A USB cable can look perfectly harmless while quietly being the weakest link in your charging setup. That inexpensive cable from an online marketplace might fit your phone, charge your tablet, and connect to your laptop. Unfortunately, looking compatible and actually meeting a device’s electrical requirements are two different things.
The mistake is assuming that every USB cable works equally well with every device. USB-C has made connections more convenient, but it hasn’t made all cables interchangeable in terms of power capacity, data speed, or build quality. A poorly designed or damaged cable can cause unreliable charging, excessive heat, and, in some circumstances, equipment damage.
