I stopped trusting USB-C cable labels and started testing them with a $15 meter instead
USB-C was supposed to be the one connector for everything, but its versatility means cables look identical while hiding wildly different capabilities. The author, tired of guessing which cable could fast-charge his MacBook Pro, bought a $15 USB tester. By plugging it between cable and device, he could read voltage, amperage, and wattage to identify each cable's real charging speed. He then labeled every cable in his drawer, turning guesswork into certainty.
But I shouldn't have had to do any of this. It's time cables came with a label of their own, or some sort of color coding.
- ryandrake
> But I shouldn't have had to do any of this. It's time cables came with a label of their own, or some sort of color coding.
There shouldn't even need to be a label. A USB-C cable should be a USB-C cable should be a USB-C cable. There should be a single connectivity/performance spec, and if the cable meets it, it can be called a USB-C cable, and if it doesn't, it should have to be marketed as USB-JUNK or something.
This is what happens when the spec is awful and says "the cable must do 480Mbps, or it must do 40Gbps, or... whatever, have fun!"
- keane
Related discussion “The USB Situation” (3 months ago): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47950993
re: https://randsinrepose.com/guides/usb/usb-guide.html
Apple sells this $30 (0.5m) CalDigit cable https://www.apple.com/shop/product/hs9d2zm/a/ and this $70 (1m) Apple cable https://www.apple.com/shop/product/mdw94am/a/
There's also some interesting discussion of Thunderbolt 5 cables on reddit (6 months ago): https://www.reddit.com/r/UsbCHardware/comments/1r84q54/
- xbmcuser
LTT has created true spec cables with the actual spec mentioned on the cables but they can not keep up with demand despite being expensive get sold out as soon as new stock comes in.
- synack
I came up with a color code based on the wiring: Red for Power Only, Blue for USB 2.0, Green for USB 3 (the ones with the extra pairs connected). I use paint pens to mark every cable I come across with this code. Generally speaking, only the Green ones have special PD emarker chips.
It doesn't cover every possible configuration, but it's good enough for when I'm like "I need a USB cable" vs "I need a good USB cable"
I use this tester: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CF95VL2Y
- jerbearito
Does HN allow spammy posts written for the sake of sharing an affiliate link? Surprised to see this here.
- bariumbitmap
> Any cable that can transfer data faster than USB 2.0 speeds also requires a chip to do so.
I always found this confusing because USB 3.0 Micro-B cables can transfer data faster than USB 2.0 without needing an e-marker, so why do USB-C cables need one if they already have the Tx and Rx SuperSpeed wires?
It seems like the answer is, roughly, "it's complicated".
https://old.reddit.com/r/UsbCHardware/comments/1ow1tpf/why_d...
https://old.reddit.com/r/UsbCHardware/comments/13j0gev/do_us...
- ChrisMarshallNY
As always, these testers (the affordable ones) are capable of testing continuity, and, I guess, the cable chip report.
If you want to test bandwidth, that's a five- or six-figure bit of gear.
- palmotea
I use one of these to check the wiring of the USB cables I get, especially if I'm getting a weird one. I've always been a little freaked out by the story of that Google employee who posted very trusted USB-C cable reviews to Amazon, then got his equipment fried by one that crossed the wires.
https://www.tindie.com/products/bittradeone/usb-cable-checke...
But when I care about performance, I just get a cable from Anker and don't worry too much about it.
BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS: WHERE CAN I GET ONE OF THOSE TINY GREEN MILK CREATES IN THE PHOTO?