Are all iPhone Lightning cables created EQUAL? - Charge Tests, Tips for FAKE cables & Tear Downs
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- čas přidán 28. 07. 2024
- Do you ever wonder how good those cables being sold at gas stations are? How about those lightning cables that are a fraction of the cost of the Apple ones? Do you know what a MFI certified cable is? Does it matter?
Now I’ve never really given any thought to the cables that charge my devices because I’ve never lost a cable nor and out of all the years of using iPhones, the only time I’ve gone and bought cables is for this video.
So does it matter? The short answer is yes. But the difference stops at non-MFI and MFI cables. The line between the two is pretty clear.
0:03:22 - 30 min Lightning Cable Charge Tests
0:04:24 - 30 min USB-C to Lightning Cable Charge Tests
0:05:11 - Full Charge Tests with fake cable and real cable
0:07:30 - 7 Tips for spotting fake Apple Cables
0:11:15 - Lightning cable tear down
Out of this entire video, I found that the Anker Powerline cable being the best valued cable.
Get the Anker Powerline on Amazon!
Amazon US: mreh.ca/2wFRgnI
Amazon CA: mreh.ca/2wFRhrM
Amazon UK: mreh.ca/2wFRj2S
Amazon DE: mreh.ca/2wFRhYO
Or get it on eBay: mreh.ca/2wFRkns
MFI accessory test: mfi.apple.com/MFiWeb/getAPS
How to spot fake cables: support.apple.com/en-ca/HT204566
For this video, I compared the cables from Mayshion (cheapest), a gas station cable, cables from Amazon basics, Thanotech, Awesome Cable as well as stock Apple cables (5 year old cable and 2 year old cable).
My first test involved letting the cables charge an iPhone from dead for 30 mins. I used the same plug and outlet to ensure that every charge test was the same.
The results from the first test clearly showed a difference between non-MFI cables and MFI cables. The the Mayshion and Gas Station cable both charged much slower when compared to the other cables that were MFI certified.
What stood out to me was the fact that my old iPhone 5 Lightning cable charged just as well as the normal MFI cables. I thought the age of the cable would effect the charge rate.
The Gas Station cable was much slower which is important to note for the tear downs.
The ESR USB-C cable didn't perform as well which was suprising but digging a bit more into the product, I discovered that there aren't any MFI USB-C to Lightning cables yet because Apple hasn't released that standard. So if you're thinking you can get around the $25 Apple cable, you can't.
The next test involved measuring the charge from the Gas station cable, Mayshion cable and Apple Cable every 10 minutes from dead to full.
At the end of the test, I calculated that between the gas station lightning cable and Apple cable, you would save 300 charging hours a year. The price difference between the two products is $10 dollars so in my mind, the more expensive Apple cable is worth it.
OR you could go with the Anker Powerline, which is MFI certified, which COSTS the SAME as the gas station cable.
When it comes to spotting fake Apple cables, there are 7 things to look for. The first four deal with the USB-A head and include the finish of the head, the color of the contacts, the smoothness of the insulator and the distance between the interlocks.
We did notice that certain MFI approved cables didn't meet all these criteria. Either Apple has loosened the standard or the support article wasn't completely accurate.
For the Lighning cable head, certified products need to be once piece and the contacts are smooth and uniform in size. It was surprising to see how different the build qualities between the cables were.
The last thing I did was tear down the cables. The Gas Station cable came apart quite easily. So easily that in the process of taking the rubber head off the connector, I tore a chip of the circuit board. Not a good indication of build quality.
The Apple and Anker cables were a pain to take off. The cheap cables only had 1-layer of protection between the user and circuit board whereas MFI products had 3-4.
I actually had to bust out the Dremel to cut through the insulative sleeve on the products.
At the end of the day, the poorest built cables charged the slowest and the toughest cables charged the iPhone normally.
So yeah, stay away from the cheap stuff!
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Always have purchased Anker power line plus cables, best for the money imo. Thanks for the great review!
How long has one lasted I’m tired of buying new ones all the time
@@vinnyscarpellini4507 uaglio vinny any updates?
@@THESLlCK probably not
Monty's patience is impeccable!
Ruff! - Monty
Aww that dog is so cute and well behaved 😍😍
Singh jinder Nagra sti ftw 🔰
Schnauzers are wonderful dogs!
Fake dog
@@sw2938 and?
@@dgkwigga7768 What the hell are you talking about?
your dog must be a Android fan, he keeps rolling his eyes :)
Lol bro
Thank you for your dedication to make these videos, it's exactly what I needed and will share with many. Your Monty has the sweetest looks to you I have ever seen from a dog to his master. I wish more people were like you 💪🏽
I've never seen such an in depth review of cable quality. You explained and informed. I learned a lot. Good stuff. Thank you for educating us.
:)
And he didn’t explain that those chips are like a timer and a transistor(mosfet) that works for a period of time then when the time runs out the capable doesn’t work anymore even if it’s impeccable!
How do I 100% know it’s a mosfet?
Take it off of the circuit and play with it!
(Talking from experience)
And if you don’t know anything about mosfets go search abit and the data sheets are available
Thanks for the video! I ended up realizing that there was a difference in cable quality because I used a gas station cable in my car, and it refused to charge with my battery case on, but after I switched to a nicer cable(it wasn’t super nice; it was a retractable interchangeable port) and it charged without issue! Very cool to have proof on video of these issues.
Your dedication to providing awesome tests and reviews is really unparalleled! I've always been curious about this topic. Oh, and Monty was looking dapper (as always). 👏🏻👏🏻
:)
0:15 "I've actually never lost or broken a cable out of all these years of using iPhones" - holds up a busted ass cable
I’ve noticed a lot of things over the years with buying lighting cables one thing I know for me that can tell The difference between real and fake lighting cables is how the cable it’s self feels if it feels like it is a grip and it’s kind a darker grayish color it’s a good cable more or less if the cable it’s self has a grip on it it’s a oem/ good lighting cable
It's self means it is self
And apple cables get real ugly overtime, whereas cheap cables usually keep their look. from my experience.
From my experience, cheap thin aftermarket knockoff cables charge SLOWER and fail quickly. I've went thru MANY from eBay sellers claiming its original in original Apple box. FAKE.
ShootingYanks23 I
Apple cables will last depending on how you treat it. That being said, they aren't very durable to begin with. Most people don't treat the flimsy cable respectfully and end up bending it, throwing it in a bag with other cables, sitting on it, etc.. But hey, why not profit from a 19$ cord that is built to fail.
Thank you for the thorough review without going too deep into the weeds (or into the chips ;-)) . Wondered what the difference was internally between all these cables. Usually use Apple and Anker cables, so I'm glad to know spending more for Apple cables is well worth it. Good job! Thanks, again.
You are amazing, going through all the trouble to do is incredible. Good job
“The quality of the head” .............giggity.........
Toney M. According to my girlfriend mouth it's pretty good
Toney M. Lol 😂
Hhhahahahhahaha0
Freeze frogmire you’re out past curfew
I’ve always used Apple chargers and never had a problem. I loan my charger out to a friend so I went to Walmart and bought a $30 ( just wireless) charger and it only worked for a few months 😓
Sandra Alanis probably because it's a crappy brand... You should've asked am associate to help you pick a decent one, or at least looked into them yourself
Anthony Stephens you’re right I should have looked into it I was in a rush for a charger and saw a pink one that wasn’t super cheap so I just figured it would be better 😒 now I know better
Thanks for this video. Really informative and I’ve got a lot of cheap cables that I’ve had a feeling don’t charge as fast! Now it’s confirmed.
Awesome Review and absolutely enjoyed I think I remember seeing your Review a while ago and you definitely convinced me and definitely good to know.Thanks for sharing Deb ✌👍
The only non-oem cords I've used is Anker and their charging bricks too. Nice to see a confirmation on quality with them. So far Lightning or USB-mini they haven't let me down and their wall chargers offer ipad 12w (or Qualcomm) charging at a 1/3rd the price with more ports.
The dog is adorable!
Great video. Perfect timing... I was about to buy a new lightning cable. Thank you!
This is freaking amazing. So thorough!!!
Ankers cables are the best imho. There is't a difference in speed, but for sure in durability.
Sebastian Giebels and also cost a lot less
It's amazing that anker, a third party company, makes a much better product at a much cheaper price than apple
For me I prefer egreen.
Thanks for this video.
You're welcome!
One of the best videos you've ever done. Amazing work. Keep it up.
Great video! It would be cool to see a car port charger comparison as well! Like a $10 gas station one vs. a higher end one.
id say yes. quality copper conducts better right? so why wouldnt it charge your phone faster?
Monty is such a g!! Sitting there all chilling like yea I’m looking fresh with my collar an tie!!! Lol great video Deff learned something!!! Thank you for the great videos!!
:)
Thanks for your hard work and info! Love your pupppyyyy 😍
Thank you, all your tips got straight to the point! Enjoyed.
Ive never had problems with the cables that cone with my iPhone. I've never broken one nor have any of them ever just stop working. But this is super helpful to know. Also, damn kid you pretty buff 😂
I just wear really tight shirts.
Those specs from Apple's website are NOT to determine if a Lightning cable is MFi certified or not. It's to show the characteristics of an APPLE Lightning cable compared to an counterfeit one. That's why the Anker cable was still MFi certified, while missing many of the characteristics of an authentic Apple cable. But, as far as I know, the specs for the Lightning end are supposed to be very close or identical to the original Apple cable in order to get MFi certified, so the characteristics for that can be very useful.
Other than that, nice video. Counterfeit and cheap-n-shoddy products, especially Chinese ripoff ones (the Airphone 4, anyone?), can be very interesting.
Windows OS But may falsely make you believe the Ankers fake😂
Great job! I really enjoyed the detail you went into and the dog is fantastic! (love his tie)
Your viewers and your subscribers are also going up now with your new content that you’re uploading! I’ve been following you since you had a few thousand subscribers. Great job with all the case reviews and now all the tech reviews!
The 100k is coming
I can smell it
BOOM.
MobileReviewsEh 200k later
Anker has the best cables hands down that’s all I use to charge my devices
Mine always stop working looks brand new but some reason I plug it in after like 2months & it won’t charge.
👍This is great! I always wanted to know this. Thank you!! 😁
:)
I love your dog in the video, especially with his collar and tie!
Good quality video
Yes, Because I use my Beats Pill+ Charger it is what I use to fast charge including the block that it comes with... The original Apple cord took my 6+ all day long to charge, but my 7+ is a Lil faster charging with the original Apple cord but not fast enough tho...
Thx for the comment!
The cheap ones always break on me. The head always snaps off or the wire just stops working
I was surprised at how easy it was to strip the head off the cheap cables.
Thanks for the suggestions Monty
Thanks for the video, super informative!
:)
Now if you could do this with the USB c to lightning for fast charging that would be AWESOME!
I will once Apple release the MFI certification for USB-C to Lightning. As I mentioned in the video, Apple's USB-C Lightning cable is the only way that provides fast charging.
MobileReviewsEh that’s a rip off. This is one thing they should of included with the 10. I’ll probably never buy that. Instead I got a wireless Samsung fast charger. Hopefully that does fast charging?
not a fast as fast wired charging.
twennywonn yeah it only took my iPhone X from dead to 17% in 30 minutes. Definitely something is up because Samsung says it offers Adaptive Fast Charging technology.
Yeah the quality does matter. Cheap chargers last for a month good ones last about 6 to 1 year. Also the more expensive ones have thicker cables and not cheap wires so it charges faster
I still have a cable from the iphone 5 that I'm using to charge my current phone
Myem I noticed that. In a month I went through three $3-$5 cables and when finaly dad bought a $30 cable with charger included, those lasted me nearly a year.
if u baught the cable and the wall plug from a mfi certified place then it will never break unless its cut in half
@@sln-mo2314 thats incorrect as all cables eventually stop working due to being bent over and over
Great video! I’ve always wondered what we’re the differences! I picked up the Anker cable too from your link. I love their products.
that dog is just chillin and lookin...lol..love it...
0:58 dogs like U CRAZY!!😂😂
I only buy anker cables, there awesome!
Ryan 493 yep. Bout as good as they get.
Ryan 493 *they’re
unlike your grammer
Squaller Oh, the irony.
Ikki Loves English even more ironic with your name
Thank you :) very useful video, SUBSCRIBED
Thank you for the video! What type of dog is Monty? I love his chill attitude.
This was my in my recommended but I ain’t complaining
Sweet.
MobileReviewsEh omg he replied
True
1:02 Did you noticed that dog was looked and confused by what he saying😹 so cute. 😍
Nice review. I suspected what you have confirmed. Thanks for the hard work.
Could you do a similar type review on power packs? I have trouble finding ones that will charge at the higher rate as opposed to just 1000 mW.
Awesome work there! Greatly appreicate all the trouble you went to!
I noticed you were charging the phone on the left with it's Bluetooth switched on, Doesn't that slow down the charging capability of the cord? I know if I have my Bluetooth switched on it drags down my battery tremendously . I've always found that the speed is all about the brick.
"I've never lost or damaged an apple charging cable" litteraly died thoses things are the worst designed chinesium power/data delivery systems on the planet *apple requirements (implode after a year of Normal use)
Shawn Grasiano I still got the charger from my first iPhone 6 over a year later with another phone
What are you doing to your chargers? Are you chewing on it or something? Official Apple Lightning cables can last almost indefinitely under normal use.
@@bibasik7 Most people use their phones while it is charging...
fucked up 2 in a year
Wow greattt video! Very in depth and detailed.
Fantastic detail. Subscribed!
Damn can’t believe a genuine cable hasn’t broke on you. Usually mine last about two years and then I have to get a new one. Usually get a new device by then though
damn dude my last like 4 months and it breaks and I even bought it from the freakin apple store I wish mine lasted two years
I gave a thumbs up for the dog
Woof! - Monty
I did the same ... this dog is extremely polite and cute 😍
On this issue, always in the back on my mind but never found any satisfactory answer. You did so much work on this. Awesome!. Thanks
Excellent detailed video. Have been a subscriber for sometime now and have learned a lot from you. Keep it up.
Great video, great content. Very informative and useful. Thank you so much for all the efforts put in making that “”enlightening”” video about the different “”lightning”” cables.
Har har har.
I see what you did there... :P
The amazon links are cool :) I buy random stuff off it all the time so why not do it through your link...
ballyoulsterboy
Awesome! Thanks for the support.
ballyoulsterboy xm
I always get recommended this video right after I watch a teardown of any product. I love it. 😊😂. Keep it up Monty and Aaron.
This is a very good and super informative video! Though I'm now a little PO'd that my ultra expensive Pangea branded cables from Audio Advisor are not MFi certified, and fail some of the visual tests. I kind of feel duped since they were kind of expensive too. I now wonder what they have for chips in them? I also wonder if the cables you took apart had different wire gauge sizes in them. That would be something to check out yet.
What about Beklin?
I'd assume so since Belkin is a large accessory manufacture. If you have the UPC code for it, use Apple's MFI too.
Cute doggie! 😃
Thanks for your hard work!
Thanksssss so much for all the info about cables =) now because of you I know how to choose the best cable that won’t damage my iPhone ❤️👍🏻
apple cert cables cost more as the factory has to pay apple for every cable sold , this is why usb c will never hit the iphone and the reason the headphone jack died , its all profit not customers first sadly
Thx for the comment.
I have seen quality 3rd party ones cost less than apple overall.
Not only in initial purchase price but because the 3rd party ones don't fail like apple ones as the non apple ones have strain relive where apples don't.
This is why they frey at the ends.
Apple wants a "Clean" look rather than those strain relive ends.
Jeremy Cush yep
Jeremy Cush they did usb c on the iPad Pro 2018
10:44 brain.exe has stopped working....
Dude nice channel man! Nice to know theres others doing the same thing I am... I've been thinking about doing a review on lightning cables as well. Interesting stuff!
Very informative video thanks for the good content
The dog is cute
Monty is.
I prefer braided cables because they last longer and dont bend or brake as easy
You should look into Anker then, JerryRigEverything has an amazing video that convinced me to get one, and its lasted about 3 months longer than any other cable so far, plus it charges it slightly faster
I personally prefer braided cables as well. The Amazon basics one is nice.
*break
MobileReviewsEh the braided ones last forever. I’ve had the same one now for like 2 years.
Braided is a gimmick, they don't last longer lol this applies to all braided cables, HDMI, headphone cables, etc
Thanks man, your video really helped🙏
Great review and I thank you.
"And if you dont charge your phone at all you will save an infinte amount of time otherwise wasted"
WHAT A GOOD DEAL
The sheathing on the OEM Apple Thunderbolt charging cable *Sucks!* I've lost count how many my daughter has ruined, the cable sheathing pulls off under the Thunderbolt head after only a few months. I need to make a kid proof! 😉
Look up how to put a pen spring on the cable. It helps.
aaron collins
The Amazon Basics cables are the/[my] solution, but I'd certainly prefer a more robust and improved upon Apple cable.
D Jaquith I agree that Apple needs to improve the cable
I bought some stainless steel sheathed cables for my daughter, forget the brand, very expensive at $40 each approx, but they are super tough.
Heat shrink tubing.
So this is my first time watching your videos and I’m very impressed by the fact that you kept my attention throughout the entire video considering I have an Android phone lol. So this didn’t even apply to me and I still loved it, you got a new sub
Great video as always. You deserve more subscribers as an independent CZcamsr you puts a lot of work in your channel and testing things very thoroughly while still keeping it entertaining.
one of the most important parts of any charging cable is the actual cable itself. The longer it is and the narrower the cross section, the higher its resistance and it will charge slower.
The actual build quality of the USB end is nonsense. trapezoidal tabs, FFS, the only difference that makes is the cost of machining. Being flat at the bottom, again, wont make a difference. if the contacts are rough of smooth, or if its made from one piece or not, no big deal. Gold contacts, for a power supply, its plate, its not going to matter.
regarding the chips, unless you know what they are you cant say that one is better than the other just because it has more. And one of the Chips looks like a choke or inductor to me and without going into the make up of power supplies, that is something that will only be useful in plugging a cable into a non apple power supply, like the usb socket in a car that is already powered up.... .
the bits I do agree with is the additional build quality of the apple cables and the better certified cables. You get what you pay for. most people buy a cheap $10 cable from a gas station because they broke the cable in the car, or forgot to bring a cable with them. The cable should only cost $3, but hey, its apple and apple customers are expected to pay way over the real value of a product and with that said, a genuine apple cable should not cost more than $10, it really should not be more than $5. You can get a genuine Samsung fast charger for less than $10 including the wall wart.
its not MEFI its M F I
CE2Vapor Yep. Only one I in that acronym. Every time he said it it made me cringe. So much cringing. 😂
Wes Perry so so much cringing
MEFI MEFI MEFI MEFI MEFI MEFI MEFI MEFI
AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
Error
Brain.EXE has crashed.
lol sometimes I watch your videos even though it doesn't pertain to me, your voice is so good as a background noise and you put so much effort into your video its awesome!
By far the very best and informative review and guideline of lightning cables. Great and big thanks!!
Wanna review charging cables? Buy an USB power meter. Its 10 bucks, will provide you real, reliable and credible data to put in your graphs.
I fix factory apple cables when needed. Use a heat gun to remove the glue and the shield will pry apart with a small flat screwdriver.
Awsome video bud. Thanks
Thank you for the review! I’ve never went cheap on cables. This is why my old IPhone is living for years with me.
What do you mean quality?
There’s two parts of the story:
1: will it continue to charge?
(Gas station ones as well as most third party cables that go for less than 10 dollars I bought, even one from staples that was kind of the straw the broke the camel’s back besides also one from belkin all stopped charging my phones within 6 months; the only third party that went years and has not failed me was the Nomad key, and they’re pricey)
2: durability of the cable itself (will it rip)
(Because of number 2, even apple’s cables fail on quality; I just ordered Nomad rugged and durable 1.5 meter cable, so I’ll vote after using that for a year)
That’s my two cents...pun intended
Thanks for the comment Mina!
Lol, do you think Apple makes the "examination" this complicated intentionally so you're like, the hell with it, just pay an extra $5 for the damn Apple cable rather than do a 60-minute examination.
Christopher Smith no
Apple cables are shit, why the heck would you pay more for a bad product?
I think it's more for the manufacturers than us. I think Apple does a pretty good job of keeping track who actually produces MFI products.
I didn't mention it in the video but the head of the Apple cable was the toughest. The rubber coating seems to come off easily but the braid under the coating is clamped down at the base of the head with braid extending into the head and is glued on. None of the other cables had anything similar.
Mihai Zaim i hate buying new apple cables, but when taken care of (not so much bending) they last a lifetime
I still use my 5s cable on my X and airpods and rven iphone 7, (it stays at home always) now my iphone 7 and X cables that i use when im out with my power bank, they do fail every 8 months but then again, its worth it.
Apple also will replace cables in certain situation
Five below cables and amazon always fail or break (never last as long as apple)
I never really buy cables though... my mom works in a hotel and when cables are left by customers they are reported to security, and after a couple of days they can keep them or give them to other employees so my mom always brings them... lmao only once i bought a the $5 cable from five below i was at 13% and my friend had a power bank and it worked, but once i got home that five below cable failed and i didnt even move it... apple cables are pretty good...
This was a great video!
I know this was long, BUT THANK YOU! This is so informative. Wow. I didn't know any of that criteria. Going to buy me some mifi certified cake right now using your link. Thanks!!
LOL, your dog could care less.
Why does the dog look so sad
Because it's a video about charging cables for iPhones 😂
I recently discovered the 2 in 1 cable, omfg - 😍 also it has pretty neon led lights that go on while charging, everyone that sees it loves it, I do too!
The time, knowledge, and effort you put in the videos is why I stay. The information you out up is the same information i too always question or wonder
If you don't mind your TriStar IC dying in a year and you having to go fix it via third party or Apple, go ahead and use a shitty cable from the gas station. (P.S. you're being ripped off - you can find those cables on AliExpress for literally $1 or so.)
But there is a limit. I would never pay more than $10 for a cable. But I know where to get good quality cables for cheap ($6 for a 6 foot cable from Monoprice w/ a lifetime warranty, $10 Belkin cable with a lifetime warranty - bought in 2013, and I still replace it every few months) and I always look for the most bang to buck ratio.
thiefrules Anker is king.
Lol @ Monoprice being the best bang for buck cables. good luck dealing with warranty claims and dealing with fake mfi cables from them. They used to pull that kind of stuff, and would change sku’s and product #’s so you couldn’t check their authenticity, and customer reviews would disappear. I’m guessing they don’t do that stuff anymore otherwise people would realize a seller like monoprice can’t only have 3,000 reviews for a lightning cable. Anyways, MFI cables could be had for $2 at your local bestbuy when they go on sale. Plenty of mfi certified sellers offering cables for $1-3 on amazon “in exchange for a review” of course as long as you check with the apple chart, you will be good as per my experience.
I find the shitty cables also tend to ruin your battery life. I've been using gas station chargers for about 6 months (and gone through 4 of them already...but they're only $5 each) and I've found that my battery life has decreased SIGNIFICANTLY. Not only do they charge slower, but you have to charge it more often. I'm getting a new phone soon (hopefully the 10!) so I wasn't super worried about ruining battery life and didn't want to buy an expensive charger (the Apple cables are listed as $25CAD on their website) which I would get anyways with a new phone...but I will never ever use these cables again if I care about my phone.
Thanks for the comment.
You gonna pay 1 grand for a P.O.S
Anthony Molina it's not a piece of shit it's beautiful unlike any previous iPhone and destroys every shit droid on market in benchmarks
your videos are the best, most useful
:)
Very informative! I doubt anyone ever notice that with these details...😄😄❤️