I'm done with Apple's USB-C charging cables. Here's what I'm buying instead

Apple’s Beats brand has a habit of one-upping its parent company with products that are a little less restrictive, a little less one-size-fits-all, and a little more colorful, while still offering the same Apple quality (and indeed, often the same exact technology).

Now, there are official Beats charging cables, and honestly, I’ll probably never buy an Apple-branded one again.

A single Beats cable costs the same as Apple’s ($19 for a single USB-C to USB-C cable, USB-A to USB-C cable, or USB-C to Lightning cable), and they have the same specs: USB 2.0 data transfer speeds, charging support up to 60W. They’re probably identical inside. But they’re better in three significant ways.

First, they come in colors. Apple’s basic charge cables are only white. The Beats cables come in black, navy, red, and a sort of sandstone color. Color is good! (Some colors are not available in some cable types, though.) Second, they’re longer. Apple’s $19 cable is 1 meter (39.5 inches). The Beats cable is 1.5 meters (59 inches). It makes a big difference.

Finally, they’re probably a little more reliable. Both cables are braided, which is nice, but the Apple cable goes straight from the connector to the cable while the Beats cable has a little half-inch sleeve. This should help keep it from bending too sharply right next to the connector, which is a primary cause of cables splitting over time.

Foundry

The Beats cables distinguish themselves in a few other ways. First, you can get the USB-C to USB-C or USB-A to USB-C cables in a two-pack for $35 (but only in black). Apple-branded cables are only sold separately.

Also only available in black are neat little 20cm (8 inches) short cables, in USB-A to USB-C, USB-C to USB-C, and USB-C to Lightning. They are still $19 despite the tiny length, but if you plug in a battery pack or portable drive a lot (especially inside a backpack or purse), a very short cable can really reduce clutter.

The Apple-branded cables still have their place. If you want really high-power charging support for your laptop, you’ll want to step up to Apple’s 240W cable. Or if you’re moving lots of data between a fast external drive and your Mac, you’ll want a Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 5 cable. These new Beats cables don’t cover any of that ground.

But if all you really need is a good USB cable for charging your iPhone, iPad, MacBook, or headphones and maybe moving around a bit of data on occasion, and you don’t trust third-party cables (of which there are so many), you should go grab the Beats cable over the Apple-branded ones. You can even grab ’em at the Apple Store.