If you think the USB Type C is just another kind of a reversible-plug connector, then you have no idea how it’s being talked about within the industry. It’s relatively new but it’s slowly being used in recent mobile devices. It drew more attention when we learned that some Android fans were not happy with the new Nexus’ USB Type-C because it didn’t come with any Standard-A plugs. That and the fact that more computers today don’t have USB Type-C port yet. The quick solution is to purchase a USB Type C or USB Standard-A plug cable.
Aside from smartphones, some Android tablets like the new Pixel C from Google use a single USB Type C. This 2-in-1 tablet has yet to be available in the market but a lot of people are excited for it. When you finally have the Pixel C delivered to you, you can start shopping for accessories and perhaps get another set of cables or charger. Where else can you buy online the things you need other than Amazon? It’s where you can get some of the hard-to-find items and read reviews that will probably help you in your decision-making.
To test if the USB Type-C cables and adaptors listed on Amazon work, Benson Leung, decided to check on each product and see if they will work with his own Chromebook Pixel. Leung is a Google engineer so he knows where to look and if the products are up-to-spec. After testing about ten kinds, only three were found to be specs-compliant. The best ones are pricier at $20 or above from brands Belkin, Frieq, and iOrange-E. As for the seven who failed, they are much cheaper at ten dollars or below.
Leung discovered that not all cables sold in the market follow the required USB Type-C 1.1 specification. Sadly, most of them do not live up to the specs. They should be able to work with the OnePlus 2, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, and Pixel C but they are not at par with the original versions. We’re not saying they are fake but according to Leung, they cannot live up to their description. These cables could not even charge or connect the Chromebook Pixel as they should.
The Google engineer suggested in the end that if shoppers are looking for a reliable USB Type-C, do not use such and such product. He left reviews on the cables that are not up-to-spec. Over on Reddit, someone shared a Google Spreadsheet listing specific products from different brands complete with the type, speed, length, cost, and a note if they are certified or not.
The reviews on Amazon sounded like written by one angry customer but Benson Leung knows this subject as a Google engineer. He knows what he is talking about and it’s only right that people know if a certain product works or not before they spend a few dollars.
VIA: Ars Technica, Reddit
