Best USB-C & Thunderbolt cables 2023: Which USB-C cable do you need? 

Charging: 240W

Data: 40Gbps

Video: Yes

Bends tested: Not stated

Length: 1m (3.3ft)

Suitable for: Laptops, tablets, phones

If you want a cable that’s the best at everything, a Thunderbolt 4 cable is recommended as it’s backwards compatible with all USB-C standards. But not all such cables are rated for the highest 240W power output.

Some of the latest laptops support Power Delivery 3.1 (PD 3.1), which supports charging at up to 240W—a massive increase on PD 3.0’s 100W limit. Of course, you’ll need a powerful charger to take advantage of that super wattage, and most laptops won’t take advantage of so much power anyway—although if your charger has multiple ports it allows for fast-charging of several devices at the same time.

As a modern Thunderbolt 4 cable, this is compatible with Thunderbolt 3 and all versions of USB-C, and can handle data transfer at an impressive 40Gbps.

Charging: 240W

Data: 40Gbps

Video: Yes

Bends tested: 5,000

Length: 1m (3.3ft)

Suitable for: Laptops, tablets, phones

This USB4 cable is similar to Plugable’s Thunderbolt 4 EPR cable in supporting USB PD 3.1 (240W), is compatible with Thunderbolt 3 and all versions of USB-C, and can handle data transfer at an impressive 40Gbps.

However, Anker warns that it isn’t compatible with Thunderbolt 4 and if used with a TB4 device will downgrade to TB3—although this won’t affect the charging or data-transfer speeds.

Charging: 60W

Data: 5Gbps

Video: Yes

Bends tested: 3,000

Length: 1m (3.3ft) or 2m (6.6ft)

Suitable for: Medium-sized laptops, tablets, phones

What we like about this USB-C to USB-C cable is not just its reasonable price from a trusted manufacturer but its combination of decent 60W charging and 5Gbps (USB 3.2 Gen 1) data-transfer performance.

While owners of high-powered laptops might prefer a 100W or greater charging cable, this is a fast performer at the mid-range—it’s 10x faster at transferring data than many of the 100W cables reviewed here that support USB 2.0 (0.48Gbps) rather than USB 3.1 (5Gbps). This also means it will support 4K video, unlike USB 2.0 cables.

Another cable with the same specs (60W charging and 5Gbps data) is the Amazon Basics USB-C Cable. It doesn’t have the Ugreen cable’s robust braiding but it is slightly cheaper.

Charging: 100W

Data: 10Gbps

Video: Yes

Bends tested: Not stated

Length: 1m (3.3ft)

Suitable for: Laptops, tablets, phones

If you need more than 5Gbps data transfer but not Thunderbolt’s 40Gbps, this USB-IF-certified 10Gbps USB-C to USB-C cable is a neat, affordable solution.

Charging at up to 100W, it’s enough to power even a large laptop.

Available in either black or white.

Charging: 100W

Data: 40Gbps

Video: Yes

Bends tested: Not stated

Length: 0.8m (2.6ft)

Suitable for: Laptops, tablets, phones

USB4 / Thunderbolt 4 is the latest version of USB-C, and will work with all USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 and 4 devices.

With USB4, you get 100W charging and super-fast 40Gbps data transfer. This cable features active repeater chips that boost the signal, preserving full 40Gbps performance.

Buy USB4 or Thunderbolt 4 cables even if you don’t have a fast-connection computer, as it’s backwards compatible all the way back to USB 2.0, and offers a level of future-proofing for when you upgrade.

As with many USB4/Thunderbolt cables, it’s short (0.8m or 2.6ft). Cable Matters sells a 2m (6.6ft) USB4 Cable but the price does pretty much double.

Charging: 15W

Data: 0.48Gbps

Video: No

Bends tested: Not stated

Length: 0.9m (3ft) or 1.8m (6ft)

Suitable for: Phones

This basic USB-IF-certified USB-C to USB-C cable is recommended for charging phones or tablets but its 15W (5V x 3A) maximum output is nowhere near powerful enough to keep a laptop charged.

The 15W does allow for fast-charging phones but a cable with greater power-output capacity is encouraged for the fastest charging, especially for larger tablets. But if you require a USB-C cable for just phone charging, this is a safe bet.

iPhone users should look for a USB-C to Lightning cable—see our recommendations below.

Charging: 240W

Data: 0.48Gbps

Video: No

Bends tested: 20,000

Length: 0.9m (3ft) or 1.8m (6ft)

Suitable for: Laptops, tablets, phones

This USB-IF-certified USB-C to USB-C cable from Anker is USB-IF-certified and is greener, being 40% made from “bio=based” material from plants such as corn and sugar cane.

The company makes great claims about its durability, suggesting it can be bent up to 20,000 times.

This is an affordably priced cable with a convenient 1.8m (6ft) length. Just bear in mind that it’s only certified for USB 2.0 speeds. This makes it a good choice for charging even the largest laptops, but faster data-transfer speeds and video support will be found elsewhere.

It’s available in four colors: white, black, blue and green.

Charging: 100W

Data: 40Gbps

Video: Yes

Bends tested: Not stated

Length: 3m (9.8ft)

Suitable for: Laptops, tablets, phones

Apple’s white USB-C to USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 cables are fine but not as robust as others we have reviewed here. Its black braided Thunderbolt 4 cable, on the other hand, is built to last.

As a Thunderbolt 4 cable, it’s super fast, supports 100W charging and is backwards compatible with USB-C.

Its other super strength is its ability to carry 40Gbps data transfer over a near 10-foot cable; 10Gbps if attached to USB 3.1 rather than Thunderbolt or USB4.

Its drawback is its price–woah!

Charging: 15W

Data: 5Gbps

Video: No

Bends tested: Not stated

Length: 0.9m (3ft)

Suitable for: Phones

Some computers and chargers still have the old-fashioned non-reversible, rectangular USB-A connection. If you want to connect a more modern USB-C device, then you need a cable with USB-C on one end and USB-A on the other.

This quality USB-C to USB-A cable can charge at up to 15W and supports USB 3.1 so can transfer data at 5Gbps—much faster than many cables that are stuck at USB 2.0’s 480Mbps. Don’t expect to charge a laptop with this cable but it will charge a phone or tablet just fine.

It’s available in either gray or red, and is a robust double-braided cable.

Charging: 15W

Data: 0.48Gbps

Bends tested: Not stated

Length: 0.9m (3ft)

Suitable for: Phones

Amazon’s no-frills USB-C to USB-A cable does pretty much exactly what it says on the tin, and that’s all you can really expect at such a low price. It will connect an old-school USB-A charger to a USB-C device.

The technical specs are basic too, with this 0.9m (3ft) cable capable of 480Mbps data transfer and just 15W charging—which is fine for charging a phone.

It is available in 0.9m, 1.8m and 2.7m lengths, and in either white or black. It’s not braided so likely will not last as long as more robust cables.

Charging: 15W

Data: 0.48Gbps

Bend tests: 35,000

Length: 0.9m (3ft) and 1.8m (6ft)

Suitable for: iPhones

Apple is phasing out Lightning as its mobile connector of choice in favor of USB-C, but there are still millions of Lightning-based iPhones and iPads out there. Apple’s own white Lightning cable is prone to fraying so we recommend a more robust third-party USB-C to Lightning cable.

The Anker 762 PowerLine+ III cable is braided with stainless steel edges, and is super strong. Anker guarantees it for a lifetime, and it’s MFI Apple-certified so all bases are covered.

It’s available in either 1m (3ft) or 1.8m (6ft) lengths in either black, red or silver.

Charging: 15W

Data: 0.48Gbps

Bend tests: 10,000

Length: 0.9m (3ft), 1.8m (6ft) and 3m (10ft)

Suitable for: iPhones

This Anker USB-C to Lightning cable is MFi-certified by Apple for fast-charging charging iPhones.

It is available in either black or white and in three different lengths.

Charging: 100W

Data: 0.48Gbps

Video: No

Bends tested: Not stated

Length: 1m (3.3ft)

Suitable for: Laptops, tablets, phones

Some people swear by right-angled connectors as it should mean less bend and so less stress on the connector end of the cable. The Oculus Riift headset, for instance, uses a right-angled connector.

Ugreen has a wide range of USB-C cables and several, in varying lengths, with a right-angled connector on one or both ends. Check out the full range on Amazon.com and Amazon UK.

Charging: 100W

Data: 0.48Gbps

Video: No

Bends tested: Not stated

Length: 2m (6.6ft)

Suitable for: Laptops, tablets, phones

This Satechi USB-C to USB-C cable is a great choice if you’re after a durable cable that supports fast 100W charging.

It’s a useful length at 2m (6.6ft), and we love the double-braided nylon casing—expect this cable to outlive cheaper examples many times over. A small Velcro strap is included to help keep cables tangle-free when coiled.

Data transfer is limited to a maximum 480Mbps (0.48Gbps) over the USB 2.0 standard, so look for faster cables if you are transferring data between devices, such as computer to hard drives..

Charging: 100W

Data: 40Gbps

Video: Yes

Bends tested: Not stated

Length: 0.8m (2.6ft)

Suitable for: Laptops, tablets, phones

This Thunderbolt 3 cable from Plugable is one of the best all-rounders here when used with a compatible storage device or Windows or Mac PC or laptop. It offers the fastest data-transfer speeds, can carry enough charge to power most laptops, and it has an appealingly low price.

Thunderbolt 3 cable is usually a little cheaper than Thunderbolt 4 or USB4. One of the main differences is that every Thunderbolt 4 laptop supports two 4K displays or one 8K display. Thunderbolt 3, on the other hand, is only required to support one 4K monitor. Some do support two n4K displays, but some don’t, so you are safer with the latest certified version.

When paired with a Thunderbolt 3 or 4 port you can expect theoretical data-transfer speeds of up to 40Gbps, which makes this cable well suited to carrying 4K+ video. You’ll get lower bandwidth with a USB-C 3.1 port, but still up to 10Gbps.

As with many Thunderbolt 3 cables it is reasonably short, just 0.8m (2.6ft), which helps it to maintain performance. It also lacks the nylon braided housing of some of the more durable cables here, though it does come with a two-year warranty from the manufacturer.

Thunderbolt 3 cables are great but if you can find Thunderbolt 4 cheaper, go for the latest version.

Charging: 30W

Data: 0.48Gbps

Bend tests: 20,000

Length: 0.9m (3ft) and 1.8m (6ft)

Suitable for: iPhones

We like this Anker USB-C to Lightning cable for its multiple color options that even have pretty names: Aurora White, Phantom Black, Misty Blue, Lilac Purple, and Natural Green. And we also appreciate it for its use of low petroleum-based plastic materials (TPE).

40% of the exterior cable body is built using bio-based materials from plants such as corn and sugar cane. We hope other cable manufacturers follow suit in reducing plastics from their products where possible.

Aside from these credentials, this is another MFI Apple-certified cable that will work seamlessly with iPhone and iPad.