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USB Cables characteristics


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For me USB cables were all the same with the exception of the type (USB 2, USB 3, USB c and the length of the cable). However it seems it is more complicated than that. I have been using various usb-c to usb-c cables with the pro1 with various results:

the first one (delock) is charging at around 800mA but keeps breaking the connection when transmitting data

the second one (samsung) is charging at around 500mA (from the same port of my docking station) but works perfectly for transmitting data.

Is there something we need to look at when purchasing cables? some specific characteristics? Or is it just "try and error" method?

 

Edited by OKSun
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Just now, EskeRahn said:

Similar goes for USB-A to USB-C cables. It is not always that the vendors ratings translates directly.

Especially for stuff from 'unknown' brands, this can be quite a jungle. My 'answer' has been trial-and-error...

A lot of it is down to quality I think... I've found some A to C cables that have aluminium instead of copper. I've had fairly good luck with cables from orico and ugreen aliexpress, but i don't even own a single C to C cable, there might be more ways to make those badly.

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3 minutes ago, netman said:

there might be more ways to make those badly.

Indeed, they can  also be bad in the lack of shielding or twisted data-wires, not allowing high speed data... But the impedance obviously matter for fast charging.

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Everything depends on the quality of the copper used in the wires. Low quality ones have higher resistance so that's why they have higher current draw and drops data transfers, the additional power just going into heating the poor quality cable. 

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Also take a look at the PD rating. In general, the higher the rating, the higher the quality / price / speed transfer. A 40W PD cable (that for example came with a 40W charger) will not deliver 60W even if the charger is capable of higher power and voltage. PD cables have the correct resistors or chips to negotiate their capabilities.  Higher end non-PD cables are built the same way but just don't advertise it. That's why sometimes they work and sometimes they don't.

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