Many of the micro USB cables that can be found on sale today are 3.0. We need to talk about the differences between the generations.

Obviously, 3.0 cables are more modern and advantageous than 2.0. To give you an idea, the transfer rate in the first is 5 Gbps, against 480 Mbps in the second.

Usually a 2.0 cable goes into a 3.0 port, and vice versa. However, a 2.0 cable is not suitable for 3.0 inputs. If you have 3.0 ports on your equipment, 2.0 cables can greatly impair the speed of loading and data transfer.

Micro USB cables can vary in price according to some characteristics. The finish, length and overall quality of the product are the main ones.

You will be able to find some very cheap models, starting from the R $ 6 range – this speaking in reliable stores, not street vendors or street vendors. On the other hand, our search showed a custom cable that costs R $ 170.

In general, it is possible to buy a good cable for R $ 40. If you have already made a purchase of a low quality product, check out this video from the Making Art channel with tips to improve it:

Purchasing criteria: How to evaluate micro USB cable models

Once you already know what a micro USB cable is, what it is for and what are the differences between competitors, there are some small criteria that differentiate models from each other. Let’s explain the main ones:

• Amperage
• Length
• Finishing
• Loading speed

Amperage

If you look at your cell phone charger, you will find some technical specifications. Among them, the amperage, that is, the rate of amps that is transferred. This number can be quite low, something like 0.3, or reach 2A.

Ideally, you shouldn’t buy a cable with a lower amperage than the charger. The cheapest models on the market tend to have very small numbers. Look for something powerful: it will help a lot in your day to day.

Check out this Canaltech video on the importance of good cables and chargers to increase charging speed:

Length

The standard is for micro USB cables to be one meter long. This is enough for most tasks. But it is possible that you need something bigger for distance reasons or for special activities.

Therefore, you will have no problems with the one meter cable if used for everyday activities. If you need different activities look for a longer model.

And be careful not to accidentally buy a very short cable, under a meter, which can make your life difficult.

Finishing

We know that cables in general can be quite fragile. The cheapest ones can last very little and it becomes a terrible investment, needing to be replaced very often, sucking your money.

The saying “cheap is sometimes expensive” is quite true here. Look for more reinforced models, with features like reinforced nylon or military leather. They will cost more, but they will also last much longer, making up for the higher investment.

Loading speed

In addition to the amperage, there are some other issues that help to charge the batteries of the electronics faster. We have already mentioned the differences between USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 in this respect, but there are also some extra mechanisms.

There are cables that come with special systems that increase the charging speed. Each brand gives them a different name, such as “fast charge”. If this is a priority for you, pay attention to whether the cable has this extra.