I work with many different devices during the course of a day, and increasingly, the connectivity options for these products are splintering. Micro USB and Lightning have been the primary options for the past few years—whether we’re talking connecting to another device for data or connecting to a charger for power—but USB-C is increasingly thrown in the mix.
That’s why Nomad’s Universal Cable has become my go-to for the past year. It’s a single cable, with USB-A to Micro USB as its core capability. It’s five feet long, RF-shielded, covered with ballistic nylon, and includes a handy silicon cable tie. The cable uses 20AWG copper rated for 5V/4.5A. It’s tangle-resistant, virtually indestructible, and carries a 5-year guarantee.
But what makes the Universal Cable so handy is its namesake ability to connect to practically anything. A pair of integrated tips (no worry about losing them) snap over that Micro USB tip, transforming it into USB-C or Apple MFi certified Lighting.
I’ve used this cable for pretty much everything, including charging iPhones and iPads, charging an Android smartphone via USB-C when the manufacturer forgot to send a power adapter, connecting an e-reader to a PC for side-loading, charging wireless headphones—you name it…
There are a few limitations, including lack of support for data transfer at USB 3.0 speeds and high voltage USB-C applications (Nomad says this is due to using Micro USB as the core connectivity standard). However, as an all-purpose, rugged cable, the $34.95 Nomad Universal Cable is tough to beat.
Plug one into Nomad’s clutter-cutting USB Charge Hub and you’ll be ready to charge virtually any device.
Disclosure: Nomad provided a Universal Cable for evaluation but had no input into this review.
