Apple Lightning to USB Cable (6-Foot) Review

The Apple Lightning to USB Cable (6-foot) is a Lightning cable that offers more flexibility than the shorter 3-foot cord that comes standard with iPhones. It also offers the assurance that you’re working with the right cord for reliably charging your iPhone, iPod, or iPad. It can plug into your MacBook Pro for powering or data syncing or into an Apple wall charger. I used this cable as my primary charging cable with two iPhone models and noted its consistent performance over several charging cycles and how that stacks up against some minor flaws. 

Design and Durability: Not dazzling but practical—and authentic

This Apple Lightning to USB Cable (6-foot) boasts all the markings of the Apple stamp of approval with signature white rubber/plastic build materials and badges of authenticity. I was easily able to verify the cord I received was the real thing by locating the discrete “Designed by Apple in California” labeling printed on the cord along with a 12-digit serial number. 

The USB and Lightning cable heads offer some design interest with a slight sheen, and they’re easy to grip and attach and remove from ports. But while the cord itself is heavier-duty than the 3-foot cord, the rubberized texture isn’t exactly smooth or pleasant in the hand. Like its smaller sibling, this 6-foot cord shares the tendency to smudge immediately. Overall this creates a dingy appearance that doesn’t align with the thoughtful and upscale design of iPhones and other Apple devices. 

Charging Speed: Consistently speedy

I used this cable with the Apple 5-watt power block as well as one of the 5-volt/2.4-amp ports in the Anker PowerPort 6 USB wall charger. It consistently took 2.5 hours to charge an iPhone 6S from fully drained to 100 percent full. I also tested the iPhone 7 Plus with the wall charger and the Anker wall charger from 15 percent, and those numbers were quite consistent as well. It took a little over 3.5 hours with the 5-watt Apple power block and just slightly less with the Anker charger.

Price: Not cheap but covers doubt

The 6-foot lighting cable costs $29 (MSRP), which isn’t an insignificant amount of money for a single charging cable. There are no extras like a pouch or Velcro organizer either, but for the price you get the valuable satisfaction of knowing you have an official accessory and there’s little danger of harming your iPhone or other Apple device. There are cheaper options without the steep price tag, but the trade-off is the lack of reliability. You can split the difference, however, with an MFi-certified option (one that’s built for iPhones and certified by Apple) that offers peace of mind and is a little easier on the wallet.

Apple Lightning to USB Cable 6 Feet vs. Anker Powerline+ II Lightning Cable

The Anker Powerline+ II Lightning Cable retails for about $20 MSRP and is a great compromise between quality and value. It’s also a 6-foot Lightning to USB 2.0 cable, it’s MFi-certified, comes with a handy carrying pouch, and boasts a lifespan of 30,000 bends along with a lifetime warranty. If you’d rather have some extra bells and whistles and durability and customization power (this cord comes in several colors), the Anker Powerline+ II Lightning Cable is worth a closer look.