USB-C charging cable with power display - my pick of the KW14

I always notice little gadgets that I think are great. One of the last ones I got is a special charging cable with a USB-C connector on both ends and a small digital power meter on one of the two plugs.

What the cable can do...

The cable is designed for USB-C Power Delivery and can deliver up to 100 watts of charging current. The small indicator on a plug shows whether it is straight USB PD is supported or not and the current performance is displayed with one decimal place.

The indicator is only on one connector and also only on one side of the connector, but the direction in which you insert the cable is completely the same. The display is always correct.

It doesn't show which direction the current is flowing, but with a charger plugged into one end and an iPad plugged into the other, there's not much guesswork as to which direction it's going.

Here is the USB-C charging cable connected to my iPad Pro. As soon as the value rises above 10 watts, no more decimal places are displayed (photos: Sir Apfelot).

Technical data

Yes, cables also have some technical data, which I am happy to list here:

• Brand: Sicotool
• Type: USB-C cable with LED display
• Display: two digits; Values ​​up to 9,9 W with one decimal place; higher values ​​without decimal places
• USB-C Power Delivery 3.0
• Super Fast Charging QC 4.0
• Data transfer: 480 Mbps (USB 2.0)
• no 4K support
• Voltage: up to 20 volts
• Current: up to 5 amperes
• Maximum power: 100 watts
• Length: 2 meters
• Chip: E-Mark chip
• Materials: cable jacket braided with nylon, zinc alloy plug
• Price: approx. 15 EUR (The Amazon)

USB Type C to USB C Cable 100W PD 3.0 5A Super Fast Charging QC 4.0 with LED Display Digital &...

• Real-Time LED Display Current Watt 🖥️ Can visually show you the charging rate of your device (wattage), can...
• Super Fast Charging :Max. 100W power support PD and PPS (working with variable voltage and corresponding...
• 480Mbps Data Transfer : The data transfer speed up to 480Mbps (USB 2.0). Transmit 1G data in a few seconds. However, 4K...

16,99 EUR

Buy it at Amazon Price includes VAT, plus shipping costs (updated: 19.07.2022 at 10: 36 clock)

How accurate is the performance display?

That's a good question that I can only partially answer. To check, I put my USB-C multimeter in series and here I got a difference of about 1,5 watts, which the USB-C cable showed me too little.

I can't say how accurate my USB-C multimeter is, of course, but I'd put it to shame that it's significantly more accurate since it's purpose-built and also has more space for the electronics.

On the lower connector you can easily see the edge of the LED display. You can't see it in the dark, so I'm already considering marking the connector with the display with a sticker on the back of the connector.

Only charging cable, but not for fast data transfer

Another thing to note is the speed of data transfer. The cable only supports USB 2.0 and is therefore not a racehorse. However, I bought the cable specifically for charging devices such as the iPad Pro, MacBook Pro or USB-C power banks. In this case, the data transfer is irrelevant for me.

I haven't been able to find a cable with an LED indicator AND a fast data transfer yet. So a compromise was necessary...

My conclusion on the USB-C charging cable with LED display

I have to say that I enjoy using the cable. Even if the display is maybe 1,5 watts off the actual output, I still have an impression of whether my MacBook Pro is currently charging at 80 or 15 watts. If I want to know for sure, I can always plug in my USB multimeter.

In any case, the cable helps to locate defective power supplies. Sometimes I plug my MacBook Pro into something and then wonder why hours later it's still about to shut down. That doesn't happen anymore with this cable. And because of this practical use in everyday life, the cable is mine Pick of the week the week 14.

The cable is very well made. The jacket is braided with nylon and there is a kink protection on the plugs.

Another tip: iPhone charging cable with LED display

For the iPhone and iPad users among you, I would like to recommend another cable. This has a USB-C connector on the one hand and a Lightning connector with LED display on the other. The cable supports fast charging via USB-C-PD and also shows you the current charging capacity. The cable is available in lengths of 1m, 2m and 3m.

Get Tickets here! it goes to the Lightning USB-C charging cable on Amazon. Alternatively, you can find the cable in this product box:

USB C to L Lightning Cable, AICase 1,5m Charging Sync Cable with LED Display, Compatible...

• 銆怭attentive LED digital cable銆� With the first LED display cable, you have full control of the charging speed...
• Speed: 3x faster than USB-A to Lightning cable: Charge your iPhone 13 from 0% to 60% in just 30...
• 銆怭D 20W Fast Charge銆� AICase USB-C to Lightning Cable supports Fast Charge for iPhone 13, 13...

14,99 EUR

Buy it at Amazon Price includes VAT, plus shipping costs (updated: 19.07.2022 at 10: 36 clock)

Jen Kleinholz( Founder & Sir Apfelot )

Jens has been running the blog since 2012. He appears as Sir Apfelot for his readers and helps them with problems of a technical nature. In his free time he drives electric unicycles, takes photos (preferably with his iPhone, of course), climbs around in the Hessian mountains or hikes with the family. His articles deal with Apple products, news from the world of drones or solutions for current bugs.

The page contains affiliate links / images: Amazon.de