Reversible micro-USB cables are a thing Type-C’s true advantage is that it has 24 pins – six times as many as the old USB 2.0 connectors.

By default, a USB-C cable plugged into a USB 3.1 port can transfer 10 gigabytes of data per second. Plugging into a 3.2 port will get you 20 gigabytes per second.

It offers a Type-A to Type-C connection and supports the USB 3.0 standard, so it will fast charge most phones — delivering up to 3A — and can also handle data syncing up to 5Gbps.

The main determinate of a USB’s data transfer speed is the USB standard it supports. For example, a cable that supports USB 3.2 Gen 2 is capable of data transfer speeds up to a maximum 10Gbps.

Some cables with USB-C connectors can carry data, video, and networking traffic while also supplying low-wattage power to USB devices if they have a USB Type A connector on the other end.

USB-C to USB-A cables are primarily used for charging and data transfer. So if your wired charger or computer uses a USB Type-A port and your mobile device has a Type-C port, you'll want this cable.

The world of USB-A to USB-C adaptor cables is just as confusing, owing to legacy hardware. For example, USB 2.0 features just four-pin connectors for data and power, while 3.0 cables increase this ...