cable could be plugged right into a USB-C port, offering ample time to chop energy when the cable is eliminated. Nevertheless, magnetic connections are a lot quicker to detach, so there’s an opportunity that energy supply continues to be occurring even after detaching, resulting in electrical arcs and potential harm.

Cease utilizing previous USB-C cables

James Barber / Foundry

In any case this recommendation, you could be considering that it’s not well worth the bother and also you may as nicely simply use no matter previous USB-C cables are mendacity round your house.

However be cautious of doing that! USB-C requirements have continued to enhance dramatically through the years, and lots of of these older USB-C cables from years in the past weren’t simply gradual — they had been harmful.

We carried out an in depth check on older USB-C cables and located that the majority really had the potential to supply an excessive amount of energy, which may harm ports and even fry units. Do you actually need to danger shorting your costly laptop computer since you didn’t need to toss that previous USB-C cable that’s been sitting in your drawer?

Spending a couple of dollars on a brand new USB-C cable can shield you from all kinds of complications and make life extra handy with quicker knowledge switch and charging speeds.

Additional studying: The very best USB-C cables price shopping for