2023-09-20 15:48:12
USB-C has already become popular and is widely used among devices. Although most people think that all USB-C cables are the same and buying the cheapest one does not pose any risk to their phones and tablets, this is a mistaken thought. Depending on the model of the device used and the quality of the cable, a USB-C cable purchased from Aliexpress or “Camelô” could damage your smartphone.
How can a bad and/or cheap USB-C cable damage your cell phone or tablet?
USB-C cables can damage your cell phone or tablet. Source: Vitor Valeri
Ideally, all USB-C cell phones and tablets would have built-in safety features to prevent a charger from trying to transmit 60 W or even 100 W to an unsuitable cable. However, this is not reality and depending on the quality of the cable used, the situation can worsen considerably.
In addition to there being cables certified to transmit 20W, 30W, 60W, 100W, among other capacities, not all of them are safe to use on your cell phone or tablet. If your smartphone does not have safety features to prevent overvoltage, the only thing that can prevent damage to the device is the presence of E-Mark on the USB-C cable.
What is E-mark and why is it important?
USB-C 3.1 cables have all the features described in the standard specifications. One of them is electronic marking, called E-Mark, which performs the function of controlling the delivery of energy transmitted to the device to which the USB-C cable is connected.
If the USB-C cable does not have the E-Mark, there is a risk of damage to the cell phone or tablet due to excess transmitted power. For example, there may be damage if you use a 100W charger in conjunction with a cable without E-Mark on a cell phone that only supports 30W.
How do I find out if my cable has E-Mark?
To find out if a cable has E-Mark it is necessary to have a specific tester to detect this feature. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, from ZDNET, reports who used the model CT-3 from the AVHzY brand to carry out your tests and detect the presence of E-Mark.
E-Mark Tester for USB-C AVHzY CT-3 Cables. Source: zdnet (Photo by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes)
If you don’t want to rely on E-Mark testers, do this
If you are not interested in purchasing an E-Mark tester to check whether or not your USB-C cable has the necessary capability to safely recharge your cell phone’s battery, there are two solutions. The first is to use the original cable, which came with your cell phone or tablet. The second is to buy cables from trusted manufacturers such as Anker and Ugreen. Personally, I prefer the Anker ones as I think they are better built.
Anker 643 USB-C cable. Source: Vitor Valeri
About USB-C
USB-C cables are connectors that are easily identifiable due to their completely rounded shape, which allows connection from both sides. Furthermore, the connection currently allows the battery to be charged not only for cell phones and tablets, but also for notebooks, due to the power provided.
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