The USB-C cable coiled in the box behind the iPhone 15 and later models is… slow. Even though USB-C as a plug shape is near universal, not all cables can transfer data as quickly as others. And that one is really only good for charging, because it passes data at just USB 2.0 rates (480Mbps, or megabits per second).
That was an amazing speed — nearly a quarter century ago when it was introduced. But if you want to back up your iPhone to a computer or record video to an external SSD, you need a cable that can handle USB 3 speeds of at least 5Gbps (gigabits per second).
For that, pick up this 1 meter USB-C cable from Cable Matters, for just $13. It transfers data at up to 10Gbps, and it’ll also pass 100 watts of power for charging and to run external devices.
But there’s a catch: The higher speeds are available only on the Pro models — the iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. The iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 continue to support only USB 2 speeds.