Why are the prices of small data cables hundreds of times different

Charging a smartphone requires a data cable. Small data cables may look similar, but there is a huge difference in quality and price. Recently, a reporter from Jimu News found that the price of data cables varies by hundreds of times due to differences in brand and quality. So, which data cable is more durable? How should consumers choose a data cable?

The price difference of data cables is significant

On October 17th, a reporter from Jimu News saw a vendor selling data cables on Xudong Street in Wuchang District, Wuhan City. The cheapest one was 5 yuan per cable, with a length of about 1 meter; The most expensive one is 25 yuan per piece, and the boss said it supports functions such as fast charging and data transfer. At a nearby electronic product brand experience store, the reporter saw that the data cable prices were in several levels, including 14.9 yuan, 27 yuan, and 35 yuan.

On e-commerce platforms, various types of data cables are even more dazzling, with prices ranging from a few yuan to tens or even hundreds of yuan. For example, an Apple fast charging data cable claiming to be an "official genuine product" with a length of about 1.5 meters costs up to 999 yuan. The product details page shows that it is compatible with iPhone, iPad and other series of products for fast charging, and can also meet the needs of fast data transmission. It also comes with proof such as the "China Compulsory Product Certification Certificate". In another store, an Apple data cable that also claims to have fast charging and data transfer functions has a minimum price of only 1 yuan.

The reporter noticed that data cables of the same brand with the same material and function, the shorter the length, the cheaper the price. In addition to single interface data cables, many businesses have also launched three in one charging data cables, which can "handle all devices with one cable" and are very popular among consumers. For example, a three in one data cable starting at 6.9 yuan shows sales of over 300000.

In addition to different interfaces, some manufacturers are also putting effort into the appearance of the data cable. For example, introducing nylon braided threads in multiple colors to enhance aesthetics; Some claim to use liquid soft rubber material, which is not only durable but also has a smooth hand feel; Some come with cool charging indicator lights, making it easy to find your phone while charging at night; There is also a "third-generation" data cable that claims to use a small ice cable, claiming to be able to fully charge in 1 hour, not damage the device at low temperatures, and not pop up windows.

Poor quality products pose safety hazards

The reason for the significant difference in data cable prices lies in the quality of the materials used and the differences in production processes, "said Liu Dongsheng, an inspector at the Wire and Cable Testing Center of Wuhan Product Quality Supervision and Inspection Institute. High quality data cables will use tin plated copper, silver plated copper, and pure copper conductors with larger cross-sectional areas to improve current transmission speed and shorten charging time; Poor quality data cables may use copper conductors, aluminum conductors, or copper-clad aluminum conductors with smaller cross-sectional areas, which are of poor quality and prone to fire hazards, posing a safety hazard.

In addition, some data line insulation and sheath materials are produced using inferior materials or recycled waste, resulting in low production costs and short service life. In comparison, high-quality data cables have metal braided mesh that can shield against magnetic field interference, ensure anti-interference performance during data transmission, and enhance the anti pull performance of the data cable. Meanwhile, the differences in data line control chips can also affect the stability of current during charging or data transmission.

Engineer Zhang Nan from Hubei Electronic Information Product Quality Supervision and Inspection Institute said that inferior data cables are prone to short circuits due to overload and have poor flame retardancy. Once an overload occurs during use, it can easily lead to a rapid increase in temperature, causing the insulation layer to enter a molten state and ultimately leading to a fire. Poor quality charging data cables also have the problem of poor durability, which is likely to cause poor contact between contact points, resulting in short circuits, charging overload, and other problems, causing the phone to fail to function properly and seriously damaging the internal structure of the phone.

Experts remind not to buy three no products

Recently, the China Consumers Association commissioned relevant institutions to conduct comparative tests on some branded charging data cables sold in the market. The test results show that all 46 tested data cables meet the requirements for voltage resistance and insulation resistance before the test. Nearly half of the samples have poor flame retardant ability, especially the braided wire outer layer, which is more prone to reduce flame retardancy and even has a combustion assisting effect. In addition, some samples also have poor interface plug and unplug performance, weak corrosion resistance, and poor bending resistance.

There are many types of data cables, how should consumers choose?

Liu Dongsheng reminds that when purchasing a data cable, you should first check the outer packaging and avoid purchasing products with three no's. It is best to choose a data cable from a well-known brand with MFi certified chips. Secondly, check the data cable manual and choose pure copper conductors or products that include aluminum foil shielding and metal braided mesh shielding in the production process. The longer the charging data cable length, the greater the line loss and the greater the current loss. Therefore, the shorter the charging data cable, the faster the charging speed will be. If the charging cable is too long, the line noise will generate errors, thereby affecting the data transmission rate. Generally speaking, it is recommended to choose a data cable of about 1-1.5 meters.