USB Type-C is around from quite some time and yes just like other accessories out there if you use a wrong one you may end up causing severe damage to your device. For instance, MacBook Pro costs a lot but a single instance of bad USB Type-C can probably damage your device and render it useless. In fact this was one of the reasons that forced Google Engineer Benson Leung to classify different Type-C USB cables as safe or unsafe.
Buying third party Type-C cables is indeed a herculean task as most of the times one may end up paying for a counterfeit one. The problem here is that one simply can’t distinguish between a fake cable and a genuine one apart from referring to the cosmetic cues. All of this has lead Satechi, a San Diego-based company to come up with a Type-C Power Meter. Priced at $30 the meter looks like a wearable with its small OLED display and when plugged in it will show the direction of the power draw and also other details including that of voltage, amps and the amount of energy transferred.
The monitor is made up of two female Type-C USB ports and while one is connected to the device the another is connected to the power supply/charger. The monitor will also let you know if you powerbank is providing the required amount of powered. The Type-C Power Meter shapes up to be a handy accessory for most of the devices using Type-C including the latest MacBook Pro. However, the device doesn’t come with any fail-safe mechanism or a surge protector.
Also Read: How to Choose the Right USB Type-C Cable [Guide]
Additionally, it’s also worth noting that both Apple Store and the Google Play Store offer a bunch of apps that offer similar functionality without the need for additional hardware. I have been personally using Ampere app for my Nexus 5X and until now it has weeded out a couple of counterfeit chargers. But again at $30 the Power Meter makes sense and will let you keep the tab on charging/discharging rates.
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