Collection: USB Cables

USB-C is a connector, not a capability

This is the single most useful thing to understand about the category. Two USB-C leads that look identical can differ by a factor of twenty in what they carry. One may be USB 2.0 — 480 Mbps, fine for a keyboard or a printer. Another may be USB 3.2 Gen 1 at 5 Gbps or Gen 2 at 10 Gbps. Some carry DisplayPort Alt Mode and will drive a monitor; most will not. And the Power Delivery rating decides whether it charges a phone, a tablet or a 100 W laptop. If a dock will not drive a screen, or a laptop charges slowly, the cable is the first thing to check and usually the thing at fault.

Match the lead to the job

For a printer or scanner, USB-A to USB-B at 2.0 is correct and anything faster is wasted. For an external SSD, buy 3.2 Gen 2 or the drive will run at a fraction of its rated speed. For charging a laptop, check the wattage — a 60 W lead will not run a 100 W machine at full rate, and cables above 60 W need an internal e-marker chip. For a monitor over USB-C, the lead must support Alt Mode, and a charge-only cable will simply do nothing.

Length is a real constraint

USB is specified to 5 m at 2.0 speeds and only 1 to 2 m at 10 Gbps — the faster the standard, the shorter the passive run. Beyond that you need an active cable or an extender, and a long passive lead bought for a high-speed device is a fault waiting to happen rather than a bargain.

Brands

Lindy, StarTech.com, Targus, Cables Direct, Microconnect and VivoLink.

Trade pricing and business accounts are available for UK organisations, and bulk orders are welcome — request a quote.