Even if we just contain this conversation to cables with USB-C connectors on each end this is a complex subject. There's some good information on this from Wikipedia but this can get confusing real quick. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB-C#Cables
First let's start with power. All cables that meet the USB-C specification must support at least 3 amps of current at 20 volts. There are cables capable of up to 5 amps at up to 20 volts. I am not aware of any markings on a cable to indicate the current carrying capacity. Any cable rated for 5 amps must have an identifier chip in the connector to tell the connected devices that it is safe for the cable to carry 5 amps. So, you might not be able to tell but the computer and power supply can. Looking at how the computer reports the power available will tell you the ampacity of the cable. The ampacity of a cable should be in the product description if that concerns you before you buy.
So, there's two power ratings of USB-C cables, 3 amps and 5 amps. Now there's the bandwidth of the cable to consider. There's five different rated bandwidths. There's 480M, 5G, 10G, 20G, and fairly recently 40G. There's typically going to be visible markings to indicate the bandwidth the cable supports.
The 480M cables are USB 2.0 cables with the new USB-C connector. While they are certainly capable of data transfer they are often advertised as "charger only" cables. If they have any markings on the connector it will be the same USB stylized "trident" as seen on other USB 2.0 cables. Because they don't have to adhere to the stricter length limits of higher bandwidth cables they tend to come in 1, 2, and sometimes 3 meter lengths. This makes them convenient to plug in a laptop on a desk or table and have the power brick on the floor to warm your feet. If you are not in a hurry they can be used to connect a cell phone or hard drive to your computer to move files.
5G and 10G cables will be limited to 1 meter in length if passive. Active cable lengths are limited by the size of your bank account. These are often marked with the USB trident, the stylized "SS" to mark their super speed support, and often a number 5 or 10 to indicate the speed. If there's no number then it's likely only going to support 5G speeds. Even though these cables are marked only for USB they can often support Thunderbolt at lower bandwidth. There is no harm in experimenting if you are in need of but lacking a proper Thunderbolt cable and have only USB cables.
20G and 40G cables will always have a number to mark it's bandwidth next to the "SS" and trident. Passive cables will be less than a meter long, and because they are functionally identical to Thunderbolt cables they will likely have Thunderbolt markings too. Active cables can be longer, again limited by how much you are willing to spend. Take care when buying active cables that advertise 20G and 40G speeds if USB speeds concern you. These cables may support only Thunderbolt at these speeds, not USB. The USB speeds might be only 480M. If there are active USB cables that support more than 10G then I have not seen them.
The bandwidth of the cable says nothing about the ampacity of the cable. To keep things simple for myself I only buy long (2 or 3 meter) 5 amp 480M cables, 1 meter 3 amp 10G cables, and short (anything under 1 meter) Thunderbolt cables. These are easy to identify at a glance, are all passive (and therefore inexpensive). If I find a need for something outside those three kinds of cables then I'll try to buy one that's a unique color to keep it separate in my mind.
Answer from MacGuffin on Stack ExchangeEven if we just contain this conversation to cables with USB-C connectors on each end this is a complex subject. There's some good information on this from Wikipedia but this can get confusing real quick. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB-C#Cables
First let's start with power. All cables that meet the USB-C specification must support at least 3 amps of current at 20 volts. There are cables capable of up to 5 amps at up to 20 volts. I am not aware of any markings on a cable to indicate the current carrying capacity. Any cable rated for 5 amps must have an identifier chip in the connector to tell the connected devices that it is safe for the cable to carry 5 amps. So, you might not be able to tell but the computer and power supply can. Looking at how the computer reports the power available will tell you the ampacity of the cable. The ampacity of a cable should be in the product description if that concerns you before you buy.
So, there's two power ratings of USB-C cables, 3 amps and 5 amps. Now there's the bandwidth of the cable to consider. There's five different rated bandwidths. There's 480M, 5G, 10G, 20G, and fairly recently 40G. There's typically going to be visible markings to indicate the bandwidth the cable supports.
The 480M cables are USB 2.0 cables with the new USB-C connector. While they are certainly capable of data transfer they are often advertised as "charger only" cables. If they have any markings on the connector it will be the same USB stylized "trident" as seen on other USB 2.0 cables. Because they don't have to adhere to the stricter length limits of higher bandwidth cables they tend to come in 1, 2, and sometimes 3 meter lengths. This makes them convenient to plug in a laptop on a desk or table and have the power brick on the floor to warm your feet. If you are not in a hurry they can be used to connect a cell phone or hard drive to your computer to move files.
5G and 10G cables will be limited to 1 meter in length if passive. Active cable lengths are limited by the size of your bank account. These are often marked with the USB trident, the stylized "SS" to mark their super speed support, and often a number 5 or 10 to indicate the speed. If there's no number then it's likely only going to support 5G speeds. Even though these cables are marked only for USB they can often support Thunderbolt at lower bandwidth. There is no harm in experimenting if you are in need of but lacking a proper Thunderbolt cable and have only USB cables.
20G and 40G cables will always have a number to mark it's bandwidth next to the "SS" and trident. Passive cables will be less than a meter long, and because they are functionally identical to Thunderbolt cables they will likely have Thunderbolt markings too. Active cables can be longer, again limited by how much you are willing to spend. Take care when buying active cables that advertise 20G and 40G speeds if USB speeds concern you. These cables may support only Thunderbolt at these speeds, not USB. The USB speeds might be only 480M. If there are active USB cables that support more than 10G then I have not seen them.
The bandwidth of the cable says nothing about the ampacity of the cable. To keep things simple for myself I only buy long (2 or 3 meter) 5 amp 480M cables, 1 meter 3 amp 10G cables, and short (anything under 1 meter) Thunderbolt cables. These are easy to identify at a glance, are all passive (and therefore inexpensive). If I find a need for something outside those three kinds of cables then I'll try to buy one that's a unique color to keep it separate in my mind.
A USB-C cable is a USB-C cable. Period. Full stop.
It’s not going to be different for each different device. The marketing material that you’re seeing is for SEO or search engine optimization. There’s no compatibility differences.
The USB-C port on your MacBook Pro 16” isn’t any different from the USB-C ports on any of those Mac laptops in the “specification page.” Any cable with the the USB-C logo on it must support 10Gb/s transfer rate and support up to 100 watts of power. Since the highest capacity charger Apple makes is 96W, any USB-C cable will work.
This is why you buy from reputable brands like Anker. In order to put the USB logo on their products, they must pay the licensing fee and have the product tested that it meets the standards. Yes, they cost more, but you can be assured they meet all the specifications.
Are there USB-C charge only cables or cables that don’t support alternate mode video or some other USB standard? Yes, there are. None will be USB “certified.”
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Which brand of USB-C cable you use for charging your MBP?
What type of charger does MacBook use?
Can a MacBook be charged with an iPhone charger?
Can I charge my Mac with any charger?
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For my MacBook Pro 14 I’d like a long charging cable to plug into the wall for occasional charging. Highest charging rate possible. Bit confused by the various options
What cable type should I be buying on Amazon? USB C? Thunderbolt 3? I’m UK based btw
Thanks!
To answer my own question, according to Wikipedia, USB C cables can have different carrying capacities:
All USB-C cables must be able to carry a minimum of 3 A current (at 20 V, 60 W) but can also carry high-power 5 A current (at 20 V, 100 W).[10] All USB-C to USB-C cables must contain e-marker chips programmed to identify the cable and its current capabilities. USB Charging ports should also be clearly marked with capable power wattage.[11]
So while I can't say this with 100% certainty, the cable that comes with the MBP charger probably is a higher capacity cable, but USB-C cables have chips in them to tell the device and charger their carrying capacity.
If you look at macOS's System Report in the Power section it will tell you the current wattage of the plugged in adapter.
AC Charger Information:
Connected: Yes
ID: 0x0000
Wattage (W): 96
Family: 0xe000400a
Charging: Yes
I tested this with my Pixel 5 USB-C cable, which is about the same thickness as the native MacBook Pro cable and got only 60 watts.
When I tested it with the USB-C cable that came with my iPad Pro, which is about the same thickness as a standard Apple-provided lightning cable, it reported 96 watts.
So, like @clbx mentioned, it's definitely not the size that matters.
I need a long USB-C cable for my MacBook Pro that’s longer than 2 meters. Unfortunately, all the brands I’ve tried have had connection issues. The cable keeps disconnecting while it’s charging. Of course, Apple’s cable works, but it only has 2 meters, which is too short for my needs.
I’ve tried different chargers with the same result, so I’m assuming the cable’s the problem.
I’m wondering which brand and model of cable you’ve tried that works well.
Thanks.
If not, are there any 3rd party cables that I can get from Amazon that will do the trick? Same with a spare charger.
My 18W Google Pixel 2 charger + cable is just barely enough to keep my 15" 2017 TB MBP charging while on FaceTime at max brightness. I think after 2-3 hours it had gained 2% or so.
I believe so. If you miss MagSafe there are magnetic USB-C cables that people say work fine with MacBook Pros.