#BLACK APPLE LIGHTNING CABLE PRO#
#BLACK APPLE LIGHTNING CABLE PC#

While Anker offers the best bang for your buck, Nomad’s USB-C cable actually scored highest in our testing for its outstanding design and durability. Whitson Gordon/CNN Nomad Lightning to USB-C We noted the length of warranty for each cable - after all, no matter how well a cable is built, some users will encounter issues, and the manner in which a company deals with problems is just as important as how they build their products. While we weren’t able to do months- or yearslong testing with each cable to determine how it’d hold up over time, we evaluated each cable’s build, joints and flexibility, along with a bit of bending and tugging to search for any obvious weak spots. That left most of the competition battling it out for design. The Native Union cable was the only cable to exhibit noticeably slower charging speeds, most likely due to its length, which was significantly longer than the other cables we tested. As such, we were able to mostly eliminate charge and data transfer speeds from our evaluation, with the exception of the differences between USB-C and USB-A (USB-C was a bit faster, even on our non-fast-charging iPad Pro, than USB-A cables). Data transfers were also similar, with every cable taking roughly the same amount of time to transfer data to both our iPhone and our iPad.

Thankfully, all of our MFi Certified cables performed comparably in both scenarios - on fast charging devices, all the USB-C cables we tested charged to 50% in around a half hour as promised by Apple, with all the USB-A cables taking longer but performing within a few minutes of each other. We also used them to transfer a 1.5GB video file from our computer to the device using iTunes, timing the process as well. So we used each cable in conjunction with a 65-watt power adapter to charge our devices from dead to 50%, timing the result. Most important to a charging cable is, of course, its ability to charge and transfer data at a reasonable rate.

#BLACK APPLE LIGHTNING CABLE PRO#

Over the course of a month, we tested each of these cables with our iPhone 7, iPhone 8 Plus and 9.7-inch iPad Pro using a number of different metrics. In fact, we found all the USB-C cables we tested to be faster than their USB-A counterparts on this old iPad, so it’s worth going USB-C even if your device isn’t compatible with fast charging - after all, your next device probably will be. On our old 9.7-inch iPad Pro - which is not compatible with new fast charging standards - Anker’s USB-C cable charged the iPad to 50% about 15 minutes faster than its USB-A sibling. The USB-C cable will also charge older iPhones and iPads, and while they won’t necessarily charge at the same rate as fast charge-capable devices, we found in our testing that they can charge slightly faster than a USB-A cable. You can see more about which iPhones and iPads are compatible on Apple’s Fast Charging page. With a compatible USB-C power brick, Anker’s USB-C to Lightning cable in our testing charged an iPhone 8 or later to 50% in about 30 minutes.

#BLACK APPLE LIGHTNING CABLE PC#

Not only is USB-C the future - Apple and many PC manufacturers have moved to it exclusively on their laptops - but it has the ability to charge your phone faster than USB-A. That said, we recommend the USB-C cable for most people. Oh, and we’ve owned multiples of this exact Powerline II cable for years, so we can speak to its quality and longevity personally.Īnker also offers a USB-A version that we tested, and if you don’t have any USB-C chargers, that would be a suitable alternative. This is crucial, since cables that lack Apple’s certification may not work as well, and may even damage your device - so buying from a reputable, MFi Certified company is much preferred to the cables you get in the pharmacy checkout line. Most importantly, the Powerline II is also MFi Certified, which means it’s met Apple’s quality testing for the iPhone, iPad, AirPods and other products. The Lightning end is small enough to fit in the opening of all the phone cases we tried, and both ends fit snugly into their respective sockets, without wiggling or loosening in their housing.

It’s flexible enough to easily coil loosely while also being stiff enough that it won’t fall apart and tangle in your bag as easily as some flimsier cables, and it even comes with a small Velcro cable tie. We stress tested the cables with some hard tugs and some tight bends, and it felt like it would hold up well over time, where other cables might break down and fray at the ends. The Powerline II uses the same rubber shielding as most other cables, albeit a bit thicker than Apple’s offering, with stronger joints.

The 6-foot cable does come in three colors, though: white, gray and black - alongside a 3-foot version that comes in white and black. Your CNN account Log in to your CNN accountĪnker’s Powerline II is a basic cable that does everything well, without any bells and whistles that increase the cost.

Black apple lightning cable