So, here we are a decade later, with USB-C rapidly becoming the universal standard and Apple still married to its proprietary port ( unless you live in the EU). And again, another bunch of adapters, this time to convert USB-C to Lightning and vice versa. But, of course, there's no one-adapter-fits-all situation. Some are solely for charging whereas others can also handle audio or data transfers. Most of his writing has revolved around service journalism and helping people understand the latest pieces of technology. But he has done features on Pandora radio, NBA Top Shot, and what goes into building the perfect playlist. He has also written for the Library of Congress and submitted his own emoji proposal to Unicode. As evident in the name, Nomad envisions the ChargeKey being added to a keyring. I put it on a keyring for testing purposes, but I no longer have any keys for my car or house that I carry, so that use didn't apply to me, personally. I can't speak to how the ChargeKey will hold up in this specific scenario if you do intend on ChargeKey rubbing shoulders with keys regularly. After researching many different lightning cables, we narrowed in on the top ten options, which we put through extensive side-by-side testing. After using each one to charge various generations of iPhones and iPads, we determined our preferences for length, cable material, and how efficient each cable was at charging. Through our testing, we could see the best and worst qualities in each model.

A USB-C to Lightning adapter connects Apple Lightning-compatible devices to USB-C peripherals. There are a few scenarios that warrant this: to transfer data from, say, a camera to your iPad or phone; to connect audio, like headphones, for music and calls; or to plug into on-the-go programs like Apple CarPlay. Rather than carrying a Lightning cable to charge your iPhone and a USB-C to charge your headphones, a low-profile adapter means you can carry one USB-C cable to charge all your stuff. While there are certainly many budget options when shopping for lightning cables, most aren't worth buying. Perhaps the most important thing you want to keep in mind is the longevity of the cable you're considering. If your cable breaks or loses its ability to pair with your device after just a few weeks, it's not worth the low price. There is a sweet spot between the most premium options and the mid-range products. Apple uses the MFi-certified ("Made for iPhone/iPad-certified") badge to confirm the quality of third-party adapters, but there are plenty of great options that don't have this certification, so it isn't a must. Consider the size of the adapter and whether you need it to have any other dongles on it, like a USB-A or micro USB adapter. If it'll always be plugged into your charging cable, opt for a smaller option. If you'll use it on occasion for heavy data transfers, prioritize transfer speed and quality over size. Here’s another excellent cable with a data transfer speed of 480Mbps. This means that even large files such as 1GB can be transferred within 25 seconds. It is an ideal accessory to make most existing USB-C devices charging and syncing for your newest iPhone.You can always trust iMore. Our team of Apple experts have years of experience testing all kinds of tech and gadgets, so you can be sure our recommendations and criticisms are accurate and helpful. Find out more about how we test. Shopping for a new Lightning cable sounds easy. After all, the principal philosophy is often just finding a wire with a Lightning connector on one end and some type of connector on the other. That's usually good enough for some, but there are some important factors to keep in mind. Tyler first started freelance writing for Fast Company after spending a decade as a computer technician repairing computers and networks in peoples’ homes. Since 2013, he has contributed to dozens of publications, including The New York Times, WIRED, PCMag, Vice, Newsweek, and many more.

For your precious iPhone 13 or any other model, we recommend using Apple's own USB-C to Lightning cable, of course. Apple stands behind its products, and you can trust that Apple's cable won't ever damage your devices. Plus, you know Apple's own cable will be great when you want to fast-charge your iPhone.