Connect with us

Buying Guide

The best and fastest charging cables money can buy right now

A high-quality charging cable can help you get the most out of your fast-charge power brick, taking your devices from 0% to 100% as fast as possible.

charging cables on table
Image: Unsplash
Giveaway: Enter to win a BLUETTI Charger 1 ($399 value): Enter Here

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

Fast charging devices are designed to minimize the amount of time that we spend waiting for our smartphones and tablets to charge. As smartphones, tablets, and other gadgets become more powerful, they start draining their batteries faster and faster. This usually means that you may have to plug your devices into an outlet at least once per day.

Now, nobody likes to be stuck close to an outlet for 3-4 hours during the day, and that is where fast charging comes into play. Most phones and tablets currently on the market can charge from 0% to 100% in about 2-3 hours. However, to get the full benefit of this feature, you’ll not only need a fast-charging power brick, but also a charging cable that can deliver the required power.

Not all charging cables are created equal and cheaper products will usually limit the amount of power that reaches your device. To find a durable, efficient power cable, we’ve looked at the top power bank and charging cable manufacturers. Here’s what we’ve found.

The fastest charging cables on the market

If you are looking for a new charging cable, these are some of the best options out there right now.

Anker PowerLine III Plus – The best cable for all your charging needs

anker powerline iii plus charger
Image: KnowTechie

Anker has been around for a long time and is the biggest player in the power bank and device charging game. The company makes cables that are both extremely durable, as well as efficient.

The Anker PowerLine III Plus is considered to be the best charging cable currently available. It is a USB-IF-Certified six-foot cable that has two USB Type C connectors. When it comes to charging speed, it’s hard to find anything better. The PowerLine III Plus can deliver 60W of power to phones and tablets. The cable itself is fiber-wrapped to increase its durability and can withstand 35,000 bends without deteriorating.

An alternative to the PowerLine III Plus is the PowerLine III Flow, which can withstand speeds of 100W, however, it is not braided.

[letsreviewaffiliate url=”https://amzn.to/39EtOwo” text=”see at amazon” size=”small” rel=”nofollow” target=”newwindow” accent=”#d6c9e2″ border=”off”]

Belkin Thunderbolt 3 – A 100W charging cable that’s supports 4K

belkin charging cable
Image: KnowTechie

Belkin products are also extremely popular when it comes to smartphone and tablet charging. Their Thunderbolt 3 charging cable supports speeds of 100W, which is more than enough for most devices.

The Thunderbolt 3 is designed to also be used to connect 4k-5k displays, and even charge current and next-gen USB charging laptops. Also, the cable is 2.6-feet long, which is more than enough for most setups and purposes. While the cable is not braided, it is made from a thick rubber that can withstand a lot of abuse before cracking.

[letsreviewaffiliate url=”https://amzn.to/3zL7UCi” text=”see at amazon” size=”small” rel=”nofollow” target=”newwindow” accent=”#d6c9e2″ border=”off”]

AmazonBasics USB-C to USB-C – A next-gen cable that supports 3 watts of charging

amazonbasics usb charger
Image: KnowTechie

As unexpected as it may be, Amazon has entered the charging cable market and is not offering extremely well-designed products. Their AmazonBasics USB-C to USB-C charging cable offers a data transfer speed of 10 Gbps, and a charging speed of up to 3 amps.

This makes the cable future-proof because it can theoretically transfer over 300W of power, without any issues, provided that you have a power brick that can supply that much electricity.

The cable is braided and can withstand over 2000 bends without showing any signs of degradation. It’s also worth mentioning that the AmazonBasics cable caters to those who value design and aesthetics. The product comes in four different colors, including red and gold.

Amazon also offers an AmazonBasics USB-A to USB-C cable, that is designed for older chargers. This model offers the same specs and color choices as its full-USB-C counterpart.

[letsreviewaffiliate url=”https://amzn.to/2XR49y2″ text=”see at amazon” size=”small” rel=”nofollow” target=”newwindow” accent=”#d6c9e2″ border=”off”]

Cable Matters Thunderbolt 4 – Designed for fast charging and 8K connections

cable matters usb cable
Image: KnowTechie

Cable Matters is the least-known company that we’ve included on our list. However, it is one of the few manufacturers that offers high-quality, yet very affordable charging cables. The USB-A to USB-C offered by Cable Matters only offers 5 Gbps data transfers and 5V charging, it is affordable and perfectly suited for mid-tier phones and tablets.

Designed for current and next-gen devices, the Thunderbolt 4 cable offered by Cable Matters offers outstanding performance. It supports 100W charging, has a length of 6.6 feet, and it even offers data transfer speeds of 50 Gbps. This simple cable can be used to charge phones, tablets, laptops, and even connect any device to 8K monitors and smart TVs.

[letsreviewaffiliate url=”https://amzn.to/3AOavN1″ text=”see at amazon” size=”small” rel=”nofollow” target=”newwindow” accent=”#d6c9e2″ border=”off”]

Apple USB-C to USB-C Cable – An efficient cable for all modern Apple devices

iphone usb-c to lightning cable
Image: KnowTechie

Apple is famous for making devices that have proprietary connections and are designed to only be compatible with the charging solutions that are developed in-house. In other words, the engineers at Apple have always done their own thing and have become very good at it. The Apple USB-C to USB-C cable is perfect for charging the newest iPad and even MacBooks.

However, not all devices can be charged using USB-C. Apple also offers USB-A to Lightning Cables, which work great with older iPhones.

For newer devices that require more power, you can also get an Amazon USB-C to Lightning cable. These are designed to be fully compatible with the 29W, 61W, and 87W chargers that the company has released and work great with newer phones such as the iPhone 12.

Lastly, you can get an Apple USB-C to Thunderbolt 3 cable. These offer data transfer speeds of up to 30 Gbps, DisplayPort video output, and 100W charging.

[letsreviewaffiliate url=”https://amzn.to/39NYQBT” text=”see at amazon” size=”small” rel=”nofollow” target=”newwindow” accent=”#d6c9e2″ border=”off”]

In conclusion, these are the best of the best. Each of the charging cables included on our list is efficient, as well as durable. They all offer charging speeds of at least 60W, which is more than enough for the fast charging capabilities of modern phones, tablets, and even laptops.

Editors’ Recommendations:

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

Follow us on Flipboard, Google News, or Apple News

Krima Desai is a passionate technology journalist with extensive experience in leading online media outlets.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More in Buying Guide