Forget the phone that no longer charges and the external drive that disconnects in the middle of a transfer: thanks to this very practical little accessory, the USB sockets of your devices will no longer be abused!
The USB sockets on our electronic devices become damaged and deteriorate over time, from plugging them in to recharge them or connecting peripherals to them. Ultimately, false contacts can appear, making charging and data transfer unstable, or even impossible in the worst case. This wear is even faster as we tend to charge our smartphone every day, and connect many peripherals to our computers (mouse, external hard drive, USB key, game controller, etc.).
To protect the USB ports of our smartphones, tablets and PCs against mechanical wear, and thus extend their lifespan, there are very practical and inexpensive accessories: magnetic USB cables and adapters. A device that is both simple and ingenious, composed of two parts. A classic cord on one side, ending with a USB plug on one side and a magnetic tip on the other. And a magnetic connector on the other hand, to attach to the USB port of the device, which is only a few millimeters thick and can therefore remain permanently connected without disturbing, on a PC or on a smartphone.
This way, you just insert the magnetic connector into a USB port and leave it in place. Then, when you want to plug in the device to recharge it or connect a peripheral, you simply attach the magnetic cable to the connector, and detach it when finished. The trick is that this connection is made smoothly, by magnetism, without inserting a male element into a female socket. Thus, a USB socket can be used without exerting pressure, friction or twisting on the socket each time it is plugged and unplugged, thus limiting its wear and extending its lifespan.
These accessories are easily found on the Internet, particularly at Amazon, but also at Darty, Boulanger or even Cdiscount, from manufacturers such as HanCenDa, AUFU, or Kuulaa, to name just a few. Prices vary from a few euros to a few tens of euros, depending on the quality and the number of parts (cables, connectors and adapters) contained in the lot. Be careful though, the cheapest products are also the least versatile!
Entry-level magnetic USB cables are often reserved for electrical charging and do not allow data transfer, which somewhat limits their interest. Before purchasing, carefully check the characteristics of the different models: the charging power expressed in watts (W), the data rate in Gigabits per second (Gbps or Gbit/s), the standards supported ( USB 4, USB 3.1, Thunderbolt 4, DisplayPort), the connector shapes (USB-C, micro-USB, Lightning) or even the length of the cables provided.
The offer is particularly abundant and diversified, both in terms of price and technical characteristics. In order to find the products that best suit your needs and your means, take your time to study the different models available. There are many brands offering a multitude of formats and combinations of cables and adapters on the main sales sites: you have the choice to find a set that meets your needs.