USB Cables, varying quality?

[tinpanalley]

I can't imagine why it would matter but is there a USB cable that is technically "better" than another if the purpose is to have a Micro to USB-A to be used on different computers and devices around the house? The only thing I can think of that you'd want to pay more for is preventing what happens to me eventually which is cable sheath/jacket splitting at the collar of the plug. But other than maybe gold contacts is there anything else that differentiates a good USB cable from a bad one?

 

[mindless1]

If it's long or used for high(er) current charging then a lower wire gauge is helpful, as is higher quality cable sheathing instead of that chinesium PVC that falls apart after a few years and stinks.

You also don't want one where the micro end isn't exactly the right dimensions because if it fits too tight that can strain the device USB socket solder joints. I've had that happen to a phone, camera, and MP3 player. I wish they'd do away with micro USB on everything large enough that a mini USB would fit on.

On the other hand, I wouldn't pay a premium for a fancy cable unless I had some specific scenario needing one like trying to get the longest run possible for a webcam or wifi adapter without involving an ethernet or other proprietary bridge-to-USB solution.

 

[tinpanalley]

Well, I'm talking two 3 ft cables, maybe one 6 footer for the living room. None of our phones have chargers that are rated at more than 1.1A. We have two tablets, one charger is rated at 1A, the other at 2A, and all are 5V. And that's really it. Most of these things however get plugged into a charging dock for full charging that can output to 5 ports at 2A each, combining any devices from 2 to 12V. But I'd still like to know I can get good cables to ensure that I'm getting the most out of that dock's capabilites. I'm very well versed in how to buy other cables so I'm curious about the intricacies of buying USB. What do you think of these?

I hear you on the dimensions thing. I spent weeks troubleshooting a phone that wouldn't sync to our PC only to find the contacts weren't...contacting. Tried another cable, worked instantly. Annoying. But that you can't really tell until you're holding the cable, I guess.

Yeah, I've never bought into the fancy cable market.

 

[mnewsham]

I get Anker nylon braided cables, they hold up much better than any of the others I've tried over the years.

I've used both the micro USB and USB type-C cables from Anker and would happily purchase more if/when needed.

 

[lxskllr]

Decent name brand cables work better than dollar store generics. Belkin has always treated me right, but I'm not brand loyal. Whatever brand I recognize seem to work ok. Otherwise, I'm not sure there's an objective way to compare.

 

[mindless1]

What do you think of these?

They look nice and seem a little overpriced for your needs. They make the marketing claims but without having hands on one, it's difficult to guess whether the claims pan out into a higher durability product.

Amazon.ca though, those of us not in ca won't know the best value for your app nor would many spend much time to save a small # of dollars, so the default position would be to read the amazon reviews looking more for valid criticisms rather than fake positives.

Fakespot does not like those reviews, but on the other hand how much can be said about a cable if it does the job well?

https://www.fakespot.com/product/mi...us-lg-sony-htc-kindle-nokia-motorola-and-more

 

[tinpanalley]

They look nice and seem a little overpriced for your needs. They make the marketing claims but without having hands on one, it's difficult to guess whether the claims pan out into a higher durability product.

Overpriced? Really? Ok, cool. I thought they might be a bit on the cheap side. So maybe just anything with higher quality sheathing and slightly thicker gauge.

Amazon.ca though, those of us not in ca won't know the best value for your app nor would many spend much time to save a small # of dollars, so the default position would be to read the amazon reviews looking more for valid criticisms rather than fake positives.

If you're pretty much anywhere in North America or Europe, the prices are gonna be comparable.

Fakespot does not like those reviews, but on the other hand how much can be said about a cable if it does the job well?

I had no idea about Fakespot. This is one of my favourite new sites

 

[lenjack]

Don't overpay for fancy cables that promise you the moon. They don't work any better.

 

[Insert_Nickname]

Don't overpay for fancy cables that promise you the moon. They don't work any better.

Yes, and no. Depends both on cable length, and what you're trying to put through them.

F.x. 10Gbit USB3 is notoriously fickle about cable quality. Anything over 1m requires a very high quality cable.

 

[HutchinsonJC]

Direct current voltage drops over distance of cable. The thickness and the type of conductive material used will play a role in that voltage drop. The higher quality the cable is, the less profound that voltage drop can be.

Low quality cables, aside from maybe falling apart faster, might exemplify their low quality with added waste heat because the gauge isn't low enough (not thick enough). The heat will be more obvious on charging high amp devices.

And as above mentioned, high bandwidth data can be picky with the quality of the cable, too.

 

[Kartajan]

I also have found that a cable that is built to SPECIFICATION generally performs as such.
Outside of build quality effects on basic longevity, cables built to more precise tolerances or "better quality" than the standard are only effective when you are pushing the envelope.