Samsung's Galaxy A14 5G ( 9/10, WIRED Recommends) takes the top spot in this guide because it's easy on the wallet, works on all major US carriers, and has the coveted headphone jack. Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day. This includes unlimited access to, full Gear coverage, and subscriber-only newsletters. Special offer for Gear readers: Get WIRED for just $5 ($25 off). Updated September 2023: We've added the Moto G Stylus 5G, Asus ROG Phone 7, OnePlus Nord N30 5G, Sony Xperia 1 V, and Asus Zenfone 10. Read our Best Android Phones, Best iPhones, and Best Cheap Phones guides for more. After testing dozens of smartphones, these are the best with the venerable port. There are times when Bluetooth is preferable, but it’s nice to at least have the option. No batteries to charge, no dongles to attach, no earbuds to lose. You can use pretty much any pair of corded headphones-no need to worry about whether they’re Lightning or USB-C or whether the connectivity will blip in and out. The joy of the 3.5-mm headphone connector is that it’s one of the few universal standards left. Yes, you can get excellent wireless earbuds nowadays, but maybe you prefer plugging in, or you just don't want to think about charging your headphones. In addition, it’s USB-IF certified, backed by a two-year warranty, and priced at only $10 or so at this writing.It’s been seven years since Apple removed the headphone jack from the iPhone. It’s 6.6 feet long, which is the perfect length to reach from an outlet to a bedside table or desk, though it also comes in a 3.3-foot version if you prefer a shorter cable. The cable itself is also thin and flexible, making it easy to coil up and stow in a bag or pocket. The plastic housings felt pleasantly rounded and comfortable to grasp while we were plugging and unplugging, and they seemed firmly attached to the body. The Boost Charge cable isn’t as capable as most of our other picks, but we confirmed in our testing that it can charge devices at up to 15 W of power, which is the limit for this type of cable. Some of older wall chargers, car chargers, and laptops have only USB-A ports, so having at least one cable like this around can be useful. Why you might prefer it: The Belkin Boost Charge USB-C to USB-A Cable is your best bet for charging a phone, tablet, or other small USB-C device on a USB-A port. Notably, this cable’s 18-month warranty is the best coverage length we’ve seen in this category, and that should give you plenty of time to test the cable out with your devices and decide whether it works properly for you. The housings attaching the plugs to the main body of the cable aren’t as robust as those of some other Anker cables, but they seem sturdy and roomy enough to let you get a firm grasp. When you use it with non-Thunderbolt USB-C devices, it functions as a USB-C cable that supports 100 W charging and USB 3.1 Gen 2 data-transfer speeds. It’s Thunderbolt 3 capable, so although it looks like any other USB-C–to–USB-C cable (aside from the Thunderbolt logo on each end), it can transfer data up to four times faster (40 Gbps) between supported devices. Rated for 100 W charging, the Anker USB-C Thunderbolt 3 Cable can charge a 16-inch MacBook Pro or any high-powered laptop. Why you might prefer it: This cable could be considered the “professional” pick, likely to be overkill in most homes. Each has different capabilities and limitations in charging power and speed (measured in watts, W) and data-transfer speed between devices (measured in megabits per second, Mbps, or gigabits per second, Gbps). Micro-USB and Mini-USB can provide only regular charging regardless of a USB-A or USB-C connection. Apple’s Lightning ports can use regular 12-watt charging with a USB-A cable and faster charging via USB-C. We’ve tested dozens of cables and adapters to help you find the right ones for your needs without overspending.Ī quick primer on USB specifications for those living in blissful oblivion: While ordinary USB-A ports are limited to just 12 watts of charging power, USB-C ports can provide 18 watts of fast-charging power to phones and, more rarely, up to 240 watts to laptops (depending on the cable and device you plug into them). Unfortunately, when it comes to USB-C, even cables that look identical can behave very differently-for instance, a cable that charges your phone at top speed might be sluggish at transferring music files, or vice versa. ![]() ![]() ![]() If you have a device with a USB-C port-such as most laptops, tablets, game consoles, or phones, including the latest iPhones-you need a cable to charge it and to transfer data to and from other devices.
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