This $5 Usb-c Accessory Can Save You Hundreds In Tech Repair Costs - Here's How

USB-C breakaway connector

pros and cons

Pros

• Excellent scope of swiveling and rotating.
• Smooth action pinch conscionable nan correct magnitude of magnetic unit holding nan connector together.
• Can transportation 240W of power.

Cons

• Limited to 480Mbps data.

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The different day, a friend of a friend brought complete their car for maine to cheque out. It had a broken USB-C port on nan dashboard. There's ever a communicative of woe that comes pinch a damaged vehicle, particularly erstwhile nan proprietor feels moreover somewhat responsible. This communicative was nary exception. 

Apparently, a smartphone was plugged into nan larboard erstwhile immoderate kittens (yes, kittens!) darted into nan road. Cue abrupt braking, nan telephone flying crossed nan car, and nan cablegram yanking retired of nan port, breaking it successful nan process.

But nan communicative doesn't extremity there. 

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The proprietor took nan car to nan dealership, wherever they were charged much than $100 successful diagnostic fees to corroborate nan larboard was broken. The dealership past quoted different $150 for nan replacement portion and installation, promising nan portion would get successful a fewer days. 

However, "a fewer days" turned into weeks, and weeks turned into 3 months. That hold was because nan larboard was truthful celebrated that it was connected extended backorder. The proprietor was hopeless to hole nan issue, worried that a surgery larboard mightiness wounded nan car's resale value.

This portion broke, and nan trader couldn't get a caller one.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

That's wherever I came in. After searching online, I recovered a replacement larboard for conscionable $30 (thanks, eBay), which arrived successful 3 days. The instal itself took only minutes.

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Problem solved. But I wanted to forestall this incident from happening again, which is why I recommended my favorite USB-C magnetic swiveling breakaway connectors.

Here's my solution for surgery ports

As my regular readers know, I'm a immense instrumentality of USB-C magnetic breakaway connectors. So, I suggested that nan proprietor usage one. And, arsenic it happened, I had a fewer successful my toolbag.

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Now, I've tested galore breakaway connectors complete nan years. Straight ones, angled ones, even swivel ones. But this peculiar connector adds a caller accomplishment to its repertoire -- it doesn't conscionable swivel, it rotates too. 

This two-part connector tin swivel crossed 180 degrees (actually a small more, but let's support it simple) and rotate a afloat 360 degrees. That capacity makes it cleanable for situations wherever nan cablegram mightiness get tugged aliases twisted. And fto maine show you, nan swiveling and rotating action is silky-smooth, and stays that way. I've had a fewer of these connectors successful usage for respective weeks, and they're still arsenic bully arsenic new.

This connector is well-made

The breakaway characteristic is besides well-engineered. The magnets are beardown capable to support nan connector securely successful spot during regular use. But if nan cablegram is yanked excessively hard, nan breakaway does precisely what it's expected to do: disconnect cleanly to forestall damage.

The 2 parts of nan connector.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

When it comes to charging, these connectors are unbeatable and tin grip 240W without overheating.

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It's not conscionable cars wherever these connectors excel. They're effective anyplace ports tin beryllium broken. They're awesome for handheld gaming consoles because I've mislaid count of really galore charging ports I've fixed connected things for illustration Nintendo Switch consoles. A breakaway connector for illustration this would person prevented nan harm successful nan first place.

The connectors are besides useful for fitting to things for illustration portable powerfulness stations because I spot much and much damaged ports connected those devices, often from units being moved while thing is plugged in.

A prize feature

The magnets make it easy to realign nan 2 parts of nan connector, moreover if nan larboard is successful an awkward spot.

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Also, erstwhile it's clip to region nan portion that fits into nan port, nan kit includes a useful integrative removal tool. Lose nan tool? No problem. You tin wrap a spot of dental floss astir nan connector and propulsion it retired that measurement (a overmuch amended action than breaking a fingernail, spot me).

There's a mini bluish LED ray built into nan connector.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

The only limitation of this connector is its 480Mbps information throughput. That complaint is good for low-speed applications, but it's not bully capable for an outer difficult thrust aliases docking station.

ZDNET's buying advice

These swiveling breakaway magnetic USB-C connectors are among nan cheapest I've seen -- $10 for a two-pack. If you've already sewage immoderate of nan earlier breakaway connectors I've recommended, get these because you won't beryllium disappointed. And if you're caller to these USB-C accessories, hole to wonderment why you've ne'er utilized them before.