Aftermarket USB-C Charging Cable for 15" Macbook?

[leftywamumonkey]

Would any USB-C charging cable be okay to use to charge the new 15" Macbook Pro with the Touch Bar, or does it have to be a Thunderbolt 3 cable to be able to charge the Macbook at the same rate?

I'm looking at this one specifically. It's 10ft long! Especially helpful since the new Macbook Pro does not come with an extension cable.

 

[anson42]

Shouldn't have to be a TB3 cable. The Apple 2 meter cable has this to say, which indicates that it is not a TB3 cable, just USB 2:

This 2-meter charge cable — with USB-C connectors on both ends — is ideal for charging USB-C devices, and also supports USB 2 for syncing and data transfer between USB-C devices.

It appears to be rated for use with the new 87W MBP, so let's hope that it actually allows for full wattage and that it is the same quality of cable shipped with the MBP 15".

But not just any USB-C cable is sufficient though. I have yet to find a non-Apple USB-C cable rated to pass 87W, only 60W. Perhaps some do but they have not yet been tested to do so.

 

[leftywamumonkey]

But not just any USB-C cable is sufficient though. I have yet to find a non-Apple USB-C cable rated to pass 87W, only 60W. Perhaps some do but they have not yet been tested to do so.

So is the Wattage the only concern? What about the Amperage as well? I'm not sure if the one I liked in my OP will work at full charging speeds.

 

[FoxMcCloud]

Apparently there are many things to consider when using cheaper third party cables.

Check this spreadsheet out.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wJwqv3rTNmORXz-XJsQaXK1dl8I91V4-eP_sfNVNzbA/edit

Google engineer has checked out a lot of cables to find what's safe. It's generally considered that the Apple ones are the best.

 

[anson42]

So is the Wattage the only concern? What about the Amperage as well? I'm not sure if the one I liked in my OP will work at full charging speeds.

Watts are just voltage (volts) times current (amps). Many cables I've seen will pass 2.4A or 3A so a 20V source with a 3A allowance will be 60W, a common value on those cables. I actually don't know what voltage the 87W Apple charger boasts nor what current handling the Apple cables have. Hope to find out though.

 

[BL4NKF4CE]

Would any USB-C charging cable be okay to use to charge the new 15" Macbook Pro with the Touch Bar, or does it have to be a Thunderbolt 3 cable to be able to charge the Macbook at the same rate?

I'm looking at this one specifically. It's 10ft long! Especially helpful since the new Macbook Pro does not come with an extension cable.

I tried a 10 ft USB-C 3.1 cable and it didn't work. It worked for the thin 12" macbook though, but not on my 15" MBP.

 

[diamond.g]

Watts are just voltage (volts) times current (amps). Many cables I've seen will pass 2.4A or 3A so a 20V source with a 3A allowance will be 60W, a common value on those cables. I actually don't know what voltage the 87W Apple charger boasts nor what current handling the Apple cables have. Hope to find out though.

I believe 100W is the max for the spec, so that would be 20V * 5A.

 

[bartvk]

Check this spreadsheet out.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wJwqv3rTNmORXz-XJsQaXK1dl8I91V4-eP_sfNVNzbA/edit

Seconded.

Don't get weird cables, get stuff that has been vetted thoroughly. The whole USB-C cable thing is new, and many manufacturers get it wrong. Not just electrically, but also mechanically: I've held USB-C connectors in my hand that looked very nice, but I couldn't connect them to my MBP without forcing it.

 

[Sanpete]

The cable doesn't give any specs, and doesn't even appear on the manufacturer website, so . . .

It claims to be for the MacBook, but that's a smaller device. 87W is a lot for a 10-foot cable.

 

[ZapNZs]

I tried a 10 ft USB-C 3.1 cable and it didn't work. It worked for the thin 12" macbook though, but not on my 15" MBP.

One worry with aftermarket charging cables is that they can (and have) destroyed devices. Even several cables that are advertised as being within USB-IF specs or certification have had issues (as they turned out to not actually be compliant in construction and/or simply lied about the certification.) For now, using only OEM Apple charging cables may be worth it for the peace of mind (as should an aftermarket cable fry the system, it is unlikely that Apple will cover it under warranty given it was caused by a bad third-party part that Apple had no control over.)