Buying a USB-C cable? Watch out for these 6 gotchas

Don’t purchase from no-name manufacturers

This tip is true for many electronics, but it surely’s particularly essential for USB-C cables. You would possibly 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 ought to be — that guarantee secure 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 status to uphold. That tends to be the case for producers on the opposite facet of the world who promote to the worldwide market by means of websites like Temu, AliExpress, and Amazon.

Though sticking to recognizable manufacturers isn’t a completely foolproof methodology of securing a high-quality USB-C cable, it does remove numerous the danger so far as security transgressions are involved. There’s additionally extra chance of recompense if one thing does go improper.

USB-C cable manufacturers we suggest embody:

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

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

If switch pace is essential to you and in case your units and chargers assist it, at all times desire to make use of a USB-C-to-USB-C cable slightly than a USB-C-to-USB-A cable or changing it from one to the opposite with an adapter.

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

As 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 stated, 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 often increased high quality, and that may assist be certain that you’re getting an excellent USB-C cable.

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

Purchase Thunderbolt or USB4 if you happen to can

Mark Hachman / IDG

Thunderbolt (3, 4, or 5) and USB4 cables provide the best charging and information switch speeds potential 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 cause to purchase considered one of these cable sorts: they have 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 increased minimal necessities and taller ceilings on potential high quality.

All of which means you’re method much less prone to buy a harmful or underperforming USB-C cable if you happen to persist with Thunderbolt or USB4. Simply be sure you get no matter’s supported by your units. (I imply, if none of your units assist Thunderbolt 4, you would possibly as effectively save a bit of money and go for Thunderbolt 3 as a substitute.)

Verify the cable’s weight

Marcus Urbenz / Unsplash

Weighing cables before you purchase them would possibly appear to be some old-timey superstition, but it surely’s as official as anything on this listing.

Greater-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.

Now we 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 various. Each measured six toes 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 at all times straightforward or potential to weigh a cable before you purchase it on the web, however you may often discover weight within the cable’s technical specs. A little bit variation is okay, but when one cable is considerably lighter than others, think about axing it as a possible purchase.

Keep away from third-party magnetic adapters

Michael Crider / IDG

You’ll 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 you need 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 in opposition to environmental harm to uncovered pins. Others aren’t protected in opposition to particles shorting out the pins. There’s even the opportunity 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 can 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 sooner 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 outdated USB-C cables

James Barber / Foundry

In any case this recommendation, you could be considering that it’s not definitely worth the bother and also you would possibly as effectively simply use no matter outdated USB-C cables are mendacity round your private home.

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

We carried out an intensive take a look at on older USB-C cables and located that almost all really had the potential to offer 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 outdated USB-C cable that’s been sitting in your drawer?

Spending a couple of bucks on a brand new USB-C cable can defend you from all types of complications and make life extra handy with sooner information switch and charging speeds.

Additional studying: The most effective USB-C cables price shopping for