With today’s advanced technology, nearly everyone owns a smartphone and wants to choose the right charging cable for their device. If you’re in search of an ideal charging cable for you and your family, then this article on the best types of smartphone charger cables is perfect for you.
Micro-USB Charger Cable
Micro-USB has become the most popular connection port among smartphone charger cables today. It is widely used for phones, wireless headsets, speakers, and more. Apart from charging the battery, Micro-USB cables also facilitate data transfer between devices.
It’s important to note that Micro-USB cables can only be inserted in one orientation. Plugging it in the wrong way can potentially damage both the port and the cable.
Advantages:
- Commonly used on multiple devices.
Disadvantages:
- Challenging to plug in as it can only be inserted in one specific direction.
- Not compatible with fast charging technologies like Qualcomm’s QuickCharge.
- Incapable of transmitting audio and video.
What Smartphones Use Micro-USB Charger Cable?
In the past, the micro-USB cable was the standard for many smartphone manufacturers. Some examples of smartphones that used Micro-USB include:
- Samsung Galaxy phones: S5, S6, S6 edge, S7, S7 edge, Note5, Note6, Galaxy A6, Galaxy J3, and J7.
USB-C Charger Cable
In recent years, mobile manufacturers have been shifting away from Micro-USB and embracing a new and improved type of USB cable: USB-C. This type of cable offers several advantages over its predecessors.
Firstly, USB-C provides much faster data transfer speeds compared to micro-USB. It is also more versatile and offers backward compatibility.
Most newer Android phones released from 2017 onwards utilize USB-C as their charging port. Even Apple has started incorporating USB-C ports into its devices, despite their initial reluctance.
Advantages:
- Can be conveniently plugged in either way, from the top or bottom.
- Enables fast data transmission.
- Supports high-quality audio and video transmission.
- Compatible with fast charging technology.
Disadvantages:
- Not yet widely adopted due to its relatively recent introduction.
- Comparatively higher cost than older communication ports.
If you want to learn more about USB-C and the best USB-C cables, head over to What is USB-C and the best USB-C cables.
What Smartphones Use USB-C Charger Cable?
Many smartphone manufacturers are leaning towards USB-C for their devices. Here are some examples of smartphones that use USB-C:
- Samsung Galaxy phones: S8 and newer, Note8 and newer, Galaxy A10e, A20, and A50, and Galaxy Fold phones.
- Google Pixel phones.
- Motorola, HTC, Huawei, and OnePlus phones: Models such as Motorola G6 and newer, OnePlus 6T, HTC U12 Plus, LG ThinQ series phones, and newer Sony Xperia phones.
- Apple’s iPhone 11 and newer models.
It’s always a good idea to double-check if your phone is USB-C compatible, especially if it was released after 2015. USB-C cables are now widely used in most smartphones.
Apple’s Lightning USB Connector
Apple’s Lightning connector is one of the most popular phone chargers in existence. It is Apple’s proprietary charging port designed for devices such as the iPhone and iPad. One advantage of Lightning connectors is their compact size, allowing them to be plugged in from any side.
With the introduction of the iPhone 11, Apple has finally begun transitioning away from its proprietary USB cable. Up until then, every iPhone model since 2012 used the Lightning connector, along with iPads, laptops, and other Apple devices.
It’s important to note that Lightning connectors are incompatible with micro-USB devices. This can cause frustration for households containing a mix of Apple and Android devices, as finding the right adapter to charge a phone can be a challenge.
Advantages:
- Lightning connectors offer multiple functionalities, including data transmission, charging, and screen projection.
- Can be plugged in from either direction, similar to USB-C.
Disadvantages:
- The Lightning charging port is exclusive to Apple devices and cannot be used with Android devices. Additionally, genuine Lightning charging cables can be relatively expensive.
- The exposed conductive copper circuit in the charging cord’s pins makes it susceptible to damage.
What Smartphones Use Apple’s Lightning USB Connector?
The Lightning port is an 8-pin connector invented by Apple exclusively for their devices, including iPhone, iPad, and iPod. It is used to transfer data and charge power to host computers, secondary displays, cameras, USB battery chargers, and other external devices.
Some iPhone models that utilize the Lightning connector include: iPhone 5, 5C, 5S, 6/6 Plus, 6S/6S Plus, SE, 7/7 Plus, 8/8 Plus, X, XS/XS Max, XR, 11, 11 Pro/11 Pro Max, SE 2020, 12 mini, 12, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max, 13 mini, 13, 13 Pro, and 13 Pro Max.
Common smartphone charger cable types are widely used worldwide, not just for smartphones but also for laptops, iPads, iPods, tablets, and adapters.
These charging cables are continuously being upgraded to meet customers’ needs.
Up Next:
- Common Computer Cable Types and Descriptions: Discover more about all types of cables and ports.
- Identify the Types of USB Ports on Your Computer: Learn about different types of USB ports found on your computer.
