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I stopped trusting USB-C cable labels and started testing them

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Re: I stopped trusting USB-C cable labels and started testing them

#21

Post by pzmarzly »

xbmcuser wrote: post #2

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. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hfovjw7Ts_U&t=974s

They are not TB5 compatible though, and if you are going to drive monitors through it, or connect external GPU, 120Gbit (TB5) is much better than 40Gbit TB4 gives you. If you are willing to pay a bit more, consider TB5 cables from CalDigit, StarTech, CableMatters, or Apple.

Re: I stopped trusting USB-C cable labels and started testing them

#22

Post by RestartKernel »

rationalist wrote: post #6
xbmcuser wrote: post #2

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. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hfovjw7Ts_U&t=974s

By chance, has anyone tested Cable Matters' cables? I just bought a couple of their Thunderbolt™ 5 cables. They seem like a reputable company that would make their cables true-to-spec. Thanks in advance!

I bought a 3-meter long USB C cable from them for data and display transfer, which turned out to be the only USB C cable of that length capable of driving my display at its full resolution and framerate. However, after a year of use, it stopped transferring any sort of data. So while they're probably up to spec, the quality isn't necessarily what their pricing may suggest.

Support allowed me to send it back for replacement as a "one-time exception", though I was well within the common 2-year warranty period in the EU.

Re: I stopped trusting USB-C cable labels and started testing them

#24

Post by socalgal2 »

kiwijamo wrote: post #20

Interestingly, I have found a very mixed bag of USB-C cables I've collected over the years to generally just work for all my use cases. I can charge my various USB-C laptops at 65W with all the USB-C cables I have on hand. Maybe it's just my habit of just buying cables from known brands (Belkin is normally my go to) but I also have random cables that came with various devices of varying quality and all these also wor…

It's surprising to me you've been that lucky with Belkin. They do not have a good reputation. Maybe cables are easy so that's an easy bar to pass.

Re: I stopped trusting USB-C cable labels and started testing them

#26

Post by justinator »

justinator wrote: post #25
safeimp wrote: post #11

Verge recently posted this (free) app for testing on Mac's: https://www.theverge.com/gadgets/963759/whatcable-usb-c-cabl...

It's not actually free, it's $14 to unlock all the features.

Can't actually read the Verge without a subscription either.

Re: I stopped trusting USB-C cable labels and started testing them

#28

Post by dwheeler »

Melatonic wrote: post #16

Isnt this what "USB-IF certified" is supposed to guarantee?

Yes, there's even a spec here: https://www.usb.org/sites/default/files/usb_type-c_cable_log...

The cables are supposed to be labelled with their maximum speed (5, 10, 20, 40, or 80 Gbps or nothing if no data) and maximum wattage (60W or 240W).

HOWEVER, I don't remember ever seeing a cable with such a label. I'm sure they exist, but I don't see them. Requiring products to be labelled, and treating mislabelling as fraud, could mostly solve this. It's definitely a real problem.

Re: I stopped trusting USB-C cable labels and started testing them

#29

Post by ButlerianJihad »

dwheeler wrote: post #28
Melatonic wrote: post #16

Isnt this what "USB-IF certified" is supposed to guarantee?

Yes, there's even a spec here: https://www.usb.org/sites/default/files/usb_type-c_cable_log... The cables are supposed to be labelled with their maximum speed (5, 10, 20, 40, or 80 Gbps or nothing if no data) and maximum wattage (60W or 240W). HOWEVER, I don't remember ever seeing a cable with such a label. I'm sure they exist, but I don't see them. Requiring products to be labelled, and treating mislabelling as frau…

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