Use USB-C for charging your laptop? You need this | ZDNet

I’m still torn about USB-C charging on laptops. Yes, it’s convenient, but the times that I’ve almost dragged my laptop to a crashing death because the cable got tangled in something still haunt my dreams.

Here’s how you can put a stop to that problem forever, and not lose the convenience of USB-C.

A magnetic breakaway connector.

I’ve written about USB-C magnetic breakaway connectors in the past, but lately, I noticed a new design that looked to be improved, so I bought a few to test.

The verdict — get a set today!

Must read: iPhone 13 will get the feature that everyone wants

These connectors consist of two parts.

First is a bit that fits into the USB-C port, and the other is an end that fits onto the cable and magnetically attaches to the bit in the port, creating a secure connection that will disconnect if too much strain is put on the cable.

I’ve been using a set for a few weeks now and they’ve worked flawlessly. They attach easily like any other USB-C connector and don’t in any way impede or interfere with any of the features you’d expect from the USB-C port (you still get 100W charging, 10Gbps data transfer, and 4K@60 Hz video output).

There’s even a built-in LED to show when the laptop is charging.

While the older style was very reliable, I find that the new improved design of these means that there’s less chance of inadvertently mis-seating the connector and it not charging the laptop.

They’re also handy on smartphones, especially if you charge one in the car.

They’re also quite a bargain — two for $22.