The major smartphones are switching to a USB-C port to charge its devices, which means the stockpile of micro-USB cables you have are now useless. You might be wondering why the switch to USB-C? USB-C has a reversible design, which means you don’t have to guess the correct side of the connector, it will work both ways. The major reason is that USB-C supports increased power supply and bi-directional data and power transfer. This means that USB-C has the capability of charging your laptop, while using the connection to output to an external monitor. It’s the best of both worlds. USB-C is here to stay, which means you’re going to want to have a couple of cheap, reliable third-party charging cables in case you lose the one that comes with your phone. Let’s take a look at the iXCC USB-C to USB-A charging cable.
iXCC is one of the largest sellers on Amazon. The Element Series Lightning cable that was reviewed previously had close to 30,000 reviews with a 4.4 star rating. This is a well established seller, who has a history of making cheap, quality products that people love. This is incredibly important for USB-C charging cables because it the technology is relatively new and you want to make sure you don’t get a shoddy cable.
The iXCC USB-C charging cable comes in simple packaging with two cables. The iXCC USB-C charging cable has one end that is USB-C and one end that is USB-A. USB-A is the standard port commonly found in laptops and power adapters that everyone is familiar with. The nice thing about having a USB-A end is that everyone already has power adapters and ports that use USB-A. USB-C chargers are less common and the only people I know who have a compatible charging adapter are people who own a Pixel or Galaxy S8.
The USB-A is version 2.0 and it will support charging up to 3A and data syncing speeds up to 480Mb/s. iXCC claims that this cable will charge the MacBook 12-inch and the Chromebook Pixel. I have a Dell XPS 13 and this cable was not able to charge my laptop, which is expected. The MacBook 12-inch model needs less power to charge compared to my Dell XPS 13.
Impressions
This is definitely one of the better USB-C cables that I have used. I gave one to my roommate because he has a Pixel and he uses this cable more than the OEM cable because of the USB-A connection. USB-A is more common that USB-C, so you’ll have more options to charge your phone, especially if outlets are scarce.
The durability is good as long as you take care of the cable and prevent bending it at extreme angles. This is built exactly like the iXCC Element Series Lightning cable, which is still in perfect condition despite daily use.
The cable is 6 feet long, which is a perfect length to use have your phone plugged in and use in bed. The best part is that the cable is only $7.99 on Amazon. Not to mention, you get two cables instead of one.
Overall
You can’t beat the price and with a reputation like iXCC, this cable is a no-brainer. Finding a quality USB-C charging cable is tricky because it is a new technology, but you can be confident that iXCC will put out a reliable charging cable. This is a fantastic cable to pick up if you have any USB-C compatible devices because it will work with any standard USB-A docks and power adapters. USB-C will eventually take over, but for the time being USB-A to USB-C is going to be the most convenient! You can find a one-pack 6 feet cable for only $4.99, a two-pack 6 feet cable for $7.99, and a 10 feet cable for $7.99.