Kati Maria/Shutterstock USB cables come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. This isn’t exactly a figure of speech, as they really vary by application, brand, and configuration… which often also leads to a wide range of prices. Cables must be constructed durable and offer good charging and data transfer rates to be useful for our electronic devices. The price difference often comes from manufacturing materials and their defining characteristics, which can determine data speeds and power delivery capabilities. Cheap USB-C cables, for example, often use cheaper PVC plastic instead of braided nylon or durable silicone. This makes them more likely to bend and warp over time, which can wear them out. Another factor is pins. Low-cost cables tend to have lower pin counts, which is the main reason why they cannot support higher data transfer speeds. Fortunately, there are some telltale signs to tell the differences when you’re shopping for a USB cable, often labeled on the packaging or defined by a few other physical characteristics, like interior colors. Check USB cable certifications HelgaQ/Shutterstock When you order online or buy in-store, you can do a few checks to make sure the USB cable you’re considering is worth the asking price. These include quality and safety certifications. If you want to ensure a high-end, quality cable that has undergone proper testing, look for one with a USB-IF (Uuniversal Serial BWe-Ithe performers Forum) on the packaging (laser engraved rather than printed on the connector head to show the official branding). For safety and physical certifications, check to see if it has labels like UL, cUL, CE, UKCA Mark, and FCC, which means the cable meets national or universal safety standards. Although most modern cables are designed to be safe, you still want to check that they have the appropriate certificates and can handle overheating and associated issues. Finally, for high-performance applications that require a more expensive cable, make sure it has an E-marker chip so that it delivers the correct power when paired with the power adapter and application (the E-marker chip is required for cables carrying more than 60W for safe charging – cheaper cables won’t have one). This is one of the main reasons why a decent phone charger cable can actually charge a laptop without causing any safety concerns. Check USB generation and colors StepanPopov/Shutterstock The other important consideration is whether the cable is primarily designed for charging or whether it can also effectively handle data transfers, as performance has generally increased on both fronts with each new generation of cables. For example, although USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 cables may have USB-A connectors, the later version supports much faster charging and data transfers – check the cable labels to make sure you’re getting the one you want. For USB-A, USB 3.0 and later have a higher pin count, can transfer up to 5 gigabits per second (Gbps), and deliver 900 milliamps of current at 5 volts (2.5 watts). USB-C is a little different. They also share similar generation labels but differ in power and transfer speeds. For example, the latest generations of USB 3 for USB-C can actually support transfer speeds of 5 to 20 Gbps, so you’ll want to check what the packaging says to be sure. The newest, but most expensive, standard is the USB4 version 2, which can provide up to 80 Gbps and 240 watts. This level of performance may be excessive for most of today’s consumer needs, but it’s likely a sign of what’s to come in terms of future power and transfer demands. The color coding can also be an indicator of which generation you are purchasing. If you buy a USB-A cable, for example, USB 3.0 and later typically have a blue, yellow, or orange plastic color inside their connectors (teal and red for USB 3.1 and USB 3.2, respectively). In contrast, USB 2.0 connectors are usually black on the inside for USB-A cables. Unfortunately, USB-C cables don’t use connector color to indicate their performance capabilities, so it’s best to read their technical specifications instead. Post navigation 5 Treasured Retro Gadgets Your Grandpa Might Still Have
Kati Maria/Shutterstock USB cables come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. This isn’t exactly a figure of speech, as they really vary by application, brand, and configuration… which often also leads to a wide range of prices. Cables must be constructed durable and offer good charging and data transfer rates to be useful for our electronic devices. The price difference often comes from manufacturing materials and their defining characteristics, which can determine data speeds and power delivery capabilities. Cheap USB-C cables, for example, often use cheaper PVC plastic instead of braided nylon or durable silicone. This makes them more likely to bend and warp over time, which can wear them out. Another factor is pins. Low-cost cables tend to have lower pin counts, which is the main reason why they cannot support higher data transfer speeds. Fortunately, there are some telltale signs to tell the differences when you’re shopping for a USB cable, often labeled on the packaging or defined by a few other physical characteristics, like interior colors. Check USB cable certifications HelgaQ/Shutterstock When you order online or buy in-store, you can do a few checks to make sure the USB cable you’re considering is worth the asking price. These include quality and safety certifications. If you want to ensure a high-end, quality cable that has undergone proper testing, look for one with a USB-IF (Uuniversal Serial BWe-Ithe performers Forum) on the packaging (laser engraved rather than printed on the connector head to show the official branding). For safety and physical certifications, check to see if it has labels like UL, cUL, CE, UKCA Mark, and FCC, which means the cable meets national or universal safety standards. Although most modern cables are designed to be safe, you still want to check that they have the appropriate certificates and can handle overheating and associated issues. Finally, for high-performance applications that require a more expensive cable, make sure it has an E-marker chip so that it delivers the correct power when paired with the power adapter and application (the E-marker chip is required for cables carrying more than 60W for safe charging – cheaper cables won’t have one). This is one of the main reasons why a decent phone charger cable can actually charge a laptop without causing any safety concerns. Check USB generation and colors StepanPopov/Shutterstock The other important consideration is whether the cable is primarily designed for charging or whether it can also effectively handle data transfers, as performance has generally increased on both fronts with each new generation of cables. For example, although USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 cables may have USB-A connectors, the later version supports much faster charging and data transfers – check the cable labels to make sure you’re getting the one you want. For USB-A, USB 3.0 and later have a higher pin count, can transfer up to 5 gigabits per second (Gbps), and deliver 900 milliamps of current at 5 volts (2.5 watts). USB-C is a little different. They also share similar generation labels but differ in power and transfer speeds. For example, the latest generations of USB 3 for USB-C can actually support transfer speeds of 5 to 20 Gbps, so you’ll want to check what the packaging says to be sure. The newest, but most expensive, standard is the USB4 version 2, which can provide up to 80 Gbps and 240 watts. This level of performance may be excessive for most of today’s consumer needs, but it’s likely a sign of what’s to come in terms of future power and transfer demands. The color coding can also be an indicator of which generation you are purchasing. If you buy a USB-A cable, for example, USB 3.0 and later typically have a blue, yellow, or orange plastic color inside their connectors (teal and red for USB 3.1 and USB 3.2, respectively). In contrast, USB 2.0 connectors are usually black on the inside for USB-A cables. Unfortunately, USB-C cables don’t use connector color to indicate their performance capabilities, so it’s best to read their technical specifications instead.
