![]() ![]() The Lightning connector was introduced on September 12, 2012, with the iPhone 5, as a replacement for the 30-pin dock connector. The Apple Vision Pro's battery pack uses a 12-pin locking variant of Lightning. The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus and the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, announced on September 12, 2023, became the first iPhones to use USB-C, and the last few Lightning accessories will make the transition by 2025. In response to legislation to standardize charging ports passed in 2022, Apple said it would comply with regulations. In 2018, Apple began transitioning to USB-C on iPad Pros and accessories. The plug is indented on each side to match up with corresponding points inside the receptacle to retain the connection. ![]() ![]() Using 8 pins instead of 30, Lightning is much smaller than its predecessor. The Lightning connector is used to connect Apple mobile devices like iPhones, iPads, and iPods to host computers, external monitors, cameras, USB battery chargers, and other peripherals. It was introduced on September 12, 2012, in conjunction with the iPhone 5, to replace its predecessor, the 30-pin dock connector. Lightning is a proprietary computer bus and power connector, created and designed by Apple Inc. (No swapping occurs if the accessory identification chip is connected to the ID0 pin.) Lane 0 and 1 may be swapped in the IC of the device connector. ![]() In addition, it’s USB-IF certified, backed by a two-year warranty, and priced at only $10 or so at this writing.Top-down view of a Lightning connector, showing one side of eight pins It’s 6.6 feet long, which is the perfect length to reach from an outlet to a bedside table or desk, though it also comes in a 3.3-foot version if you prefer a shorter cable. The cable itself is also thin and flexible, making it easy to coil up and stow in a bag or pocket. The plastic housings felt pleasantly rounded and comfortable to grasp while we were plugging and unplugging, and they seemed firmly attached to the body. The Boost Charge cable isn’t as capable as most of our other picks, but we confirmed in our testing that it can charge devices at up to 15 W of power, which is the limit for this type of cable. Some of older wall chargers, car chargers, and laptops have only USB-A ports, so having at least one cable like this around can be useful. Why you might prefer it: The Belkin Boost Charge USB-C to USB-A Cable is your best bet for charging a phone, tablet, or other small USB-C device on a USB-A port. Notably, this cable’s 18-month warranty is the best coverage length we’ve seen in this category, and that should give you plenty of time to test the cable out with your devices and decide whether it works properly for you. The housings attaching the plugs to the main body of the cable aren’t as robust as those of some other Anker cables, but they seem sturdy and roomy enough to let you get a firm grasp. When you use it with non-Thunderbolt USB-C devices, it functions as a USB-C cable that supports 100 W charging and USB 3.1 Gen 2 data-transfer speeds. It’s Thunderbolt 3 capable, so although it looks like any other USB-C–to–USB-C cable (aside from the Thunderbolt logo on each end), it can transfer data up to four times faster (40 Gbps) between supported devices. Rated for 100 W charging, the Anker USB-C Thunderbolt 3 Cable can charge a 16-inch MacBook Pro or any high-powered laptop. Why you might prefer it: This cable could be considered the “professional” pick, likely to be overkill in most homes. Each has different capabilities and limitations in charging power and speed (measured in watts, W) and data-transfer speed between devices (measured in megabits per second, Mbps, or gigabits per second, Gbps). Micro-USB and Mini-USB can provide only regular charging regardless of a USB-A or USB-C connection. Apple’s Lightning ports can use regular 12-watt charging with a USB-A cable and faster charging via USB-C. We’ve tested dozens of cables and adapters to help you find the right ones for your needs without overspending.Ī quick primer on USB specifications for those living in blissful oblivion: While ordinary USB-A ports are limited to just 12 watts of charging power, USB-C ports can provide 18 watts of fast-charging power to phones and, more rarely, up to 240 watts to laptops (depending on the cable and device you plug into them). Unfortunately, when it comes to USB-C, even cables that look identical can behave very differently-for instance, a cable that charges your phone at top speed might be sluggish at transferring music files, or vice versa. If you have a device with a USB-C port-such as most laptops, tablets, game consoles, or phones, including the latest iPhones-you need a cable to charge it and to transfer data to and from other devices. ![]()
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