How to choose a USB-C cable
USB-C is one shape hiding a dozen different cables. Here's how to pick the right one for charging, data or video.
They look identical. They aren't.
Every USB-C cable has the same reversible plug on each end, which is exactly why it's so easy to buy the wrong one. Two cables that look the same can differ enormously in how much power they carry, how fast they move data, and whether they can drive a monitor at all. The connector tells you nothing — the wiring inside is what matters.
Before you buy, it helps to know what the cable is actually for.
Charging
For charging, the number to watch is wattage. A basic USB-C cable handles up to 60W, which is plenty for phones, earbuds and most tablets. If you're charging a laptop, you want a cable rated to 100W (some newer cables reach 240W). Under-rating here doesn't just charge slowly — a cheap cable pushed near its limit gets warm, and that's the first sign of a cable cutting corners on conductor gauge and shielding.
Every KORD charging cable lists its wattage in the product name, so a "100W" cable is genuinely rated to carry it.
Data
If you'll move files — from a drive, camera or phone — data speed matters. USB-C cables range from USB 2.0 speeds (480Mbps, fine for charging but slow for transfers) up to 40Gbps. A cable sold purely for charging often uses USB 2.0 wiring to save cost, so a "charging cable" may crawl when you plug in a drive. Match the cable's rated speed to the device; there's no benefit paying for 40Gbps to charge a phone.
Video
Driving an external display over USB-C needs a cable that supports the right alternate mode and enough bandwidth for your resolution and refresh rate. Not every USB-C cable carries video at all. If a monitor won't wake up, the cable is the usual culprit before the port.
A quick reference
If you'd rather not think about it every time, a couple of rules cover almost everyone. For charging a phone, tablet or earbuds, any 60W cable is plenty and any extra rating is wasted. For a laptop, insist on 100W. If you'll ever plug the cable into a drive or camera to move files, buy one that states a data speed (5Gbps or higher) rather than a charging-only cable, because charging-only cables are usually slow for data. And if you want a single cable that never lets you down, a 100W, 10Gbps cable does every job at once — the sensible one to keep in a bag. When in doubt, over-spec slightly: a cable rated higher than you need runs cooler and lasts longer, whereas one pushed to its limit is the one that gets warm and fails early.
The short version
Buy for the demanding job the cable will do. A single 100W, high-speed cable will charge anything and move data quickly, which makes it the sensible one-cable choice for most people. If you only ever charge a phone at your bedside, a shorter, lighter cable is genuinely nicer to live with.
Still unsure which KORD cable fits your setup? Email hello@kord.nz with your devices and we'll point you to the right code.
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