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Alright, the tech world is abuzz! The new iPhone 15 series finally brought USB C to the iPhone. Some have no idea why we geeks care, others are rejoicing. Well, kind of.
For one, USB C is present on all iPhone 15 models, but only the Pro variants actually make use of it and unlock USB 3 speeds. Secondly, even the expensive Pro models don't come with a USB 3 cable in the box — you need to shell out extra for that!
But hold on, there is a silver lining! You don't need an Apple-made USB 3 cable for that — any USB Type-C cable that is compatible with Thunderbolt or otherwise USB 3 speeds will work! No need to look for that MFi branding — way to show restraint, Apple!
But of course, we have to ask the question — will all USB 3 cables work the same? Are there some hidden shenanigans?
iPhone 15 Pro: get with AT&T at Walmart for $23.59/mo
You can order the iPhone 15 Pro at Walmart with an AT&T plan for $23.59/mo over 36 months. That saves you $200 in total.
So, we bought the $70 Apple Thunderbolt 4 (1 m) cable and a $15 USB 3 cable from Amazon. Is there any difference?
Apple Thunderbolt cable, $15 USB 3 cable, stock iPhone 15 cable (Image credit - PhoneArena)
As you can see, a USB 3 cable is quite chunky, especially compared to the stock iPhone 15 cable. Some have argued that this is one reason why Apple didn't include them in the box with the Pros — that average users would prefer a thinner and lighter cable over that thick beast.
Whatever the reason is, the good news is that we are at least spoiled for choice — there are all sorts of cables out there. Braided, non-braided, long, short, colorful, cheap, expensive... Will they do the same job?
External SSD test
Hooking iPhone 15 Pro to external SSD (Image credit - PhoneArena)
The "cleanest" way to test USB speeds is to just use an external drive. Copying files to a computer (we will do that later) is encumbered by other factors, like the computer disk's write speeds, other tasks in the background, controller throughput, insert more tech talk here.
So, we simply grabbed an external Samsung drive and hooked it up to the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
For the purpose of this test, we recorded a 2 minute 4K ProRes video, which amounted to about 9.86 GB — just short of the 10 GB size we were aiming for.
We copied the file over to the SSD a few times, using a different cable each time, and timed the process. Here's what we got:
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Cable used
File transfer time
Stock USB 3 cable that came with the SSD
27 seconds
Apple Thunderbolt 4 cable - $70
27 seconds
Amazon USB 3 cable - $15
27 seconds
iPhone cable from the box
4 minutes 5 seconds
Well, there you have it — pretty much any USB 3 cable we have on hand does the same job, copying the full 9.86 GB over in just 27 seconds. Then, you can see the absolute horror of attempting the same with the braided USB C cable that comes in the iPhone 15 Pro's box — 4 minutes!
MacBook test
Transferring files to MacBook (Image credit - PhoneArena)
Of course, we also wanted to see how the cables affect computer transfers. Are you better off using AirDrop, or should you invest in a USB 3 cable? Here's how fast the same file copied over to a MacBook Pro, with different cables:
Cable used
File transfer time
AirDrop
4 minutes 47 seconds
Apple Thunderbolt 4 cable - $70
1 minute 6 seconds
Amazon USB 3 cable - $15
1 minute 9 seconds
iPhone cable from the box
4 minutes 38 seconds
So, again, as you can see — as long as you have any sort of USB 3 cable, you are good. No need to invest $70 in 1 meter (3.3 ft) of Apple wire — even if that Thunderbolt cable is quite pretty in its braided glory.
It's interesting to see that AirDrop is about as fast as the regular cable transfer. Apple's wireless data transfer has been extremely convenient and works best when you want to share some quick clips or photos. 10 GB files take a while...
Conclusion
So, do you need a USB 3 cable? If you haven't really felt the issues with Lightning and its slow speeds in the past, you are probably fine off without thinking too much about it. But we assume you had fun with the general knowledge conveyed in this article. Now, turning those numbers into a conversation starter — that's not something we can help with.
Those that love to shoot high-res video have probably felt the pain of trying to transfer their files in the past. Ultimately, using the cloud was the better option, due to Lightning being so painstakingly slow. Well, no more — we can happily report that the USB 3 speeds of the iPhone 15 Pro are real and they make life much, much easier! And you can get them with any ol' USB 3 cable at that!
So, just make sure the cable is good and durable, and plug and play!
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Preslav, a member of the PhoneArena team since 2014, is a mobile technology enthusiast with a penchant for integrating tech into his hobbies and work. Whether it's writing articles on an iPad Pro, recording band rehearsals with multiple phones, or exploring the potential of mobile gaming through services like GeForce Now and Steam Link, Preslav's approach is hands-on and innovative. His balanced perspective allows him to appreciate both Android and iOS ecosystems, focusing on performance, camera quality, and user experience over brand loyalty.
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