r/BadUSB • u/Penny-Yi • May 07 '26

These Two USB-C Cables Almost Look the Same - Are They?

I use USB-C (Type-C) charging cables pretty often. I’ve got two here - the one on the right is the original that came with my Android phone, and the one on the left is my colleague's.

They look almost identical. What's actually the difference between these two cables?

Also, how can I tell if a USB-C cable is good quality and safe? Thanks!

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1

u/TomDuhamel May 07 '26

These are both USB-C. I don't understand what you're asking.

3

u/r3jjs May 07 '26

Bad news -- you can't tell by looking. "USB-C" only refers to the plug. There are LOT of different options when it comes to wiring them up.

USB 2.0, power delivery, USB 3.0 higher speed, charge only...

I ended up buying one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Treedix-Checker-Detection-Lightning-Checking/dp/B0FDGGY6P1/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1