Tips on Choosing your next Charging Cable

Not all charging cables are created equal. Some last longer than the others. Some are cheaper than the others. Even the ones that came with your smartphones are not the best type of charging cables for your devices.

We’re pretty sure you’ve experienced having your charging cables broken, bent or worn out way too easy or too soon.

That’s why when getting a replacement cable you have to look more carefully the next time. Here are some tips you need to look for when picking out the next charging cable for your precious devices:

1) They have to be strong and solid. The thicker, the better. Cable wires should be thick and solid, not soft or easily bendable. Look for additional exterior protection like an added layer on top of the soft rubber insulation found in most standard cables. There are many cables that offer additional layers of protection so look for these in the newer ones.

2) Look for extra padding along the ends of the cable. One of the most common issues with cables is that the ends are the ones that break the first. These are the ends of the cable just before the metal jacket. The insulation in this area are the most common ones to break very fast. This is the most common reasons why Apple’s Lightning cables and MagSafe cables break up quickly.

3) Check for warranties. You would not expect that as simple charging cable may need a warranty but considering that a typical cable gets worn out and replaced every year, it can be expensive. Getting a warranty on these cables can mean a lot. Belkin, for example, offers up to 2 years warranty on their DuraTek cables which is a pretty long time.

There are also other factors to consider and we also advise you to take good care of your charging cables by using and storing them properly.

Abe Olandres

Abe is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of YugaTech with over 20 years of experience in the technology industry. He is one of the pioneers of blogging in the country and considered by many as the Father of Tech Blogging in the Philippines. He is also a technology consultant, a tech columnist with several national publications, resource speaker and mentor/advisor to several start-up companies.

https://www.yugatech.com

5 Comments

Jude says:

7 years ago

The best way is to buy branded cables. Good brands; specially if you are buying usb-c type cable.
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K L says:

7 years ago

anker, tronsmart, or remax…
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JC says:

6 years ago

Which is better the nylon braided or the metal ones?
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angel says:

2 years ago

If you want a great free app to test your chargers, battery or even wires – I use “Amperes Battery Charging Lite” https://apps.apple.com/us/app/amperes-battery-charging-lite/id1253789580.
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