USB-C to Lightning cable transfer speeds

[HiVolt]

I'm awaiting delivery of a Mac Mini 2018, which has USB-C ports. I have an iPhone XS Max.

I'm wondering, if there us a USB-C to Lightning cable that can take advantage of USB 3.0 speeds, or is the lightning end still only USB 2.0. Mainly looking for faster local music syncing and faster local backups.

I googled around and found no such cable, only that iPad Pro models have USB 3.0 capable lightning ports, and the only accessory that takes advantage of it is the camera adapter.

 

[TheIntruder]

The XS is limited to USB 2 (as is Apple's cable), so you won't be seeing USB 3 transfers even with the appropriate cable.

IMO, the whole USB-C thing has turned out to be a half-baked premise.

It beats Micro-USB (not a high bar to clear), and a small, reversible connector is nice to have, but everything else associated with the "modern" connector is a mess.

The USB-IF has succeeded in creating a universal connector, but the associated standards are anything but clear, and they've essentially shifted that mess from the connector to the wiring.

They could have written the spec to ensure higher standards at a minimum, but left users to sort out whether their USB-C cables will support fast charging, fast data speeds, both, or neither.

So that fancy new USB-C cable you're so proud of? Don't be surprised if it only supports USB 2 speed and may not fast charge your device.

I have a USB 3.1 Gen 1 (their naming scheme has been another joke) 5GBps drive enclosure whose bundled cable is too short. In searching for a longer replacement I have to specifically shop for a fast cable, because USB-C cables weren't required to meet that spec to begin with. And, with users more concerned about fast charging than modern transfer speeds, the market has concentrated on that trait, which has eliminated the economies of scale that would have made fast cables cheaper.

The move to the new connector should have brought advances to the standard as a whole, but didn't.

And that doesn't even bring Thunderbolt and USB 4 into the equation.

 

[HiVolt]

I suppose we'll only see faster syncing speeds with truly USB-C connection on the next generation iPhone? I wonder how the USB-C equipped iPad Pro does, when connected with a proper USB-C cable to one of the newer Macs?

 

[wmy5]

The XS is limited to USB 2 (as is Apple's cable), so you won't be seeing USB 3 transfers even with the appropriate cable.

IMO, the whole USB-C thing has turned out to be a half-baked premise.

It beats Micro-USB (not a high bar to clear), and a small, reversible connector is nice to have, but everything else associated with the "modern" connector is a mess.

The USB-IF has succeeded in creating a universal connector, but the associated standards are anything but clear, and they've essentially shifted that mess from the connector to the wiring.

They could have written the spec to ensure higher standards at a minimum, but left users to sort out whether their USB-C cables will support fast charging, fast data speeds, both, or neither.

So that fancy new USB-C cable you're so proud of? Don't be surprised if it only supports USB 2 speed and may not fast charge your device.

I have a USB 3.1 Gen 1 (their naming scheme has been another joke) 5GBps drive enclosure whose bundled cable is too short. In searching for a longer replacement I have to specifically shop for a fast cable, because USB-C cables weren't required to meet that spec to begin with. And, with users more concerned about fast charging than modern transfer speeds, the market has concentrated on that trait, which has eliminated the economies of scale that would have made fast cables cheaper.

The move to the new connector should have brought advances to the standard as a whole, but didn't.

And that doesn't even bring Thunderbolt and USB 4 into the equation.

USB-C is a "universal" connector; it appears on both high-end devices and low-end ones. Requiring a higher standard increase the cost, especially on the low-end devices, hence hinders its adoption. There is no need for USB 3 high speed or Power Delivery on a device such as keyboard, speaker, or a camera battery charger.
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I suppose we'll only see faster syncing speeds with truly USB-C connection on the next generation iPhone? I wonder how the USB-C equipped iPad Pro does, when connected with a proper USB-C cable to one of the newer Macs?

Both the newer Mac and iPad Pro support USB 3.1 gen 2, so technically the sync speed can be up to 10Gbps.