Cheap and expensive USB Type-C cables tested

Jan

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Different USB-C cables tested — with surprising results

Testing by MyBroadband revealed that expensive and cheap USB Type-C cables had a similar performance. The Wavlink USB-C hub cable, however, easily outperformed the rest.

MyBroadband tested ten USB-C cables in this experiment. We purchased many of them from a local store, while others were lying around in the office.
 
The resistance of the cable while charging at 5V and 3A was tested using a specialised USB tester
Click to expand...

I wouldn't trust those USB testers. Best is to just measure the resistance with a decent DMM without the cable connected
 
I have a secondary screen that has USB C display support. Out of 3 cables only the first worked but I threw it away when it broke and the data was iffy at times if the cable bent so can recall which brand worked. Had to switch back to HDMI.

Will be useful to know for display which usbc cable is best
 
I've had several cheap ones and they usually last a month or so before breaking. You either have to start charging at an angle or it gets to a point where the battery starts decreasing while its charging.

I invested in a braided one for R200 recently so hoping it actually lasts.

It is good to have a pack of cheap ones available though. Chances are that someone will ask you to borrow it at some point and like pens, you cannot always be certain that loaned charging cables will be returned.
 
Smugs said:
Which USB testers did you use and where did you buy them?
Click to expand...
USB testing requires sophisticated equipment, you don't just test cables using "testers" available to the hoi polloi.

Signal integrity, impedance, and all that, is critically important and can only be measured with uber expensive equipment
 
McGuywer said:
Hahhaahha. Unless you have a iPhone.
Click to expand...

Yes, cause it uses Lightning not USB-C.

MD818.jpeg

So the author was correct by saying Unless you have an iPhone.

On the side note, should your Macbook cable break, you can actually charge it with USB-C, provided you can source a USB-C Male <-> USB-C Male cable to fit in both the charger block and laptop.
 
Last edited:
Skankhunt said:
On the side note, should your Macbook cable break, you can actually charge it with USB-C, provided you can source a USB-C Male <-> USB-C Male cable to fit in both the charger block and laptop.
Click to expand...
From 2016, until recently, Mac abandoned their magsafe connector in favour of USB-C. Sourcing USB-C cables is really no problem.
 
bwana said:
From 2016, until recently, Mac abandoned their magsafe connector in favour of USB-C. Sourcing USB-C cables is really no problem.
Click to expand...

Yeap.

The new Macbooks can be charged via Magsafe and via the USB-C ports.
I haven’t tested charging via USB-C on my 14” but will try it out one day.
 
JuliusSeizure said:
I've had several cheap ones and they usually last a month or so before breaking. You either have to start charging at an angle or it gets to a point where the battery starts decreasing while its charging.

I invested in a braided one for R200 recently so hoping it actually lasts.

It is good to have a pack of cheap ones available though. Chances are that someone will ask you to borrow it at some point and like pens, you cannot always be certain that loaned charging cables will be returned.
Click to expand...
I bought this cable in May. Got the 2m long version and its hold up beautifully.
 
Skankhunt said:
Yes, cause it uses Lightning not USB-C.

View attachment 1213062

So the author was correct by saying Unless you have an iPhone.

On the side note, should your Macbook cable break, you can actually charge it with USB-C, provided you can source a USB-C Male <-> USB-C Male cable to fit in both the charger block and laptop.
Click to expand...
Yes I know.
I was laughing since I saw it as a joke. Hence adding the hahahahaha to my post.
 
bwana said:
I’m glad they brought back MagSafe. Compared to usb-c it’s an elegant solution.
Click to expand...
It baffles me that they did not do the obvious best of both worlds and made a magsafe USB-c cable like many 3rd parties did. Then you get a useful data port and the magsafe benefits.

They Did not have to create another new standard
 
Sapphiron said:
It baffles me that they did not do the obvious best of both worlds and made a magsafe USB-c cable like many 3rd parties did. Then you get a useful data port and the magsafe benefits.

They Did not have to create another new standard
Click to expand...
How is that the best of both worlds? They're freeing up a "useful data port" by reintroducing magsafe.
 
gregmcc said:
I wouldn't trust those USB testers. Best is to just measure the resistance with a decent DMM without the cable connected
Click to expand...
LOL, You can't measure copper resistance with a DMM. Not on a half meter cable. Copper is 1.68 x10^-8 ohm per meter at 20 Degrees.
 
We tested the charging capabilities and file transfer rates in three tests.
Click to expand...
What you should have tested instead was the bendiness of the connectors, every single cable I had to replace was because the connection between the cable and plug broke, not because of cable speed or impedance..
 
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