Apologies if the wrong community, if there’s a better suited one, please point me to it!
But, I figure we all buy USB-C cables, and being a progressive group of folks maybe someone has a suggestion so I cause slightly less waste pollution and waste? Here’s hoping!
Edit: Allrighty, apparently I’m just rough on all my usb cables OR you have all teamed up to prank me.
I got some cheap shit in a bundle that actually meets the spec requirements I wanted and they are sturdy as fuck too. They don’t have a brand name on them, and came without any packaging. They’ve been better than any other USB-C cables I’ve ever owned. I wish I knew who made them so I could get more if I ever needed. 😮💨
I’m not sure what you mean.
I haven’t had a USB cable fail that I can recall.
Old USB cables won’t support newer data rates and power transfer rates. But I don’t think that you can do much about that, short of getting the highest-spec one at the time of purchase.
I just find that over time the ones I use for my phone get trickier and require more jiggling around to charge at max speed instead of glacial pace.
From reading the responses though, I think I may just be too hard on my cables I guess. (Also my cat loves attacking them but I’m pretty good about keeping them away from her.)
Have you tried cleaning out your phone port? A plastic flosspick works well. If there’s lint in the bottom it can keep the plug from seating properly and acts like you describe.
I have had plenty of cables fail though so I don’t think you’re crazy.
I guess it depends on what you mean by “reasonable”. :)
The last batch of cables I bought were a) braided and b) had right angle connectors.
They’ve lasted long enough that I can’t remember when I bought them.
Ha, totally fair. Right angle connector, never thought about that…
I buy Anker cables and they hold up really well to my kid’s cable abuse. They have a braided sheath around them.
I also love my Anker cables. I have cables from them that are like 10 years old and I would still be using them if they were USBC
Pretty sure I’ve got Anker cables from when they were the “no name generic” option.
They’re probably the most recommended brand now for all types of cables and battery banks. It’s kind of crazy
Get in the game with inexpensive options, grow the business and reinvest profits to both expand and increase quality. The exact opposite of what we see with large companies once they hit the top of their respective markets.
Their charging and cable products are awesome and still a decent price. That’s not to say Anker is perfect. They straight up lied about their Eufy security cameras. Sending unencrypted streams back to Eufy despite claims of offline local data storage.
I think I’ll try some of these braided cables with the magnetic bit someone was talking about. Thanks!
Plenty of companies make solid cables now and Anker’s Eufy camera controversy made me look to other options for cables and battery banks. Truly scummy while sacrificing their own users’ privacy (and lying about it).
https://www.theverge.com/23573362/anker-eufy-security-camera-answers-encryption
I bought my kid the magnetic kind where the but stays in your phone and the cable magnetically connects to it and it also rotates and whatnot. Doesn’t charge fast but it’s hella capable of her shit. Last phone port failed because she ripped the cord out all the time but now the important but just stays in the phone.
Ooooooh, this seems like a game changer. Apparently I am a middle aged child when it comes to cord removal.
If you don’t care about fast charge or data transfer they really are. Here’s a link to the ones I bought
Highly recommend if you wear out cables. I’m guilty as well but I use Android Auto for work everyday so these do me no good but help my daughter immensely.
They can’t transfer data? That’s AUFU. But seriously, I use Android Auto every day as well, but the new work vehicle works with it wirelessly. Usually…
They can prolly do some data transfer but won’t make Android Auto work. I wish our trucks had wireless. Surprised they didn’t honestly, they’re all 2024 Mavericks. I need to get another wireless dongle thingy.
I know some of those magnetic cables can do it but they’re much pricier than the ones I got for my kid.
I think the lesson to be learned from these comments is if all of your cords keep breaking, they probably aren’t the problem.
Ha, yeah I just figured phonea came with a shitty usb does that starts getting trickier to charge over months etc.
I like the silicone ones. They’re soft, super flexible and seem to hold up well.
I don’t think I’ve ever purchased one. The ones that came with my phones have always outlasted my phones, and I keep my phones for years. I may no longer have those old phones, but I still have those cables in my cable box (even those pesky USB micro-b). Maybe I’m too gentle with them haha
That legit blows my mind. I’m not sure I’ve had a phone charging cable be effective for more than a year before I started having to jiggle it while standing on one leg facing East.
It might also be partially due to a buildup of dust inside of the phone’s port. You can try carefully scraping in there with the end of a paperclip dipped in a little bit of rubbing alcohol when the phone is shut down. It takes a while but it really helped for me.
A wooden toothpick works just as well and you run less risk damaging anything.
Cables tend to go bad if they are being bent at the point where the connector sheath meets the cable.
My wife is great at destroying cables - charging her phone while being in bed. I feel the next cable I’ll buy her will be have a 90° connector.
Interesting fact: USB-C moved the retention springs and parts that failed most (on micro-USB) from the port to the cable for this very reason! Every time I have a cable that needs replacing l’m annoyed. Until I remember that it’s about 1000 times better than replacing my phone or laptop!
Interesting fact: USB-C moved the retention springs and parts that failed most (on micro-USB)
The move happened and was a good idea, but was between mini-USB and micro-USB, rather than between micro-USB and USB-C.
Well, they did something more! USB-C connectors last way longer than micro-USB ones…
The only USB-C cable that has failed me is the one for Android Auto in the car and it’s never worked quite right in the first place. That’s what I get for being impatient and buying overpriced cheap cables from Microcenter.
I found a USB dongle that enables wireless Android Auto even if your radio doesn’t support it. Huge game changer.
Those are the shit
IKEA cables. Been using the same one for over a decade.
Anker branded cables
Get the braided ones
Edit: Lol someone else already said the same thing 😅
Braided cables… swoon
I have cables that are 15 years old and still work. Not USB-C obviously, but A-A and A-B, but also some USB-C cables that are close to 10 years old now and came bundled with some OnePlus phone (the 3 I think?).
The key to not breaking cables is to not roll them up tightly. If you need to transport them, put them very loosely into a bag or something, and everything should be fine.
I’m using the cheapest 2m long cables I could find online, they don’t fail if treated correctly.
I will try to keep them looser in future! I just find over time, I have to get increasingly careful with plugging them into the phone just right or it won’t charge etc.
I’ve never had an issue with any usb cables I use inside. I have, however, had many problems with USB cables used in my vehicles. It’s got to be something with the extreme heat in the summer.
JSAUX makes the most durable. I have 3 kids that are hard on them. Nothing else has lasted as long as those.
https://www.cablecreation.com/collections/cable
I’ve had a pair of 6ft braided USB-C to USB-C cables from these guys that have lasted me 5+ years of daily use.
One of the 4 connections has gotten a little loose, but other than that they’ve held up great.
I don’t think I’ve had any wear out yet, but I also am gentle on them.
