This $12 USB-C accent is among the finest investments I’ve made for my electronics

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The magnetic USB-C connector now helps a 180-degree swivel, and it is solely $12 at Amazon.
• It might pump out as a lot as 240W of energy.
• I simply want it was appropriate for information transferring or powering screens.

These helpful 240W USB-C magnetic adapters are on sale for simply $12 (with the added coupon) for one on Amazon.

A hill I am all the time prepared to battle on — and possibly even die on — is that the magnetic breakaway USB-C connector is among the finest USB equipment on the market. Certain, it isn’t as flashy as a hardware-encrypted storage system or as geeky as a USB energy meter, nevertheless it does one factor extremely effectively: defending your USB-C ports from harm.

I’ve misplaced observe of what number of USB-C ports I’ve seen destroyed as a result of somebody yanked a cable out too laborious. This has occurred to laptops, desktop PCs, recreation consoles, TVs, you identify it. And do not even get me began on the variety of laptops I’ve seen crash to the ground as a result of somebody tripped over the charging cable. So, a couple of years in the past, once I stumbled throughout my first magnetic breakaway USB-C connector, I knew I needed to strive it out.

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Quick ahead a bit, and I had a complete assortment of them. These items had been a complete game-changer. Should you’ve been following my writing, you have in all probability seen me rave about them earlier than.

However then I discovered one that’s the final breakaway connector. This one has a 180-degree swivel characteristic, and let me let you know, it is a recreation changer on high of a recreation changer.

This little little bit of motion helps stop the connector from breaking away when you do not need it to whereas nonetheless permitting it to disconnect simply when wanted. It is the perfect of each worlds.

And don’t fret — while you do want it to interrupt away, it completely will! 

That stated, there’s one factor to bear in mind. This specific USB-C connector is a 16-pin model, not the “full” 24-pin model. With out diving too deep into the USB-C spec sheet, this is what which means: that is primarily an influence connector, not a high-speed information switch connector.

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It does assist USB 2.0 information switch charges (480 Mbps), nevertheless it does not deal with the blazing 40 Gbps speeds of the non-swivel 24-pin variations. 

So, if you could switch information at excessive speeds or use the connector for a show, you will wish to persist with one of many non-swivel 24-pin choices — straight, 90-degree elbow, or right-angle. 

This limitation does not hassle me in any respect as a result of I solely use these breakaway connectors on energy cables. They are not supreme for information switch or powering shows since, effectively, the cable may break free on the worst doable second, inflicting information loss or making your screens go black.

Not precisely enjoyable, proper? 

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The connector additionally has a small purple LED displaying its carrying energy, which is a pleasant contact.

The package additionally features a helpful device for eradicating the magnetic connector from USB-C ports. However when you’re something like me, that device will rapidly disappear into the void of misplaced issues. 

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However don’t fret. You’ll be able to simply take away the connector by wrapping a little bit of fishing line or dental floss round it. Or, when you’re feeling courageous (and do not thoughts sacrificing a couple of fingernails), you possibly can simply pry it out together with your fingertips like I do. 

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

I completely love magnetic breakaway connectors, and these 240W swivel USB-C magnetic connectors are a implausible addition to my ever-growing toolbox of tech goodies. They work fantastically and are the proper complement to their non-swivel counterparts. 

You may as well purchase them hooked up to cables when you desire for a couple of extra {dollars}.