USB-C cable recommendations

D

duh FooL

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Joined
Aug 29, 2005
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I just bought an external nvme enclosure, as I wanted to clone the drive I was planning on replacing.
GIven I was using a USB-C 3.1 gen 2 port, I was amazed at how slow it was.

I started testing the various USB-C cables I had lying around, collected over time from Galaxy phones, Monoprice/Amazon purchases, and other misc purchases.
I then discovered that for most of these cables, USB-C is just a reference to the connector and most of them were USB 2.0 speeds.
I backtracked my Monoprice/Amazon orders and saw they listed the PD rate (50/100W) but also has USB 2.0 floating in there... something I never paid attention to :-(

Now that I discovered the possible reason why my new-fangled Samsung Galaxy phones were still slow on the data transfers (even the cables that came with the phone were hitting USB 2.0 speeds), I bought some new cables.

All three are USB-C <-> USB-C connectors.
I am using Crystal Mark with a Sabrent external NVM enclosure.

The Anker met the 10Gbps speed, showing ~800MBps
The other two made the 5Gbps speed, showing ~450MBps, so they will be returned.

My questions are:

1. Are USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 cables backwards compatible with USB 3.2 Gen 2.
I'm operating with the understanding gleaned from the internet thhat USB 3.1 Gen 2 is the same as USB 3.2 Gen 2 (basically, USB 3.2 is the new USB 3.1, with the 3.2 addition being the 2x2 support to get 20Gbps speeds)
or do I need to only get USB 3.1 Gen 2 cables and avoid the 2x2 speced cabled?
I want to know if the reason the two cables that measured at 3.2 Gen 1 speed was because 3.2 Gen 2x2 is not backwards to a port that only supports 3.2 Gen 2.

2. Are high-speed USB-C cables the same as Thunderbolt cables or a different animal altogether?

3. Any recommendations for at least a 6 ft. cable so I can connecting the port from my tower to my monitor...

I can dig up a lot of info regarding ports, etc. but only cable related reviews I found were those lefts on Amazon/BestBuy, etc.
The majority of these are using the cables for monitor connections, as opposed to actual data transfers.

FYI: I also used the USB-C charging cable that came with my 2021 MacBook Pro and it's USB 2.0 speeds... so not even Apple provided a superspeed cable.
 
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Guessing I'm the only person that didn't realize the USB-C cables also differed based on type until now.

Still, if you'ee looking for longer cables, cablematters is a brand that worked for me.
Got the USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 cable and got that speed.
Anker didn't sell anything longer than 1m, so not usable for hooking it up to my monitor.

These cables got expensive fast when going for longer than 1m.
 
Because USB 3 / 3.1 max length is a hell of alot shorter than USB2/2.1 was. Now you have to look into active cables or a USB3 hub to power things over I think 6ft?
 
duh FooL said:
I just bought an external nvme enclosure, as I wanted to clone the drive I was planning on replacing.
GIven I was using a USB-C 3.1 gen 2 port, I was amazed at how slow it was.

I started testing the various USB-C cables I had lying around, collected over time from Galaxy phones, Monoprice/Amazon purchases, and other misc purchases.
I then discovered that for most of these cables, USB-C is just a reference to the connector and most of them were USB 2.0 speeds.
I backtracked my Monoprice/Amazon orders and saw they listed the PD rate (50/100W) but also has USB 2.0 floating in there... something I never paid attention to :-(

Now that I discovered the possible reason why my new-fangled Samsung Galaxy phones were still slow on the data transfers (even the cables that came with the phone were hitting USB 2.0 speeds), I bought some new cables.

All three are USB-C <-> USB-C connectors.
I am using Crystal Mark with a Sabrent external NVM enclosure.

The Anker met the 10Gbps speed, showing ~800MBps
The other two made the 5Gbps speed, showing ~450MBps, so they will be returned.

My questions are:

1. Are USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 cables backwards compatible with USB 3.2 Gen 2.
I'm operating with the understanding gleaned from the internet thhat USB 3.1 Gen 2 is the same as USB 3.2 Gen 2 (basically, USB 3.2 is the new USB 3.1, with the 3.2 addition being the 2x2 support to get 20Gbps speeds)
or do I need to only get USB 3.1 Gen 2 cables and avoid the 2x2 speced cabled?
I want to know if the reason the two cables that measured at 3.2 Gen 1 speed was because 3.2 Gen 2x2 is not backwards to a port that only supports 3.2 Gen 2.

2. Are high-speed USB-C cables the same as Thunderbolt cables or a different animal altogether?

3. Any recommendations for at least a 6 ft. cable so I can connecting the port from my tower to my monitor...

I can dig up a lot of info regarding ports, etc. but only cable related reviews I found were those lefts on Amazon/BestBuy, etc.
The majority of these are using the cables for monitor connections, as opposed to actual data transfers.

FYI: I also used the USB-C charging cable that came with my 2021 MacBook Pro and it's USB 2.0 speeds... so not even Apple provided a superspeed cable.
Click to expand...
Holy shit I felt like this was calculus class. I didn't understand a thing. I need to study my USB standards. You're much ahead of the game then me. If I was buying a cable I would just buy the highest transfer speed USB C with the Alt-display feature also right? Or is there more to it now a days?
 
MrGuvernment said:
Because USB 3 / 3.1 max length is a hell of alot shorter than USB2/2.1 was. Now you have to look into active cables or a USB3 hub to power things over I think 6ft?
Click to expand...
I saw an article where an active cable just had a special chip built-in, as opposed to some extra power to it, but I was hoping not to have to deal with adding anything between my PC and the monitor.
My desk is also pretty full, so having to add another USB hub is something I'd like to avoid.

xDiVolatilX said:
Holy shit I felt like this was calculus class. I didn't understand a thing. I need to study my USB standards. You're much ahead of the game then me. If I was buying a cable I would just buy the highest transfer speed USB C with the Alt-display feature also right? Or is there more to it now a days?
Click to expand...
As long as you make ascertain what the actual transfer speed is, as opposed to just looking at marketing terms of 'High speed USB', you should be fine.

After all the reading, I'm going to go with "If a cable can be used for Thunderbolt 3, then it'll be good enough for at least the 3.2 Gen 2x2 speeds (20Gbps).
Of course, there's already 40Gbps specs available, but I'll worry about that when I actually have devices that require that speed.
 
Yeah, the cables that come with phones are generally purpose built for power delivery, with data being there for negotiating charging spec and "oh also" data transfer.

Then once you go 3rd party...well you figured that out too, seems like.
 
I had an Anker that lasted about 2 months with my kids before it couldn't charge anymore.
 
Nobu said:
Yeah, the cables that come with phones are generally purpose built for power delivery, with data being there for negotiating charging spec and "oh also" data transfer.

Then once you go 3rd party...well you figured that out too, seems like.
Click to expand...
Ya, sneaky like this UGREEN one:
https://www.amazon.ca/UGREEN-Chargi...id=7590290011&rps=1&s=electronics&sr=1-4&th=1

..Offers transfer speed up to 480Mbps,...
Click to expand...
I presume it is the way they wire the interfaces to limit it to USB2 speeds....or just cheap out instead of what ever little circuit they have in it, using USB3*
 
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MrGuvernment said:
Ya, sneaky like this UGREEN one:
https://www.amazon.ca/UGREEN-Charging-Samsung-Controller-Nintendo/dp/B081SFHFTF/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=usb+c+3+2+gen+2+cable&refinements=p_85:5690392011,p_89:Monoprice|UGREEN&rnid=7590290011&rps=1&s=electronics&sr=1-4&th=1


I presume it is the way they wire the interfaces to limit it to USB2 speeds....or just cheap out instead of what ever little circuit they have in it, using USB3*
Click to expand...
It would be they are only wiring over the D+/D- pins which only do usb2. They would have to wire the RX/TX pins for usb3

Aovh5.png


It is a big confusing thing for a lot of people actually. USB type C is just the name of the connector, it has no bearing on its capabilities other than it is reversable.
 
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Darunion said:
It would be they are only wiring over the D+/D- pins which only do usb2. They would have to wire the RX/TX pins for usb3

View attachment 606770

It is a big confusing thing for a lot of people actually. USB type C is just the name of the connector, it has no bearing on its capabilities other than it is reversable.
Click to expand...

Apparently Type C can do up to 100W charging and type A can only do up to 15W charging.
 
ZodaEX said:
Apparently Type C can do up to 100W charging and type A can only do up to 15W charging.
Click to expand...
It can, but it does not mean it will. There are low current type c connectors out there. Glancing over the spec and minimum requirements are really low, even classiffying as a type-c PD cable, 15W is the minimum.
 
pexaj said:
thank you so much for your suggestion
Click to expand...
First of all, I'm pretty sure I was not replying to you. Second, others have already made rather good suggestions and guidelines you could use to find a good cable in this thread. Third: If that was not sarcasm...you're welcome? :confused:
 
Typical "lets confuse end users to crap and back" stuff these companies intentionally do. And worse, when they do not make it clear in the product.
 
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