Buying cheap cables - luck of the draw?

aloiseb

I've been doing a bit of research on this forum about buying cheap cables from Amazon (or wherever) rather than expensive ones in the shops or direct from (eg) Apple:

1) The "genuine 100% " "A++" type things on line would seem not to be, so what you are buying is a cheaper imitation. Morally this may not be OK, but then again, is it morally OK for the branded item to be so much more expensive?
eg I am faced with a choice between a £15 cable from Apple and a "genuine 100%" one for £3.99 on Amazon.

2) If I'm not going to unplug it a lot - eg an HDMI cable which goes into the backs of two static items - the quality of the conections may be less of an issue. But if I am, I want something which at least I can send back when it breaks. (I have had to do this once or twice and the Amazon guys are pretty good about refunding)

3) Reading the reviews on the cheap cables, it would seem to be a matter of pure luck whether you get a nice strong cable or one which falls apart in your hands after 9 -10 uses. Presumably the expensive cables from Apple don't do that - or do they??

paddyrg

I can attest that some cheapo cables don't so much fall apart as throw themselves into shreds... However that need not be the end of the world!

I have several cheap cables which I ended up squishing milliput in place of a broken bit of connector, and it has been a very durable solution! The soldering is generally ok, just the encosures are made from moth wings, so milliput solves yet another problem!

yangptangkipperbang

I recently bought what was claimed to be a genuine Samsung USB lead for my 'phone.
I paid 99p, inc delivery. If it is a "forgery" - someone has gone to a huge amount of trouble to make it look like the real thing. As an Electrical Engineer, I consider this lead to be well made and of high quality. I believe it to be genuine.

If the man on ebay can make a profit for 99p - inc Jiffybag and postage, makes you wonder what Curry's/Dixon's/PCWorld's mark up is ..........................

aloiseb

Moth wings? Thought it was KitKat tinfoil.:D

kwikbreaks

I have bought a lot of cheap cables of all sorts usually on eBay and sometimes from HK or China. I've never had one fall to bits or fail in any way at all. I would not consider ever buying a high priced cable if there was a cheap copy to be had.

The economics of a 99p free post eBay sale absolutely bewilder me. The items must cost the sellers coppers or it simply wouldn't be worth their while.

Niv

I have also bought what claims to be genuine Samsung cables from eBay. If it is real or not I dont know but as above, they put alot of effort in making it look genuine if its not! Works well, gets chcuked in a bag and plugged / unplugged regualrly - however I was ripped off and paid a mighty £1.89!!!!

Lifeforms

Quite often genuine cables, as in real proper ones from either say currys (branded samsung, apple for example) or direct from the manufacturer (apple) may be hardier, they're tested more than the cheapo cables from ebay or amazon, but if people are careful both can last as long as each other. I knew someone who totalled their charger unit cable for their Mac air by just abusing it, pulling it out by the cable, or simply winding it too tightly (power lead was hard-wired into the adaptor) and got a nice surprise in buying another one (£££)! But since then they've stopped doing all that and it's already lasted longer.
Some of my apple cables are still working after not much care from me, but not all. I bought a cheap retractable pound cable over 2 years ago, and it's only just stopped working. But then I'd be retracting it each use, usually quite violently. that satisfying slide back sound and clunk was too much

I tend to look at the number sold on ebay, so generally if loads have been sold, and no major feedback issues from that, then I'll use them. I don't get why I need to pay a massive price difference between them, and still have them work the same.
Along side apple and their "accessories" like the hdmi ipad plug, or the camera/usb plug, retailing for £25, but you can get equivalents for £4 or so, and they do as good a job. With free postage on most things, you'd need to have to buy quite a number to replace broken leads/cables before you're out of pocket.

InsideInsurance

First of all you need to back track a little bit and actually say what you are talking about.....

For example, a HDMI cable is just wires and two connectors. As long as it is a HDMI certified cable then you are assured of a certain standard when you take it out the packet and unless it is something you are plugging in and out every day there is little value in buying higher brands than the 99p shop

On the other hand if you look at something like the new Lightning connection by Apple this is actually something more complex as it has half a dozen chips in it on a logic board. With these I'd be more cautious with taking unbranded because they'll have had to reverse engineer what is happening and whilst it may work with todays known uses they may not work with future planned functionality which is yet to be seen by the outside world.

Of cause patent holders do license use and some of those do build genuine cheaper cables (like the HDMI in the 99p shop) but for the lay user to always know which are licensed and which are reserve engineered is difficult.

aloiseb

Thanks for your interest - the thing I have now (rashly?) bought is a data cable for an Ipod Touch 3GS. I bought it on Amazon for £3.89.

Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004OKDJOQ/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00

Now it's gone down to £3.50! Demm!