Google engineer reveals the best USB-C cables you can buy

The OnePlus 2 was the first Android device with USB-C. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

The OnePlus 2 was the first Android device with USB-C. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

Just because that USB-C cable you bought fits your new smartphone, it doesn’t make it a good USB-C cable. As Googler Benson Leung points out, there are a lot of bad USB-C cables out there that not only cause your devices to exhibit “weird behavior,” but are also “downright dangerous.”

To help users buy better USB-C cables, Leung has begun reviewing those available on Amazon to help you decide which you should buy, and which you should avoid.

“My team at Google has been very big proponents and innovators of USB Type-C,” Leung explains on Google+. “I’ve worked on two Pixel products now that use the connector and its related technologies (Power Delivery, Alternate Mode, USB 3.1). It really is an amazing little connector.”

The problem with USB-C right now, Leung explains, is that a lot of the cables currently available from third-party vendors aren’t up to scratch. They’re out there to make a quick buck as the new standard takes off, but many of them won’t last — and some will even cause problems for you and your device.

To help prevent that, Leung has started reviewing all the USB-C cables he has purchased from Amazon. You can visit his profile by following the source link below, where you’ll find a review and rating on all those that have been tested so far.

Leung gives a five-star rating to Belkin’s USB-C to USB-A cable, which is currently priced at $19.99, and to a more affordable alternative from “iOrange-E.” However, the other five USB-C accessories Leung has reviewed so far only get a two-star rating.

“I’ve been contemplating setting up a blog where I document bad cables and perhaps give some insights into USB Type C as well,” Leung adds. In the meantime, be sure to check out his Amazon profile for tips when you need a new USB-C cable.