If you’ve got a fast-charging USB-C cable that you’re also 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
USB-C is great, most of the time. But USB-C cables are anything but, because 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 PD (USB Power Delivery) 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, I have a bunch of USB-C cables lying around my drawers, and most are slow both when it comes to charging power and data rates. I can use them to charge my mice, controllers, and my phone (but not at its 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.
I also own five USB-C cables that support 60W or higher charging power. Out of the five, only a single one has bandwidth higher than 480Mbps, the one that was included with my M.2 external SSD enclosure, which has a bandwidth of 20Gbps. Naturally, I use that one every time I need to transfer data between two devices, with the rest limited to charging my phone and handheld PCs.
There’s a good chance you also have a couple of fast-charging USB-C cables you use for both topping up your devices and transferring data. The thing is, those “fast” cables often aren’t suitable for data transfer because they only support USB 2.0 speeds (480 Mb/s, or 60MB/s), and can be even slower in practice.
They 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?
USB-C is a mess: Why your next laptop must have Thunderbolt
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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 tell its bandwidth by looking at it if it isn’t labeled.
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. My external SSD SATA enclosure comes with a USB-A cable, but my M.2 enclosure sports a high-speed USB-C cable, which I use all the time.
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.
If I can deal with my shameful pile of cables, so can you
Let’s tackle the problem together.
Here are a few high-speed USB-C cable recommendations
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 is your best bet. It works great with USB4 and older USB-C ports, and costs less than $30 for the 3.3ft version (there are longer versions). 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.
