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I have recently become increasingly annoyed at USB-C cables. I love the fact that most devices now use them, and I am a huge fan of power delivery and its ability to power a variety of devices, including mobiles, laptops, and photography lighting.
High-power PD plugs and power banks make my life so much easier, allowing me to carry one charger and be able to charge anything I want.
The universal nature of USB-C is why I have a problem with USB-C cables. Over the years, I have acquired dozens, if not hundreds, of cables and these all normally work perfectly fine for things like charging a phone. Problems occur when you want to charge something with very high power requirements, or more recently, I have had issues with the data rates the cables support.
I may have a lot of cables, but it is becoming increasingly important to use the right cable for the job, which is annoying.
Ugreen has been a good example of the issues I have. They often send a cable when I review one of their power banks or PD plugs. These have a high wattage rating, but they don’t always support very high data rates (they are not advertised as such).
USB4 cables are, therefore, the safest bet and Amazon lists quite a lot of them that are both USB4 and capable of up to 240W power delivery. Not that any chargers or power banks support 240W, yet.
The problem with USB4 is that the cables are expensive and they are limited in length.
I decided to buy three USB4 cables and see if they make much difference to my day-to-day usage. One advantage of USB4 cables is that they always state the specification on the USB-C plug itself, so you don’t need to get confused about what is what.
Test Set Up / Equipment
I have been somewhat limited in how well I can test these cables. For a start, I obviously can’t test the 240W claims, but I do have a 140W Ugreen charger, and the Anker 737 Power Bank accepts up to 140W input. I don’t think there are any consumer devices that go above 140W, yet
For all the cables, the maximum input on the Anker I saw was 125W (which is higher than the cable Anker supplied).
For the data rates, I am currently reviewing the Geekom Mini IT11 i7-11390H, which has USB4 but is limited to 20Gbps. I am then using the Orico Montage MTQ-40G 40Gbps SSD and CrystalDiskMark. This SSD is rated for 3,126MB/s read speeds and 2,832MB/s write speeds.
During my testing, the speeds I saw were up to 3,476 MB/s which would work out at 27808Mbps, well above what the Geekom Mini IT11 claims to be capable of.
None USB4 Cables from Ugreen
Out of curiosity, I thought I should check other cables that are not rated for USB4 or 240W.
Annoyingly, even though I criticised some Ugreen cables above, the first one I tested had a fantastic data throughput that was only slightly behind the USB4 cables with 3400/3100 MB/s for read/write.
AWADUO USB 4 Cable with LCD Power Meter – £21.99
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AWADUO USB 4 Cable, PD 240W Dual Supports 8K HD Display USB... |
£21.99 | Buy on Amazon |
AWADUO USB 4 Cable
Summary
This does not work as a data cable and, therefore, I can’t recommend it at all.
I bought this purely because it had an LCD display which shows the power draw, which is quite useful for me. It was the most expensive cable I bought at £22, and it had no reviews on Amazon, which was a little offputting.
For power delivery, this seems to work well. The powerbank showed a maximum input of 125W, and the cable indicated up to 130W input.
I have used the cable quite a lot for charging, as it has been useful for monitoring the power draw of the things I am reviewing.
Unfortunately, for data, it doesn’t seem to work at all. I was unable to connect the SSD, and it didn’t work when I tried to use it with my Ugreen USB docking station.
Therefore I do not recommend this cable at all, and I am returning it to Amazon.
OHBUYAGN USB4 Cable 240W for £14.99
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OHBUYAGN USB4 Cable USB-IF Certification 240W for... | 72 Reviews |
£21.99 | Buy on Amazon |
OHBUYAGN USB4 Cable
Summary
The cheapest cable I reviewed, and it performs just as well as the more expensive options
I think I bought this one because it was the cheapest USB cable on Amazon I could find. It also claims to be compatible with TB4.
Just like the AWADUO, I was able to get 125W power for the Anker 737 Power Bank.
Then with the Orico Montage MTQ-40G, I was able to get speeds of 3437.59MB/s read, and 3171.32MB/s write, which was higher than I had expected from this SSD.
Due to the attractive price and good performance, this cable gets a strong recommendation from me
Cable Matters [USB-IF Certified] USB4 Cable 0.8 m with 40Gbps Data, 8K Video Support, and 240W Charging for £19.99
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cable Matters USB4 Cable 0.8 m with 40Gbps Data, 8K Video,... |
£16.99 | Buy on Amazon |
Cable Matters [USB-IF Certified] USB4 Cable
Summary
Excellent performance and a reputable company
Cable Matters seems to be the most respected company for USB cables, and I think this is the best-reviewed USB4 cable I could find. It was priced at £20 for 0.8m when I bought it, and they do a 1m version for £25. They also claim it is compatible with Thunderbolt 4 and 3.
Just like the other cables, I was able to get 125W going into my Anker 737 Power Bank.
I had no problems connecting the Orico SSD. Performance was fractionally lower than the OHBUYAGN USB4 with a read speed of 3368.79MB/s and 3179.14MB/s, but I expect this is just a typical variation when running the benchmark. The performance of the drive also dipped after running multiple tests, so thermal throttling is likely an issue.
While this is worse value for money than the OHBUYAGN USB4, I can still give it a strong recommendation. You have the reassurance of a reputable company, and the performance is as expected.
Overall
Considering that one cable didn’t work with data at all, I would say the main takeaway from this is to check your cables properly after you buy them.
Beyond that, the Cable Matters and OHBUYAGN are excellent options.
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.
Last update on 2024-05-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
