7 Best Lightning Cables for iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro
Are you searching for the best lightning cables for your iPhone 12?
Haha, I know you finally purchased a new iPhone 12. Or maybe you’re searching for it because your friend bought one. Now, if you own an iPhone 12, you know Apple doesn’t provide charger brick with it anymore. However, Apple clarified the situation on the Hi, Speed Apple Event.
Apple said they are reducing the size of the shipping box by removing accessories from iPhone 12 box. As a result, we will save 2 million metric tons of carbon every year. And, that’s how we can achieve the goal of neutral carbon by 2030.
Whatever the reason, Apple removed the charger brick and the EarPods from the iPhone 12 box, absolutely. And, from now, you’ll only get a USB-C to lightning cable in it. Somehow, like you, most of the users don’t have a compatible USB-C charger at the present moment. So they could use it with the received USB-C lightning cable to charge their iPhone 12.
Now you have two things to do.
First, you can buy an MFi certified USB-C fast charger. The original variant of the Apple charger will costs you $19. And then you can charge your iPhone 12.
Which is the best Lightning cable for iPhone 12?
“neither Belkin or Native Union are on the list. But Belkin and Native Union cables are sold on the Apple website.”
“This hurts my brain.”
5 Things to concern before buying a Lightning Cable
If you want to purchase a non-Apple lightning cable, it’s still ok. However, you must look at some points if you get the most out of your money. I have already added a list of few things you must concern about before buying a lightning cable for your iPhone 12.
1. Know your requirements
This step looks very basic but it can help you to find an ideal lightning cable for you. You can think about your preferences such as your budget, your security concern, your usability, and connectivity. For example, if you can afford to spend extra bucks, don’t want to compromise with your peace of mind and security concern purchase a lightning cable from the Apple store. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a lightning cable with a less expensive price tag, you can check a couple of options on Amazon.
2. Check Packaging and Writing on the Box
You can try Apple’s MFi checker to identify the certification of a lightning cable. But, if it won’t work for you, you can check the packaging and writing on the box.
You can look out for these below logos to identify if your ordered product is a genuine MFi product or not?
Apple renewed the above logos and some of the boxes will not contain them. Therefore you can look out the previous version of these logos as you can see below:
Apple always has a line on the boxes of their products, such as “Designed by Apple in California,” “Assembled in China,” “Assembled in Vietnam,” or “Indústria Brasileira.” And, on the boxes of about seven inches cable, you’ll see a 12-digit serial number following by one of these texts.
For instance, check out these screenshots:
3. Check Finishing and Laser Etchings of Cable Connectors
Most of the third-party cables will be different from each other. Still, there are some basic rules that you can use to find out a counterfeit lightning cable.
(I) The Lightning Connector end of a USB to Lightning cable
The lightning end connector of Apple USB to lightning cable will be clean, smooth, and well-polishing. The lightning connector will come in a single piece and well-dissociated. The contacts you’ll see in this cable will be silver-colored and in a rounded shape. Also, the length, width of the Apple boot will be consistent on this cable (7.7 mm x 12 mm). And, the faceplate inserts you’ll see in this cable will be grey/metallic color.
On the other hand, an unauthorized lightning cable comes with a rough end connector. And, the finish will be inconsistent. The connectors will come in more than one piece and seems like flock together. The contacts of this cable will be square, uneven, and comes in a dull metallic-colored. Also, the length and the width of a counterfeited cable will be inconsistent. The faceplate inserts of this cable will be white or black colored.
(II)) The USB Connector end of a USB to Lightning cable
The same as a lightning connector end of a USB to lightning cable, you can also check the USB connector end to find if this cable is genuine or not?
Both, Apple lightning cable and non-Apple lightning cable come with interlocks in the USB connector end. The interlocks in the Apple lightning cable will be trapezoidal and equally spaced from the edge. Also, the USB surface you see will be smooth and consistent. Moreover, the USB surface and the insulator of the USB shell will be flat. Also, the USB contacts on the USB shell will be gold plated.
On the other hand, the interlocks on the USB shell of the counterfeited cable will have right angles. And, they all come with an inconsistent space. The USB surface of the USB shell will come with a rough and grainy finishing with a detent. Also, the insulator of the USB shell will come with a notch. And the contacts on the USB shell will be silver plated.
To get detailed information, you can read the blogpost from the Apple official.
4. Stay Away from Super Cables
While searching for the best lightning cables, you will notice some lightning cables with abnormal capabilities. For instance, a super-strong lightning cable or lightning cable can charge your phone super fast.
Now Zdnet.com mentioned an Anker lightning cable that you can use to pull a car. But as I said, it depends on you and your preferences. Also, what you’re looking for in a lightning cable? Also, these cables have several weak points, such as a fragile lightning connector end. However, if you want to pull a car with your lightning cable, you can go with it.
Moreover, there is nothing like super-fast charging cables. Either you will get a decent lightning cable, or you’ll get a poor one. A suitable lightning cable charges your device at an ideal charging speed. On the flip side, a puny lightning cable slows down the charging speed. Or even worse, you’ll end up with no charging. In short, all you need is a genuine and certified lightning cable for your device.
5. Also, Stay Away from Extra-Long Lightning Cables
There is a saying, the longer the cable will be, the more time it will take to charge your device.
According to Zdnet.com’s article, when you use a longer cable to charge a device, it gives you a higher resistance.
Both cables come with different internal conductors as compared to each other. Meanwhile, some manufacturers use the same internal conductors in a 6-feet cable and a 6-inch cable. Therefore, you’ll see an increase in the charging speed.
Moreover, if you still need a longer cable, to play the safe side, you can choose a lightning cable under 8-feet. Although, you can find longer lightning cables more than 10 feet on Amazon.
7 Best Lightning Cables for iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro
1. AUKEY USB to Lightning Cable 6ft (MFi Certified)
This Aukey cable is one of the best lightning cables if you want quality at a budget price of $8.98. This product comes with 4.4 out of 5 stars ratings from 500+ users. Also, Amazon honored this lightning cable with the “Amazon Choice” tag.
Furthermore, this lightning cable builds with a braided nylon jacket that makes it a tangle-free cable. Also, it comes with reinforced TPE connectors that make it trustworthy and reliable for every-day usage. Alongside charging an Apple device, this cable has the capability of transferring data between your device and a PC at a faster speed, up to 480Mbps. And, you can also trust the connection ability of this lightning cable is very reliable.
Moreover, this cable comes with an ideal length of 6.6ft that is quite handy if you want to surf the internet while laying down on your bed for relaxing and the electric plug is far away from you. Also, this cable comes with broad compatibility. Therefore, you can charge your iPad, iPods, and AirPods with it.
This lightning cable comes in only one black color. Alongside the cable, you’ll get a user manual, 45-Day Money-Back Guarantee, and 24-Month Product Replacement Warranty Card. Therefore, you’ll get peace of mind for the next couple of weeks.
2. Amazon Basics Nylon Braided USB A to Lightning Cable
If you judge the quality of a particular product by counting the number of ratings, then you’ll love this product. This Amazon Basic USB to lightning cable has 4.6 out of 5 ratings from 51,202 users. And, obviously, this product comes with an “Amazon Choice” tag. Moreover, Amazon Basics is the MFi certified brand that almost every publication recommends to you when you hit Google with a query like, “best lightning cables.”
The MFi certification ensures compatibility with a couple of variants from iPhone, iPad, and iPod. Alongside the charging, you can use this cable to sync with your Apple devices from a PC. Moreover, this cable has a high-quality copper wire. And, it maximizes its signal and strength quality. The double nylon cloth of this cable works best for its protection and make it more flexible.
Furthermore, the seller mentioned that this lightning cable has an additional layer of protection. And, the company has tested it by bending it to 95-degrees 4,000 times. Also, you’ll get a 1-year limited warranty with this product. In short, you can consider it as one of the first preferences for the best lightning cables for an Apple device.
3. RAMPOW Best Lightning Cable 3.3ft – MFi Certified
Rampow is a well-known brand for manufacturing accessories for various Apple devices. Moreover, if you’re looking for a medium-sized cable under a low budget price, this is the one. This lightning cable does not just come at a cheap price, but it also provides you a superior quality. On Amazon, it has 4.4 out of 5 ratings from 33,993 users. And, most of them left a positive review for this product.
Furthermore, this cable has a verified Product Plan ID and an authorization chip issued by Apple. Therefore, you will get 100% compatibility while using this cable with any Lightning device from Apple. It has a thicker build quality and a more robust inner wire. It makes it tangle-free and easy to use for daily usage.
Rampow has done a 22,000+ bending test to ensure the protection and durability of this cable. Also, it has passed the 12,000+ times insertion test. The smooth aluminum alloy shell connector and TPE outside material of this cable protect it from getting damaged and gives it a smooth finishing. In short, you can expect a longer life from this lightning cable.
Moreover, this Rampow provides a life-time warranty for all the quality issues of this lightning cable. And, you’re getting all of them for $6.11. In conclusion, it is one of the cheap and best lightning cables you can choose.
4. Anker USB C to Lightning Cable
I can’t complete a post on the best lightning cables without adding an Anker USB-C to the lightning cable. This cable has a rating of 4.7 out of 5 from 15,168 users. Moreover, Anker is a well-known brand that manufactures MFi accessories for worldwide users. So you can be worry-free about the compatibility of this cable with your Apple devices.
Alongside charging an Apple device, this cable works great if you want to connect your iPhone, iPad with a USB-C-enabled Mac or PC. You can send movies, songs, or documents to your iPhone through a Macbook at a data transfer speed of 480Mbps. Moreover, this cable comes in a more than average length that is 6ft. Also, Anker has done a durability test of 12,000 bends under strict circumstances. And this cable passed this test very well. Therefore, you can expect a longer life from this cable as compared to other lightning cables.
Furthermore, Anker gives you a life-time warranty to make you completely worry-free. And, in terms of quality and length, the price of this cable is low. This Anker cable comes in 2 variants. Variant with 6ft length will cost you $14.99. Meanwhile, you can purchase a lightning cable with a 10ft length at $19.99.
5. AUKEY (6.6ft – 2 Pack) One of the Best Lightning Cable with Right Angle
You will love this cable if you love to keep your computer table or accessories organized. This is another lightning cable from the Aukey brand. Although, it comes with a clean 90-degree design. This design helps you to make your table fuss-free and well-organized. Also, it will make it easier to use your phone for gaming or surfing while charging.
Moreover, this is a braided nylon lightning cable that comes with strong aramid fiber support cores. Also, it has reinforced tinplated connectors in zinc alloy housing. These features make this cable extra tough and adaptable for rough usage. This cable supports MFi and provides you a wide range of compatibility. For instance, iPhone, iPad, iPod, etc. Like the other lightning cables, you can sync your data between an Apple device and computer using this cable. It comes with a transfer speed of up to 480Mbps.
This cable has a star rating of 4.4 out of 5 from 3,055 users. This cable comes in two different variants, 3.3ft, and 6.6ft. The variant with a 3.3ft length has a price tag of $14.99, while the variant with a 6.6ft length will cost you $17.99. Moreover, this is a pack of two means you’ll get two USB to lightning cables at that price. Also, you’ll get a 45-Day Money-Back Guarantee and 24-Month Product Replacement Warranty Card with this product.
6. ESR USB C to Lightning Cable 0.66Ft to 10Ft
ESR is one of the well-known brands for building the best lightning cables. If you want to try a USB-C to lightning cable from a non-Apple brand, you must check this cable.
As it’s a USB-C cable, it supports PD fast charging. Therefore, it charges your iPhone faster than other charging cables. According to the seller, you can charge your iPhone up to 50% in 30 minutes with this charging cable. Moreover, this cable is made with braided nylon alongside the aluminum casing around the charger head. Also, this cable has passed the insertion test by plugging over 5000 times. Therefore, you can expect a long-term life from this lightning cable.
Alongside charging your Apple device, you can use this cable to send movies, songs, and documents to your iPhone from Macbook or vice versa. This lightning cable comes in two colors- Black and Silver. Also, you can choose length from four variants. For instance, 0.66ft, 3ft, 6ft, 10ft, according to your preference.
ESR ensures that their users get 100% satisfaction. Therefore they give you a lifetime guarantee. So if you are not satisfied with their product for any reason, contact them to get a refund or replacement. Although, they didn’t mention the warranty period on their site.
7. LISEN (6ft/1.88m)- One of the best lightning cables for Rough Usage
Are you willing to spend some extra bucks to try something unique from the market? This Lisen cable can fulfill your dream. This cable will costs you 21.99 Canadian dollars, but this cable is different than most of the best lightning cables. Meanwhile, 4.3 out of 5-star ratings and an “Amazon Choice” tag is the cherry on the top.
This USB to lightning cable features a unique SR joint design. According to the seller, this design has passed the bending test over 40,000 times. These numbers prove the durability and level of protection of this cable. Moreover, this cable has a two-shade braided armor nylon shield that gives this cable a flexible movement without losing its protection. Assuredly, you can expect a longer life-span from this cable.
Moreover, I checked this cable on the Apple MFi checker to ensure its compatibility. Also, the seller mentioned that this cable built-in with the original terminal and original MFi chip. Therefore, you won’t see any warning or error message. And, the company assures it works with Apple devices such as iPhone, iPad, and iPod.
Moreover, this Lisen cable has a sync feature with the original 8 pin connector. This feature helps you to transfer data between your PC or Mac and your iPhone. Also, the 2.4A current supports fast charging while preventing your device from overheating and overcharging.
Frequently Asked Questions: Best Lightning Cables
Is there any security concern to use a non-Apple Lightning Cable?
While researching, I found one thing that made me worried. It was a cable named “O.MG Cable.” It is the dream cable of a hacker to have that looks like a regular lightning cable. According to the Fast Company’s article, if you’ll use this cable with your device, a hacker can easily break into your device and run commands on it remotely.
However, this “O.MG Cable” costs around $100 that is quite expensive. And, chances are much low that a company will sell this cable to a random user to get his/her data. Although, you must not use a lightning cable you found in the middle of the road.
Is it safe to use a Third Party Lightning Cable?
This question is somewhat subjective.
As you know, there are hundreds of brands selling MFi lightning cables both offline and online. Although, there are only a few genuine ones that don’t harm your device. Still, every one of them has at least one review that explains the dysfunctionality of the product.
Apple also mentioned few points that could happen if you’ll use unauthorized lightning accessories.
- You could end up damage your iOS device.
- Your cable will get damage after a short period of time.
- It might not connect with your adapter.
- It might not charge your device or might charge at a slow speed.
Furthermore, Apple doesn’t repair your damaged device if they’ll know that you got damage by using a third-party accessory.
On the other hand, when I searched this query on Quora, I found a user who is MS Computer Engineer casually saying these words:
“Cables are really just cables. Buy any lightning cable you want to charge your iPhone- I’ve never had a problem with even the cheapest ones.”
For some, a third-party cable works like a charm. Although for others, it could be a disaster. So if you are a guy like me who loves to have peace of mind, you can go for Apple’s lightning cable.
Can I use Lightning Cable for Video Out?
You need a Lightning Digital AV Adapter to display content on a screen from your Apple device. However, this adapter also has a lightning connector end that you will use to connect your iPhone, iPod, and iPad. Usually, users use it to mirror the content on a sliding screen or to do a presentation.
Meanwhile, you can use it to output video content, such as movies on a big screen at HD resolution. All you have to connect your iPhone or iPad with the adapter. Later, you can attach an HDMI cable to project the content on the secondary display.
What Is The Difference Between USB Lightning Cable And Standard Data Cable?
A standard data cable is much different than a USB lightning cable. A standard data cable comes with four wires. Two of them use for charging, and the rest of the two for data transfer.
On the other hand, an only-charging cable comes with only two wires. Also, there will be a difference in thickness, resistance, and current flow in both wires. The more current flow is equal to faster charging. Also, it depends on the copper line quality of a wire in a cable.
However, you can buy a 2-in-1 cable to use both features. For instance, sync and charge at the same time. The above list contains these kinds of cables. So you can purchase them accordingly.
Final Words: Best Lightning Cables for your iPhone?
Somehow, I agree with the quote said by that engineer from Quora. For instance, cables are just cables. Although, you can find different kinds of cables on the internet. There are some best lightning cables alongside the bad ones that can destroy your device. Or maybe it could waste your precious time with its slow charging. In short, you must research a little before buying a lightning cable.
Second, these 7 cables are not the only ones with the best lightning cables title. I researched and found these cables with better features and more than 4 out of 5 ratings. But you can explore Amazon by yourself to find a particular aspect according to your preference. Just make sure to read reviews and check out the ratings of these cables. Also, you can check out the Apple MFi checker to check the authenticity of a product.
So this was the list of the 7 best lightning cables that you can use with your iPhone. I tried to compile every necessary detail to help you to find the best lightning cable for you. Let’s know which one is your favorite lightning cable? And you found this post helpful, share it with your friend who is searching for the best lightning cables.
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