'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean?
ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.
When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.
ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form.
This $25 magnetic charging cable set simplified my life and decluttered my desk
These magnetic-tipped cables could be the last charging cables you ever buy.
ZDNET's key takeaways
- These magnetic-tipped cables are available for purchase on Amazon for $25 (or $23 with Amazon's coupon).
- Magnetic tips make it easy to charge anything with USB-C, Micro USB, or Lightning connectors. The braided cable is strong and flexible, and the magnetic heads bend so you never have to worry about stressing the connections.
- However they aren't always recognized as fast-charging cables.
A month ago, had you looked into the drawer that housed my cables, you would have stepped back in fright at the tangled mess within. There were hundreds of cables, which only served to make it harder to find what I was looking for at any given moment.
Eventually, I'd had enough and decided to take care of the situation. But which cables would be best to keep? I knew I needed USB-A/B/C but also could use a Lightning cable for my iMac mouse and keyboard.
Also: The best CES 2024 gadgets you can actually buy now
Instead of continuing with that conundrum, I opted to go a completely different route and I'm glad I did. The route in question is the 540° Rotation Magnetic Charging Cable 3-in-1 Magnetic Phone Charger from Amazon. This comes with 4 cables (3ft/3ft/6ft/10ft) and several magnetic tips (four each of USB-A, USB-C, and Lightning). The magnets on the tips and cables are quite strong (so much so it was challenging to take photos without them snapping together).
These cables are reliable, versatile, and can charge just about anything you need.
Although the description of the cables says they're fast charging, they aren't recognized as such for all devices. So, if you need fast charging, it would be best to save cables for that purpose. Even with that one issue, these cables have become a welcome replacement to the myriad cables I once had.
Specs
There isn't much in the way of specs for these cables, but for those who like to know what they're getting into, here they are:
- Magnetic charger 7-pin connection design supports quick charge with a maximum output current of 3A and provides 5V/2.4A.
- Data syncing speed up to 480Mbps.
- Charging cable allows the magnet tip to rotate 360 degrees and the charging head to bend 180 degrees.
- Equipped with 3 different types of magnetic tips for Micro USB, Type C, and iProduct
- Cable lengths - 2 X 3FT, 1 X 6FT, and 1 X 10FT.
- Choose between four colors: Black, Red, Gray, or Purple.
My experience
One of the reasons I like these cables is that I can insert a tip into a device and leave it there. All I then have to do is plug the charging cable in and snap the magnet to the tip. That way, my devices always have the right tip already, so there's no need for me to fish through the bag and pull a tip from the magnetically connected tips.
Not only is this convenient, but it also helps prevent dust and other debris from getting inside charging ports. The only device I do not leave a charging tip in is my Pixel 8 Pro, but that is only because I charge it wirelessly.
As far as the cables are concerned, they are braided, so I find them more reliable and stronger than traditional cables. And having a 10' charging cable is a real bonus, as I don't have to worry about leaving a device on the floor next to an outlet. Because of their braided nature, they are also less likely to tangle. I can coil the cables up with ease and they always retain that shape (unlike traditional cables which inevitably turn into a blob…even after being coiled).
The only caveat (as I mentioned earlier) is that some devices don't recognize the cables for quick charging. That's fine by me because I am rarely in a situation where I need something charged quickly. Even so, the cables have worked for every device I've plugged into them, so these are a big win for me.
ZDNET buying advice
If you're tired of a drawer (or box) full of cables and the standard cable (and length) has become a point of frustration, spend the $25 ($23 with Amazon's current coupon) for this set of magnetic cables and do away with that tangled mess. These very well could be the last charging cables you ever need.
Just remember to store the magnetic tips in a way that you don't lose them.