One cable for everything: when a 3-in-1 cable pays off
Contents4
Three cables in your bag, all for different devices. A multi-cable tidies that up: one lead, one head carrying USB-C, Lightning and Micro-USB. For a travel bag and a glovebox, that is a good idea. As your main desk cable, less so, and there are two solid reasons why.
Two devices share one line
A 3-in-1 cable has three connectors but only one pair of power wires. Plug in two devices and the available power is divided. Twenty watts becomes roughly ten watts each, so both charge at a leisurely pace. As long as you use one connector at a time, none of this matters.
Then there is the ceiling: most multi-cables are rated for 3 amps, roughly 60 watts at 20 volts. A laptop with a 100-watt supply will charge, just slower than on its own cable. For phone, earbuds and power bank there is plenty of headroom.
Charging yes, data usually no
The second point surprises people: most multi-cables carry power only. The data wires are missing, or connected on the USB-C head alone. You notice the moment you try to pull photos onto a computer, or plug the phone into CarPlay or Android Auto in the car. The screen stays black and the phone only charges.
If the cable is destined for the car, look for a mention of data transfer in the description. If it is absent, put a plain USB-C cable with data lines in the centre console instead.
What the multi-cable is genuinely good at
| Situation | Multi-cable | Single cable |
|---|---|---|
| Travel bag, holidays | clearly ahead | three cables to carry |
| Glovebox for passengers | fits every phone | fits one |
| Laptop at the desk | slower | full power |
| CarPlay, moving photos | usually not possible | works |
What to look at when buying
- Braided nylon rather than bare PVC. Multi-cables get plugged in more often and live loose in luggage.
- Short branch leads. The connectors should sit close together, otherwise two unused plugs dangle in the way.
- A magnetic clip at the head. It keeps the unused connectors together, a small detail with a real effect.
- An amp rating. 3A is standard, anything below is too little for a tablet.
Most of these cables in our range come from Baseus, Rock, Hoco and Mcdodo. If you want a single cable and only use modern devices, a good USB-C to USB-C cable is often the better answer. What can differ between charging, data and video is covered in USB-C is not just USB-C.