https://www.theverge.com/23138894/usb-cable-tangle-free-magnetic-self-winding

Skip to main content
The Verge homepage

Follow The Verge online:

  *  
  *  
  *  

Log in or sign up

  * Log In
  * Sign Up

Site search

Search

The Verge main menu

  * Tech
  * Reviews
  * Science
  * Creators
  * Entertainment
  * Video
  * Features
  * Podcasts
  * Newsletters
  * Merch Store
  * More

[                    ] [Search]
  * Tech
      + Video
      + Amazon
      + Apple
      + Facebook
      + Google
      + Microsoft
      + Samsung
      + Tesla
      + AI
      + Cars
      + Cybersecurity
      + Mobile
      + Policy
      + Privacy
      + Scooters
      + All Tech
  * Reviews
      + Phones
      + Laptops
      + Headphones
      + Cameras
      + Tablets
      + Smartwatches
      + Speakers
      + Drones
      + Accessories
      + Buying Guides
      + How-tos
      + Deals
      + More from Verge Reviews
  * Science
      + Video
      + Space
      + NASA
      + SpaceX
      + Health
      + Energy
      + Environment
      + All Science
  * Creators
      + YouTube
      + Instagram
      + Adobe
      + Kickstarter
      + Tumblr
      + Art Club
      + Cameras
      + Photography
      + What's in your bag?
      + All Creators
  * Entertainment
      + Film
      + TV
      + Games
      + Fortnite
      + Game of Thrones
      + Books
      + Comics
      + Music
      + All Entertainment
  * Video
  * Features
  * Podcasts
  * Newsletters
  * Merch Store 

Filed under:

  * Hands-on
  * Tech
  * USB-C

Tangle-free magnetic USB cables are here

New, 33 comments

And they need work

By Sean Hollister@StarFire2258 May 26, 2022, 6:00am EDT

If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a
commission. See our ethics statement.

Share this story

  * Share this on Facebook
  * Share this on Twitter
  * Share All sharing options

Share All sharing options for: Tangle-free magnetic USB cables are
here

  * Linkedin
  * Reddit
  * Pocket
  * Flipboard
  * Email

[sean_holli] Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge

What if your cable could magnetically stick to itself, forming a neat
coil that doesn't get all floppy and tangled in your drawers and
bags? What if they were good cables, too, capable of charging and
syncing all the things over USB-C, Lightning, and more?

Well... you can now buy USB cables that do the first part! And
they're cool enough that I really wish cable manufacturers would
figure the rest of that shit out.

For the past few weeks, I've been testing some seriously nifty USB
cables that can actually do the magnetic coiling snake trick.
Originally brought to the English-speaking world's attention by a
brand called SuperCalla, they're now sold by a whole bunch of no-name
brands at the likes of Amazon and Alibaba. And they are incredible
fidget toys, just as SuperCalla's Indiegogo campaign promised over
two years ago:

[gif] [supercalla] Image: SuperCalla

As you can see in my photo below, they totally coil just like the
GIF! They're not exactly "self-winding" the way some sellers claim,
but the six-foot ones are definitely easy to wrap.

[sean_holli] Your coil can be taller or wider depending on how many
magnets per circle -- but only these six-foot cables give you enough
to work with. Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge

They work by stringing magnetic beads and silicone sleeves on a thin
cable, like this:

[sean_holli] See, it's just a magnetic bead when you pull the
silicone sleeve away. Both float freely on the cable. Photo by Sean
Hollister / The Verge

They can stick to themselves in other ways, too:

[sean_holli] You can make a cable double back on itself. Photo by
Sean Hollister / The Verge

And, of course, you can attach them to all sorts of other ferrous
metal objects and pay out just as much cable as you need. I've got
one of these cables hanging off my metal microphone stand right now,
another dangling off the corner of my wall, and another that neatly
travels down the edge of my keyboard while it charges my phone:

[sean_holli] The magnets stick to my Razer keyboard's steel deck.
This wouldn't work with, say, an Apple keyboard because they're made
of aluminum. Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge

Ready for the catch? I bought four different kinds of these cables,
and they all suck big time (that's a technical term) at data
transfer, charging, or both.

This one, which also has its own built-in blue LED light and magnetic
swappable tips for USB-C, micro-USB, and Lightning, won't charge most
of my USB-C gadgets at all, but I was able to sling some files from
an external drive at lackluster USB 2.0 speeds and charge my iPhone
over Lightning. It's also got super weak coiling magnets and felt
even cheaper than the rest.

[magnets_ma] Magnets on magnets.

This USB-C to USB-C one was pretty decent at charging, giving me 65W
of USB-C PD power and had the best magnets of the bunch -- but it
wouldn't connect to a Pixel 4A phone or my USB-C external drive at
all. They just didn't show up on my desktop!

This USB-A to USB-C cable was the worst of the lot. Just wiggling it
would disconnect anything I had plugged in, and it topped out at 10W
of charging -- not the 15-18W I'd usually see with my Pixel.

Lastly, this USB-A to Lightning one seems to be a SuperCalla cable,
showing up in an "Original SuperCalla" box, even though it's sold by
a brand named "Tech." Slow charging, slow data, but at least it seems
to stay reliably connected to my iPhone so far.

    @verge

    Life is so much easier without tangled cords #techtok #techtips #
    usb

     original sound - The Verge

But those aren't the only style of magnetic no-tangle cable I found.
I also bought this neat accordion-style one, which is perhaps the
best of the bunch: I got 15W charging, and it feels better built than
the rest.

[sean_holli] The accordion cable can twist when you pull it apart.
Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge

But it's less fun to play with, the magnets aren't as strong, and
it's got a bit of an awkward shape when fully extended because the
joints will always stick out. Plus, it tops out at USB 2.0 speeds of
480Mbps (or around 42MB/s in practice.) I couldn't find a C-to-C or
Lightning version.

I would absolutely pay good money for a solid, reliable six-foot
USB-C to USB-C easy-coil cable with strong magnets, 100W USB-C PD
charging, and at least 10Gbps of USB 3.x bandwidth.

[sean_holli] The flexible ribbons and joints feel durable, though.
Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge

Or, if I'm really dreaming, how about 40Gbps for USB 4? Let's go for
broke and make the ultimate cable -- give it a built-in power meter
while you're at it.

Right now, all I've found are these cheap-o, $10 novelty cables, and
that's a real shame. The magnet design deserves better, and so do we.

Related

My new toy is a USB-C cable with a built-in power meter

What's on your desk, Sean Hollister?

Next Up In Tech

Sign up for the newsletter Verge Deals

Subscribe to get the best Verge-approved tech deals of the week.

Just one more thing!

Please confirm your subscription to Verge Deals via the verification
email we just sent you.

Email (required)
[                    ]
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice.
You can opt out at any time. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and
the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Subscribe
Loading comments...

Chorus

  * Terms of Use
  * Privacy Notice
  * Cookie Policy
  * Do Not Sell My Personal Info
  * Licensing FAQ
  * Accessibility
  * Platform Status

  * Contact
  * Tip Us
  * Community Guidelines
  * About
  * Ethics Statement

Vox Media Vox Media logo. Advertise with us Jobs @ Vox Media (c) 2022
Vox Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved
 

Share this story

  * Twitter
  * Facebook