I had just purchased a Nexus 5x which incorporates the new USB-C connector for charging and I was looking for a spare cable. Luckily I was offered the opportunity to check out the AluCable and figured that I’d scored a simple review and could crank out a couple of sentences and then I’d be done. It is only a cable after all. Well, it isn’t that simple.I only became interested in the USB-C standard after I purchased my Nexus 5X. The cable that came with the phone seemed to work fine and I appreciated the fact that it could be plugged in either direction. It can also carry a higher current, enabling faster charging on the receiving device. What’s not to like? The problem is that there has been a rash of fried devices because of cheaply made or faulty cables. If you search for “USB-C cable problems” on the web you will find there are many stories about the problems and most disturbingly, buying a USB-C cable right now is a crap shoot. As a matter of fact, Amazon has banned non-compliant USB-C cables and adapters from their offerings.
Apparently, the problem gained visibility when a Google engineer smoked his Pixel using a faulty cable. He now is testing cables and making a table of those he finds that work.
I am used to buying the cheapest cable I can find online. Up until now that hasn’t been much of a problem and I’ve saved a bunch over premium priced products. I have however had some issues and actually smoked an iPod using an aftermarket Lightning cable. Come to think of it, out of the 5 Lightning cables I’ve purchased, 4 have failed. Hmm, I’m going to rethink my purchasing decisions.
Back to the review.
I received both a C to C cable and a USB-C to USB-A adapter. The cables are quality built and have aluminum around the connections. I had no opportunity to test the adapter cable, so this review is for the USB-C to USB-C cable.
Specifications
USB 2.0 Type C male to Type C male
6.5ft / 2m long
Premium aluminum finishing
Up to 480Mbps data transfer
Max 3A power output
Although I couldn’t find the AluCable on any list, either good or bad, I tempted fate and plugged it into my Nexus 5x and the charger that came with the phone. I’ve been charging my phone for the past 3 weeks using the AluCable and so far it’s working fine. To further test the cable, I purchased a USB-C to USB-A adapter and charged my phone from a battery backup and the USB-A port of my PC. There are no problems to report.
The Just Mobile AluCable worked well for me using my Nexus 5X. I appreciated that quality build and the 2 meter length.
