There are other situations where a short cable like the inCharge 6 may not be suitable—charging off a wall adapter that’s high off the ground without a surface for your device, for example. There are also PCs where the USB ports are in front of the case, where a short cable might not be long enough for you to place your device on a safe surface. Rolling Square inCharge 6 | But the short length can also be an issue The one kink in the metal armor of the inCharge 6 is its finish. Our sample here gathered a lot of noticeable scratches and marks from being acquainted with our keys throughout a two-week test period. It doesn’t affect usability or performance, just the aesthetics. Whether you mind that or not, that’s down to you, but once you throw this in with a bunch of keys, expect it to get scuffed. Usage Cons: Convenient as it might be for on-the-go charging, this cable takes longer to charge than the wall charger with Apple Watches. In addition, you may face issues with the charger not fully charging your watch or turning off on its own. It also tends to grow hot to the touch, which may prove a safety hazard.

Length: Keychain charging cables are typically short for maximum portability, but it’s still important to consider the length of the cable you choose. A shorter cable will be easier to carry around on a keychain, but a longer cable may prove more practical in certain situations. Power Transfer Support: Compatible with virtually all portable devices, this universal USB cable allows you to transfer power from an USB-C phone to another phone, wireless earbuds or any other device

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Like the inCharge 6, the inCharge X also comes with a fairly healthy amount of connector options for a compact cable. At its base—that’s without any of the adaptors attached—the inCharge X is a USB C to USB C cable. One end adapts to a Lightning/Micro USB combo connector, while the other adapts to the more typical USB A connector. There’s a total of six possible combinations you can play around with, supporting most Android, iOS/iPadOS, ChromeOS, and Windows devices. The first real caveat of the inCharge 6 is the length. Since it’s so compact, length was always going to be limited as expected. We use a laptop cooling pad on our MacBook Pro to keep things nice and cool, and using the inCharge 6 to connect our devices meant they hung off awkwardly at the side. Despite the compact form, the construction feels very solid. There’s no noteworthy give whatsoever on the metal housing at the connectors, nor where the cable meets the housing. The flat nylon cable itself also feels a touch more premium than the typical rubber-insulated charging cable. The adapters on each end snap on and slide without issue, and they don’t feel like they’re going to break or snap when you pull on them. Pros: If you st ruggle with tangled cables and multiple chargers, this near-universal cable is the solution you’ve been looking for. With five cable inputs/outputs, including USB-A and USB-C inputs and Type C, Micro USB, and IP outputs, you can easily charge any of your devices. You can also charge more than one device at a time. The magnetic attachment abilities make it more compact, and the protective cap made of silicone material keeps the input/output heads safe when not in use. The 60-watt fast charge and sync feature and 60-watt power delivery for USB-C laptops allow you to charge all your devices with just one cable. With transfer data speeds of up to 480 Mbps, you can seamlessly transfer data from your portable device to your PC or laptop while charging. Something we had fun testing is the ability to charge smartphone-to-smartphone. It’s a situation most of us are familiar with: you have a topped-off battery while your buddy is running low on juice. Provided your phone supports it through its USB C port, you can charge another device on the other end. Of course, you’ll have to leave your devices connected over a short cable, but it’s better than nothing.

Cons: This cable is bulky compared to other keychain charging cables due to its extra heads and longer cable length. While nearly universal, it doesn’t always fit devices in certain covers or cases. But when the alternate connector is revealed and the hinged part is out of the way, the hinged part has nowhere to go…you can swing it to either side, but the product design fails to make this as elegant and sturdy as the rest of the cable. The piece just swings, or juts out at an awkward angle. Where it counts more is how well the cable holds up against wear and tear. Our previous experience with Rolling Square’s inCharge 6 was mostly positive, with the notable exception of how the metal finish was prone to scratches. The good news is that the inCharge X fares a lot better than the 6. There are still some scratches on corners and edges, but not close to the degree that the inCharge 6 had. The TPU-reinforced, aramid fiber cable does well, too, with no fraying or looseness around the area where it meets the metal housing. The joint where the cable itself meets the head of the connector is often a point of failure for many data cables, so we’re glad to see the inCharge X’s braided nylon hold its own here. Rolling Square inCharge X | There are scratches, but not as bad as the inCharge 6’s. Cons: The connectors are too short to work with some smartphones or tablets if those devices are in a protective case or cover. The magnetic closure also isn’t as strong as it could be and pops open easily. Durability: Since a keychain cable is likely to be carried around and used frequently, choosing one made with high-quality materials and durable enough to withstand wear and tear is important. Look for braided nylon or reinforced plastic cables that can withstand bending, twisting, bumping, and other stresses.Unique Design: This universal cable cord's patented design allows you to connect any portable device to any power source for charging: USB to USB-C, USB to Lightning, USB to Micro USB, USB-C to USB-C, USB-C to Lightning and USB-C to Micro USB For file transfers, we didn’t notice a difference between the inCharge 6 and the usual cable we use for transferring photos from our iPhone 12 Pro Max to our 15” MacBook Pro. Furthermore, there were no annoying connection dropouts or disconnects. We think the latter is a crucial aspect of any cable. The last thing you’d want during a long file transfer is it suddenly disconnecting and potentially corrupting valuable data. The one concern I have is the plastic flip mechanism used to attach and remove the different end options can sometimes detach when switching between options. One just has to be careful it’s secured after use.