This post is for me but it may be helpful for others. I’ve been struggling with Amazon carts all weekend so it’s Sunday and I’m writing this in hopes to get a bit of clarity around what cables I need for day to day use and while traveling and perhaps what the best way would be to store them. Here’s my setup with the connectors affixed to them:
- iMac 5K, Late 2016: Four USB-A Connectors
- MacBook Pro, 2018: Four USB-C Connectors
- iPhone XS: Lightning
- iPad mini 4: Lightning (but this never leaves the house)
- iPad Pro 2018: USB-C
- Apple Watch Series 4: Inductive
Before Summer of 2018, I only had to content with USB-A and Lightning. This meant that every Apple product I purchased luckily had everything I needed in the box. Then I purchased a new MacBook Pro and iPad Pro and now USB-C is my future. Before then, the only technology I charged via USB-C was my GoPro Hero 6 and 7.
We are in an age of transition from Lightning & USB-A to USB-C. While traveling to DC 2 weeks ago, I carried my MacBook Pro but had no way to charge my iPhone since I didn’t own a USB-C to Lightning Cable. My iPad Pro couldn’t connect to my iMac to restore my files from iTunes’ Backup beaus I didn’t have a USB-A to USB-C cable and I couldn’t charge my iPhone XS at night because the Belkin Dock I used to charge my Apple Watch and iPhone 7/8 that sat beside my head didn’t work for some reason with the iPhone XS. No one really knows why and it just stopped working. Luckily, my girlfriend is still on an iPhone 7 so we moved the dock 3 feet to the other side of the bedroom and I ordered the Nomad Edition Base Station which will be my first foray into wireless charging for my iPhone.
If I need to charge / sync my Apple Devices to my iMac, I need to own:
- *USB-A to Lightning
- USB-A to USB-C
- *USB-A to Apple Watch
I own 2 of these (with asterisks)
If I need to charge / sync my Apple Devices to my MacBook Pro, I need to own:
- *USB-C to Lightning
- *USB-C to USB-C
- *USB-C to Apple Watch
I now own all of these after I bought the USB-C to Watch / Lightning from Apple.com last week.
I am lucky to have received a USB-C to USB-C cable with my MacBook Pro (2m) and my iPad Pro (1m) which will allow me to charge my iPad Pro from my MacBook Pro (slowly) and also charge my MacBook Pro if I need to.
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The travel setup….this is where things start to get tricky but I am lucky…kind-of that I don’t travel with my iMac so it’s reasonable to say that my entire mobile charging is USB-C but wait….sigh. I have a lot of tech that is still USB-A and Micro-USB. My GoPro Hero 4 is mini-USB and thankfully that unit is retired as that was the only device requiring this port. Actually, if I want to plug my Canon 5D Mark III into my computer, it too uses a Mini-USB but you can just as easily pop out the SD card. Oh wait, I don’t have SD on my MacBook Pro :(
List of things I carry with me on the motorcycle (which is my primary getaway machine these days):
- DJI Mavic Air (Micro-USB on Quad & Remote)
- DJI OSMO 2 (Micro-USB)
- Headlamp & Anker Flashlight (Micro-USB)
- GoPro Hero 7 and Hero 6 and Hero Session (USB-C)
- Sena SRL in my Helmet (Micro-USB)
- Send Remote (Micro-USB)
- Anker PowerCore+ 26800 (3 USB-A Ports)
- Anker PowerCore 20100mAh (2 USB-A Ports)
- RAVPower 60W 6-Port Quick Charge 3.0 Fast Charge (6 USB-A Ports)
- Apple AirPods (Lightning)
- iPod Classic (30 PIN)
- GoPro Battery Charging Pack (USB-C)
I think that with my RAVPower USB-A Power brick and my Anker USB-A charge hubs, I can realistically continue to get things done but I think the only need I have right now is a USB-A to USB-C cable (actually 2 of them is probably good so I’m able to sync my iPad Pro with my iMac but also so I can charge my iPad on the go. Alternatively, I could grab an Anker charging hub that has USB-C ports alongside USB-A because this would allow me to travel with less cables. Something like this: Anker Premium 60W 5-Port Desktop Charger with One 30W Power Delivery Port. I think my cable setup should be:
- USB-A to USB-C (iPad / GoPro)
- USB-A to Lightning (iPhone)
- USB-A to Apple Watch (Watch)
- USB-A to Micro-USB (times 4 for Drone, OSMO 2, Sena, Headlamp)
For my MacBook Pro and Travel, I was using: USB Type C to USB 3.0 Adapter + USB C HDMI Adapter for MacBook Pro + CalDigit TS3 Plus Thunderbolt 3 Dock. This setup certainly makes life easier but it’s just Dongle-Hell to make this work but that isn’t a USB-C issue, it’s an Apple one.
For now, I’m going to keep my purchases to JUST acquiring two USB-A to USB-C Adapters. I think that’ll allow me to tackle things easier. I’m also going to look at SFBags and see if I can find a small and light pack that just holds my Anker PowerCores + Cables for motorcycle trips as my top-case tends to be a rat’s nest of cables. I’ll have to put more thought into that one.
I hope this helps others but if not, it certainly helped me.