This $15 USB-C cable has a built-in power meter, and I keep finding uses for it

One tool that I use a lot in my job is USB power meters. These measure the flow of power from a charger to a device, and display this power in watts. They can be indispensable for basic diagnostics, since one of the most common issues with any device is charging issues, either because the charge port is damaged, the battery has some sort of issue, or it’s totally dead. 

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Some of the meters I use are over $100, and not the sort of money that a beginner or enthusiast wants to drop. Luckily, there’s no need, because InfinaCore has a USB-C cable with a power meter built right into the connector, and it’ll only run you $15. 

It looks pretty much like any other USB-C cable: a two-meter/6.5-foot cord braided with a blue textile outer that resists tangling and abrasion, allowing for a combination of toughness and style.

The cable can carry up to 100W of power and data at up to 480Mbps. The data transfer isn’t that amazing, but remember, this is primarily a charging cable.

A close look at the connectors shows that something is different. Both are clear, allowing you to peek at all the circuitry inside the connectors — did you think that it was just wires in there? — and a closer look shows that there’s an LED built into one of the connectors, which is where the magic happens.

The display shows the power output, which refreshes around once every second, and also shows whether Power Delivery protocol is being used. The cable only shows wattage in integers, so the fine detail that you get from a dedicated power meter is lost, but it’s fine for basic diagnostics, and many times I just need to know if something is taking a charge or not.

I tested the accuracy of the power meter and it was spot on. 

The cable also has built-in protections against overheating, overvoltage and overcurrent, and power surges, making it a very good USB-C charging cable even without the display. 

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I did read in some online reviews that some people has issues getting this cable to work with some devices. I tested my cables — I have three of them — across dozens of different devices, and didn’t run into any problems, personally. 

There does, however, exist an issue where some gadgets with USB-C ports for charging are supplied with USB-A-to-USB-C charging cables, and if those devices don’t have the proper circuitry to support USB-C charging, they will only work with an old-school USB-A-to-USB-C cable. 

Alternatively, you can use a cable like the Rolling Square inCharge XL 6-in-1 and set that to the USB-A-to-USB-C configuration, or buy a cheap USB-A to USB-C adapter. For example, my Nelko thermal label printer has a USB-C charging port but won’t work with a USB-C-to-USB-C charging cable.

This is a cost-cutting or compliance limitation of the device, not a flaw of the cable. And if your device came with a USB-A-to-USB-C charging cable, there’s a good chance it won’t charge with a USB-C-to-USB-C cable. 

ZDNET’s buying advice

The InfinaCore 6ft 100W LED charging cable is $15, making it an absolute bargain for anyone looking for a charge cable with a difference, or a techy person who wants a convenient power meter for basic diagnostic tests. 

If you want a cable that is a bit bulkier but offers more of a deeper dive into the power being carried by the cable, the Power-Z AK001 is a good choice, and it’s only $5 more.