Every day the Chinese are getting better at making counterfeits of complex products, and the Lightning cable for iPhone is the best for that proof. Copies are becoming more and more similar to the original, and, naturally, lovers of quick money are very happy about this and sell the highest quality fakes under the guise of the original. How to distinguish original cable apple lightning for iphone from counterfeiting, and what harm can come from using a low-quality counterfeit?
Why is a fake worse than the original?
How to distinguish an iPhone cable from a fake
It should be noted that copies vary greatly in workmanship, and some are very difficult to distinguish from the original. For comparison, it is convenient to use an old cable. The most common signs of expensive fake lightning cable:
Of course, if you compare the original with a very bad copy, you can find much more differences. Just for this purpose, there are three cables in the photo, the first of which is the original, the second is a high-quality fake, and the third is a cheap, low-quality fake that is simply risky to use.
Important! The high price should not mislead you; any store chooses what product to sell and how much to sell it for. Therefore, be careful, as even at a high cost you can run into a fake.
A fresh continuation of the review has been released -.
The circus tent is back! Last time it was with micro-USB cables. But users and adherents of the true faith were upset that Lightning cables for Apple devices were not included in the circus performances. Only today and for the first time in RuNet, sixteen cable artists will show your iPhone, iPad and iPod a horse show. After the performance, some will be overwhelmed with pride, and others will throw their cable in the trash bin out of anger, but no one will leave indifferent.
Someday you will encounter the fact that your original Lightning cable from Apple, with frequent use, will tear near the Lightning connector. Nothing personal just business. And an accessories business can be very profitable. What could be easier than buying the same original Apple cable as a replacement? You go to a store or a store’s website and see that an Apple cable costs from 1,200 rubles (in an official American store, $19). This price will make someone wonder why a piece of wire costs so much? At the same time, there are dozens of Lightning cables nearby from other manufacturers, both famous and nameless, costing from 150 rubles to several thousand. There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of manufacturers that produce such cables under different brands. Fans of Chinese shopping will find that all major Chinese sites offer Lightning cables from 50 cents per kilogram each. There are hundreds of options. And there is no end to the offers of “100% New Original Genuine Real Authentic Apple Lightning” in a package with all stickers from $3 apiece. And what to choose?
Let's go from afar... The rights to the Lightning connector belong to Apple. Third-party manufacturers cannot legally simply produce a cable with such a connector and sell it in the future. To do this, you need to obtain MFi Manufacturing Licensees authorization from Apple by fulfilling a number of requirements. Moreover, the manufacturer must pay Apple $4 for each Lightning connector, i.e. cable. It turns out that a certified MFi (Made for iPod, Made for iPhone, Made for iPad) cable cannot cost less than $4.
Both certified and non-certified cables are available for sale. Moreover, the market is full of counterfeits of the most popular brands (for example, Apple, Belkin, etc.).
There is one more caveat with non-certified Lightning cables. The Lightning connector has an authentication chip built into it, with which Apple is trying to combat uncertified accessories. Previously, it was possible to encounter the fact that the cable stopped working after iOS updates, the device reported an uncertified accessory. But Chinese manufacturers We have long since learned how to get around this “problem”; such messages have become rare. We will definitely check this in the review.
In this review we will not be able to test all existing cables, there are hundreds or thousands of them. But it will be possible to get a rough picture of the market. Let's try to formulate general approach to purchase Lightning cables.
Our test subjects...
Original cable from Apple (MFi)
Everyone is familiar with this cable. The cable is thin, medium rigidity. Length 1 meter. Let's call it "Apple".
A small recommendation for purchasing this cable. This is the most counterfeited Lightning cable. I wouldn't be surprised if there are more counterfeits sold than original cables. Sellers on eBay will be happy to sell you such a cable for $3 in original packaging, considering that in the official Apple store it costs $19. You should only buy such a cable from an authorized store to reduce the risk of buying a counterfeit.
Original cable from Apple after a couple of years active use(MFi)
Without a broken cable, the test will be incomplete. Many consumers of Apple products have seen this picture. The cable is absolutely working, but it doesn't look very nice. The test will show whether the characteristics of the damaged cable change. Let's call it "Apple U".
One of the cheapest cables from Aliexpress
This cable was purchased on Aliexpress for $0.67 (40 rubles). It had a couple of tens of thousands of sales and a rating above 96%. By the time the article was published, the lot had been removed from the site (but there are plenty of similar lots). I came across a similar cable offline. The cable is flat, very thin, even translucent. There are burrs on the plastic case. There are different colors. Length 1 meter. We'll call it "Red".
We already encountered a similar cable in a previous review, then it was the CN4 micro-USB cable - one of the worst cables according to the test results.
KALUOS cable (MFi)
This cable is sold literally everywhere. It is present at all major trading platforms, even in popular and reputable non-Chinese online stores. It is found in our online and offline stores. It's cheap, I bought it for $3. The appearance and quality are simply amazing. A thick medium-hard cable, nylon braid, aluminum connector housing - when you pick it up, you get the feeling of a very high-quality and expensive product that you want to use. There are two colors: silver and gold. And two lengths. I specifically took a cable with the maximum length - 1.5 meters. Something strange has arisen with MFi certification. MFi logos are indicated and displayed everywhere, but this brand is not in the Apple database. We will call this cable “KALUOS”.
Belkin Cable (MFi)
The main problem with this cable is the huge number of fakes. Because The brand is incredibly popular, this cable has come under attack from an army of fakes. It is very difficult to distinguish the original from the fake (even the packaging is completely copied). Our prices range from 500 rubles to several thousand. On different trading platforms from $2. From reputable online stores from $10. In the official store $19. I bought it on eBay for $4. Everything came in original packaging. The seller swore that the cable was original from Belkin. The cable is thick, medium hard. Length 1.2 meters. The Lightning connector is the same as on MFi cables (cheap cables usually have a different connector). If it weren’t for the burrs on the connector housing, I wouldn’t have found a single reason (without knowing the price) to recognize this cable as a fake. Considering the price, there is no doubt that this is a fake cable. My recommendation is that if you buy this cable, then only in branded and reputable stores. Otherwise, you can buy this cable for 1500 rubles, but in reality it will turn out to be a cable for $2, you will not be able to distinguish it yourself.
It is what it is. We will call this cable “Belkin”.
Lemfo (MFi) cable
The MFi certified cable is in the Apple database. And not just certified, but a complete copy of the original cable from Apple (the company provides a template). You can distinguish it from the original Apple cable only by the lemfo logo and the absence of the inscription “Designed by Apple...” on the cable itself. Same thickness, same rigidity, same connectors, no differences. Length 1 meter. I bought it on JD for $10. The cable is sold in many other stores, for example, it costs $8 on Amazon. Let's call it "Lemfo".
Cable from YourCharger
We have already encountered cables from this manufacturer (seller on eBay) in the previous review. The long micro-USB cable (2 meters) was one of the best in the test. Now it's the turn of the Lightning cable. Length 2 meters. The cable is thick and very flexible. You can only buy it for $8. White color and different lengths are also available there, up to 5 meters. This cable is for charging only (all wires inside are for power only), and you cannot sync data with it. We'll call it "YourCharger".
SNOWKIDS cable (MFi)
Certified cable, present in the Apple database. The cable is thick, medium hard. The connectors are massive. Length 1.3 meters. In your hands it creates the feeling of a quality product. I bought it on JD for $10. In China, you can buy it locally for $6. The kit includes Velcro for cable management. Let's call him "Snowkids".
Nillkin cable
This cable was recommended to me by many people in the past. The brand is popular. Thousands of sales on many sites and a 100% customer rating. I bought it on Aliexpress for $4.5 from an authorized seller. I saw this cable offline in many places. High quality packaging with secret code to check originality (like Xiaomi). The cable is flat, thick and flexible. There are small burrs on the connectors, but in the hands it gives the feeling of a very high-quality product. Length of cable 1.2 meters. The cable has a strap for cable management. Available in different colors. The cable does not have MFi certification, this is not written anywhere and there is no brand on the database. We'll call him "Nillkin".
Triple cable
This cable was already in the previous review, where it showed amazing results (for the micro-USB “tail”). Unnamed cable, 23 cm. Triple - microUSB, Lightning, Apple 30-pin. Fabric braid. Medium thickness, flexible. I bought it a few years ago for less than a dollar on eBay. Let's call it "Triple".
ESK cable (MFi)
MFi certified cable, present in the Apple database. But there are no labels or logos on the cable itself. A complete copy of the original cable from Apple (made according to a template). It is impossible to distinguish, only by the absence of the inscription “Designed by Apple...” on the cable itself. Length 1 meter. I bought it on JD for $10. We'll call it "ESK".
Biaze (MFi) cable
I bought this cable on Aliexpress for $6. It had no name, just “MFi certified cable”, there were “confirmation” photos. Buyer rating 100%. Upon receipt, the Biaze logo was found on the cable. I did not find this brand in the Apple database. At first glance, it may seem that this is a 100% copy of the original Apple cable (made according to the template), but upon comparison it turned out that the Biaze cable is thinner. Length of cable 1 meter. Let's call it "Biaze".
Just cheap cable №1
I bought this cable for $0.62 on Aliexpress. The main task was to find the cheapest cable that is similar to the Apple cable. The most popular Lightning cable on Aliexpress - more than forty thousand sales, customer rating above 95%. Not a cable, but a dream :). It's similar to the Apple cable, but the differences are immediately noticeable. The connectors are different in detail, the cable itself is thinner. Length of cable 1 meter. We'll call it "Fake 1".
Just a cheap cable #2
I bought this cable in Moscow in some store for 200 rubles. I was just looking for the cheapest cable offline: “Give me the cheapest cable to charge my iPhone.” It's similar to the Apple cable, but the differences are immediately noticeable. The connectors are different in detail, the cable itself is thinner. Length of cable 1 meter. We'll call it "Fake 2".
Long cheap cable
I bought this cable a long time ago for $1 on eBay. Length of cable 2 meters(I bought it only for the length). This cable and YourCharger are the longest in the review. The cable is similar to the Apple cable, but the differences are immediately visible. The connectors are different in detail, the cable itself is thinner. Let's call it "Fake 3".
LG micro-USB cable and Lightning adapter
The cable from LG is one of the best micro-USB cables from the previous review and a small adapter from micro-USB to Lightning. There are many different adapters (including certified ones). In this review we will use the cheapest non-certified adapter for $0.5. We will call the cable “LG”.
Using a load module (dissipation power 10 W) we will check the output power of the cables. TO charger Let's connect the cable. Connect the Lightning to micro-USB adapter to the end of the cable. We connect the adapter to the tester, which has a micro-USB connector. This tester is not the best, but it allows you to use a minimum number of adapters. Let's connect the load module to the tester itself.
The Lightning to micro-USB adapter will increase the resistance, but for us this is not important, because... All cables are tested under the same conditions.
The test results will show which cables have the lowest overall resistance (wires themselves, connectors, soldering).
Let's connect the load module to the charger directly.
5.05 V, 1.89 A, i.e. 9.54 W.
Now let's connect the cables one by one and take measurements.
Apple: 4.52 V, 1.69 A, 7.64 W.
Apple U: 4.41 V, 1.65 A, 7.26 W.
RED: 3.6 V, 1.34 A, 4.82 W.
Belkin: 4.18 V, 1.57 A, 6.56 W.
YourCharger: 4.29 V, 1.6 A, 6.86 W.
Nillkin: 4.40 V, 1.64 A, 7.22 W.
Lemfo: 4.54 V, 1.69 A, 7.67 W.
KALUOS: 3.95 V, 1.47 A, 5.8 W.
Biaze: 4.21 V, 1.57 A, 6.60 W.
Snowkids: 4.61 V, 1.72 A, 7.93 W.
Fake 3: 3.2 V, 1.19 A, 3.81 W.
Triple: 4.51 V, 1.68 A, 7.58 W.
ESK: 4.20 V, 1.56 A, 6.55 W.
Fake 1: 3.69 V, 1.37 A, 5.06 W.
Fake 2: 4.09 V, 1.52 A, 6.22 W.
LG: 4.38 V, 1.63 A, 7.14 W.
Let's sort by output power and put them into a single diagram. More is better.
Snowkids is the undisputed leader; it has the least resistance among those tested.
Only 4 cables out of 16 provide a current of 2.01 A. All the rest do not allow the iPad to consume maximum current. What does it mean? Roughly speaking, then, for example, with a RED cable your iPad will charge 2.25 times longer than with cables: Apple, Lemfo, Snowkids.
The higher the current, the better.
The picture with output power measurements is completely repeated.
From our test, only 4 cables out of 16 provide the maximum current for the iPad mini. Our heroes: Apple(MFi), Snowkids(MFi), Lemfo(MFi), triple cable.
Does the presence of the MFi logo guarantee that you will receive a cable? maximum quality, which will ensure charging the device with maximum current? It doesn’t guarantee, but the chances of purchasing a high-quality cable increase.
Does lack of MFi certification guarantee charging or data transfer issues? Absolutely all cables in the review charged iPad and iPhone with iOS 9.2 without any problems, without any reports of uncertified accessories. Absolutely all cables from the review provided connection to personal computer to transfer data without warning.
If you need a cable and are ready to easily part with 1,500 rubles, then calmly buy the original cable Apple in any authorized store. You will get excellent quality (for a couple of years until it breaks again) without compromise.
If you want to buy a cheaper cable, then the general recommendations for purchase are as follows (if you don’t clearly know which cable to buy):
- the packaging must contain the MFi logo (Made for iPod, Made for iPhone, Made for iPad)
- make sure the brand is in
- the cable should cost more than $5 (including royalties and quality components)
Cable Snowkids is the absolute leader in the review. It surpassed all cables in the review, including the original cable from Apple, in terms of measured characteristics. With this cable you can charge any Apple device with maximum output power, and with an adapter you can easily charge any device without significant losses. The quality of the cable materials is excellent. The length is 1 meter 30 centimeters, which is longer than most Lightning cables. There is Velcro for cable management. You can buy it on the site for $10.5 with express delivery to your door in Russia. I'm not a fan of JD (if anyone else remembers how I fought with them about leaking users' personal data), but now with coupon jd558, this cable can be bought for only $2.5. You will regret if you don't take advantage of this opportunity.
If you want to save a little, you can buy a cable Nillkin. It is not MFi certified. You will lose quite a bit in power output, but you will get a quality product. The cable is made from quality materials, it is flat and does not tangle. You can choose the color you like. There is a strap for cable management. This cable costs from $4, ours starts from 300 rubles. It’s easily sold everywhere (you can easily find it on Aliexpress or eBay, there are hundreds of offers).
If you need versatility, acceptable quality at the lowest price, then take a high-quality LG micro-USB cable from the previous review, it costs from $2, and the simplest non-certified Lightning adapter is cheaper than $1 (I’ve seen lots of 3 pieces for $1 ). There are complaints that such adapters are fragile and often break, keep this in mind.
If you need long cable, then the situation is deplorable. Only the YourCharger cable more or less passed the test, but the drawdown was significant. Considering its price, it can be recommended.
Of course, it is worth mentioning the “penny” triple cable in a rag braid. This cable surprised me for the second time. I don’t use it, but its performance is excellent (due to its short length). Through it, the test iPad was charged with maximum current, as with high-quality MFi cables.
We should also mention the KALUOS cable. It is perfectly described by the proverb: “All that glitters is not gold.” If I were asked to choose by appearance and tactile sensations, then I would definitely choose it. But in reality the cable turned out to be complete rubbish.
We won’t talk about the importance of using the original cable when charging and synchronizing your phone, but we will show you in detail how to distinguish the original from a fake, with photo tips. Chinese craftsmen have learned to make high-quality fakes, but they only look like the original on the outside, and use low-quality parts inside. The first three points are the most important, give them due attention. The rest are the differences between the original and the low-quality fake.
The lot number is 5T3381227, written on the new box - 97% of this is a fake. The cable in boxes with the number 5T5247500 should be checked more carefully.
Number on the left, letter on the right. 
Video review with a lightning cable test using special equipment. For testing, wires were purchased from famous electronics hypermarkets. There are practically no external comparisons, but a lot is touched upon in the video about the filling.
While a good copy of the original cable can still be used with almost no fear for the battery or the phone itself, using a counterfeit charger can lead to fatal consequences, including fire and explosion of the phone. How can you be sure that your iPhone charger is original?
Needed a cable for iPhone. The first thing I did was go to Svyaznoy and saw that they cost 2000 there, it seemed to me that it was expensive. I decided to search the Internet to see if there was something cheaper and found your AppleCharge.
I ordered a kit - the cable and adapter that plugs into the socket were delivered. Everything is fine, the cable fits, I'm happy.
Our whole family uses it Apple technology And there were always problems with cables. We bought a lot of them and they were always not original, and they ended up breaking after a couple of months. There were also frequent messages saying “This accessory is not supported.”
I solved this problem by purchasing large quantity original. I took three pieces and an adapter from AppleCharge. I liked everything, it was delivered quickly and without questions.
Your store was the first in Yandex when I was looking for where to buy chargers. I really liked the price and the site.
I ordered two cables for myself and my sister with next day delivery. It was necessary to deliver to an industrial zone near Leninsky Prospekt and there were fears that the courier would not be able to find the address. But the courier turned out to be experienced and found it. The cables are original, I am very pleased with the purchase.
I was looking for the lowest price for a branded cable for iPhone 5, and came across AppleCharge. The price was very attractive, but there were fears that they would bring a fake. They explained over the phone that the cables are 100% original and there is no need to worry.
When purchasing, I carefully checked it and compared it with the old original one from the kit, they turned out to be exactly the same. I shouldn't have worried. The cable charges with a bang, you can immediately see it’s Apple.
When your iPhone cable breaks down, and sooner or later it will, you'll have to find a replacement. You can choose one of the cables, you can buy an original cable from Apple, or you can buy a Chinese cable, which we, of course, do not recommend you do. But how can you be sure that you bought the original cable and not a Chinese counterfeit? We will try to help with this.
I think you don't need to explain why it is not recommended to use Chinese cables For iPhone charging. In the best case, it will break itself quickly enough without harm to your smartphone. In the worst case, by skimping on accessories, you can render your expensive gadget unusable.
Pay attention to the cost and packaging of your cable. You will find the MFi logo on the packaging of third party cables. Of course, nothing prevents you from using the same emblem on packaging of non-original cables, and here common sense comes into play. Remember that you cannot buy a good quality cable for 200-300 rubles or less.
