Your Fast USB-C Cable Might Be Slowing Everything Down
If you’ve got a fast-charging USB-C cable that you’re likewise using for data transfer, you ought to check just how fast it is. The fact is, many “fast” USB-C cables are anything but when it comes to data transfer rates.
USB-C Cables Are a Mess
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USB-C is great, most of the time. But USB-C cables are anything but standardized, since unless you know what you bought, they’re always a crapshoot. The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) doesn’t require cable vendors to pair fast charging with high data rates, or vice versa, which has resulted in complete chaos in the USB-C cable market.
You’ve got 240W USB Power Delivery (USB PD) cables sporting USB 2.0 data rates, as well as 20Gb/s cables that can deliver less than 10W of power. You also have high-speed cables that don’t support DP Alt Mode (DisplayPort Alternate Mode), and anything in between. If the cable isn’t labeled, there’s no way to know its specs without testing it.
For instance, many users have drawers full of USB-C cables, most of which are gradual both when it comes to charging power and data rates. These cables can charge mice, controllers, and phones (but not at their maximum charging speed). But when it comes to transferring data, they’re as fast as any USB 2.0 cable, topping out at 480Mbps, at least on paper. In reality, most are even slower.
It’s common to find cables that support 60W or higher charging power, but only a fraction of those offer bandwidth higher than 480Mbps. A fast-charging cable included with an M.2 external SSD enclosure, for example, might have a bandwidth of 20Gbps, making it ideal for data transfer.
These slower cables increase the time it takes to transfer photos and videos from your phone to your computer, or prevent you from using the full bandwidth of your external storage drives. So, how to find the right USB-C cable for data transfers?
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How to Find the Right USB-C Cable for Data Transfers
There’s a chance you already have a USB-C cable that supports high-speed data; you just have to test it, since there’s no way to share its bandwidth by looking at it if it isn’t labeled.
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You can do so on your Windows PC with an app such as CrystalDiskMark. Linux users have access to KDiskMark, and Mac owners can use AmorphousDiskMark. When testing, make sure to use an adequately fast external storage device and plug the cable into an adequately fast USB-C port on your computer. If you find a high bandwidth cable, make sure to label it for future use.
Alternatively, you can use the USB-C cable that’s included with your external SSD, if you have one. Even budget external SSDs come with at least 5Gb/s cables, but not all include USB-C cables.
If you want to buy a high-speed data transfer cable, you won’t have to break the bank because they’re quite affordable. Most fast-charging cables are limited to USB 2.0 bandwidth, so make sure the listing includes the maximum data rate. The good news is that most high-speed data cables also offer fast charging, so you can have the best of both worlds for a reasonable premium.
Here Are a Few High-Speed USB-C Cable Recommendations
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The Cable Matters 20Gb/s USB-C cable should be more than enough for anyone who doesn’t need USB4 or Thunderbolt bandwidth. It’s affordable, supports up to 240W charging and DP Alt mode, and the 6ft version costs less than $20. The Anker USB4 (40Gb/s) cable is faster, but it’s shorter and costs more.
If you want to go all in, the Cable Matters USB4 2.0 80Gb/s, 240W cable costs only $21.99 for the 4.9ft version. It’s compatible with USB4, Thunderbolt 5, and older Thunderbolt versions, and is backwards compatible with USB 3.2 and older standards. It also supports USB Power Delivery 3.1 as well as DP Alt mode (up to 480Hz@4K). There’s also a braided version of the cable, which is slightly pricier.
Alternatively, you can get a certified Thunderbolt cable, but those are more expensive. The OWC Thunderbolt 4 certified cable works great with USB4 and older USB-C ports, and costs less than $30 for the 3.3ft version. OWC also offers an 80Gb/s Thunderbolt 5 cable for $35.
Fast-charging USB-C cables aren’t suited for file transfer in most cases. If you use one to move data between your devices, you should test how fast it is. If the results show USB 2.0 speeds (480Mb/s, which is equal to 60 megabytes per second) or lower, you ought to upgrade to a high-speed data cable.
