4 ms·

Why not buy only 100W power and data cables?

by swah 3mo ago

crooked-v 3mo ago
That would be USB4 cables. They do have the problem of being awkwardly thick and stiff if you're using them for a lot of things.
- rescbr 3mo ago
  And then there are the crappy devices that aren't compliant with USB PD and only charge with a USB-C to USB-A cable.
- zamadatix 3mo ago
  My thin ones are crap but convenient, thick ones are good but... thick. Gets me by without much effort.
- swah 3mo ago
  That tells me my 100W cables must be around half that power then! I have no thick tables other than the USB (Thunderbolt?) one from the Dell dock.
ludwigschubert 3mo ago
Thickness, and also cost.
- throwaway219450 3mo ago
  Cost, really? A 2m USB4 cable from Belkin is $20 (eg INZ004bt2MBK). You don't save much going to 4 ft, sadly. I find their cables to be pretty good (the TB5/USB4). They're certainly cheaper than Apple's. They have a soft rubber coating (not quite silicone) and a good bend radius. Compare to the super-stiff (but good) cables that Dell provide with their monitors.
  - ssl-3 3mo ago
    Cost, really. I buy USB C cables cheap. The last batch were Anker B8752, came in packs of 2, were bought online as clearance items from Menards. They were delivered for free to the store that I drive past twice on most days. They work fine; no complaints. With tax, the individual cables were $0.55 each. I can afford to stock up on cables at that price, use them whimsically, cut them up for projects, and give them away to anyone when that seems useful. I don't miss them when they get lost; I just get another one. I don't have to decide between buying a decent dinner or traveling with spares; I can just toss some into my bag. Meanwhile: I can't afford to do those things with cables that are $20 each. That's a vastly different value proposition. If I had $20 USB C cables instead, I'd guard them the same as I do the twenty-dollar bills in my wallet.
    - throwaway219450 3mo ago
      Arguably these are different use cases. Cheap fast-charge cables are usually limited to full speed only (linked ones included). For that reason they don’t meet my criteria, as you can’t interchange the charging cable for a data transfer cable. I’m not advocating using USB4 cable for everything, but I also don’t want to bother testing cables when I can buy a reliably good one for twenty bucks. I’m sure a cheaper equivalent exists.
      - ssl-3 3mo ago
        I hate every part of the concept of testing cables to find ones that work for [insert purpose]. But I love the liberty to use inexpensive not-quite-universal cables with great freedom more than I hate the former. So since I need a bunch of USB C cables in my life, and I love using them freely, then I'm left with the following optimization: Special cables for special purposes, cheap cables for everything else, and testing them when necessary. It's not perfect, but pragmatism seldom is. :)
brookst 3mo ago
I did that. I regret it. All of my cables are thick and have a large bend radius.

Why not buy only 100W power and data cables?

by swah 3mo ago

Why not buy only 100W power and data cables?

That would be USB4 cables. They do have the problem of being awkwardly thick and stiff if you're using them for a lot of things.

rescbr 3mo ago
And then there are the crappy devices that aren't compliant with USB PD and only charge with a USB-C to USB-A cable.
zamadatix 3mo ago
My thin ones are crap but convenient, thick ones are good but... thick. Gets me by without much effort.
swah 3mo ago
That tells me my 100W cables must be around half that power then! I have no thick tables other than the USB (Thunderbolt?) one from the Dell dock.

ludwigschubert 3mo ago

Thickness, and also cost.

throwaway219450 3mo ago
Cost, really? A 2m USB4 cable from Belkin is $20 (eg INZ004bt2MBK). You don't save much going to 4 ft, sadly. I find their cables to be pretty good (the TB5/USB4). They're certainly cheaper than Apple's. They have a soft rubber coating (not quite silicone) and a good bend radius. Compare to the super-stiff (but good) cables that Dell provide with their monitors.
- ssl-3 3mo ago
  Cost, really. I buy USB C cables cheap. The last batch were Anker B8752, came in packs of 2, were bought online as clearance items from Menards. They were delivered for free to the store that I drive past twice on most days. They work fine; no complaints. With tax, the individual cables were $0.55 each. I can afford to stock up on cables at that price, use them whimsically, cut them up for projects, and give them away to anyone when that seems useful. I don't miss them when they get lost; I just get another one. I don't have to decide between buying a decent dinner or traveling with spares; I can just toss some into my bag. Meanwhile: I can't afford to do those things with cables that are $20 each. That's a vastly different value proposition. If I had $20 USB C cables instead, I'd guard them the same as I do the twenty-dollar bills in my wallet.
  - throwaway219450 3mo ago
    Arguably these are different use cases. Cheap fast-charge cables are usually limited to full speed only (linked ones included). For that reason they don’t meet my criteria, as you can’t interchange the charging cable for a data transfer cable. I’m not advocating using USB4 cable for everything, but I also don’t want to bother testing cables when I can buy a reliably good one for twenty bucks. I’m sure a cheaper equivalent exists.
    - ssl-3 3mo ago
      I hate every part of the concept of testing cables to find ones that work for [insert purpose]. But I love the liberty to use inexpensive not-quite-universal cables with great freedom more than I hate the former. So since I need a bunch of USB C cables in my life, and I love using them freely, then I'm left with the following optimization: Special cables for special purposes, cheap cables for everything else, and testing them when necessary. It's not perfect, but pragmatism seldom is. :)

brookst 3mo ago

I did that. I regret it. All of my cables are thick and have a large bend radius.