Do I need a 240W USB-C cable, or is 60W or 100W enough?

What do 60W, 100W and 240W on a USB-C cable mean?

USB-IF's charger page, read 31 October 2026, says USB PD was limited to 100W before Revision 3.1, using 20V with USB Type-C cables rated at 5A¹. USB PD Revision 3.1, announced in 2021, enables up to 240W over a full-featured USB Type-C cable and connector⁷. It adds fixed levels of 28V, 36V and 48V, which enable 140W, 180W and 240W⁴. The USB Type-C specification was updated to Release 2.1 to define the requirements for a 240W cable⁸.

A 60W rating means 20V at 3A⁹. USB-IF's logo guidelines give the example of a 20Gbps cable that supports 20V at 3A, which carries the 20Gbps/60W logo⁹. To pass the USB-IF Compliance Program, every USB-C to USB-C cable must be labelled with its data rate and power wattage logo⁹. The wattage is the most power the cable is rated to carry. Your device and charger decide how much of it they use.

How can I tell a wattage label is genuine?

USB-IF's cable logo guidelines, read 31 October 2026, say the USB 2.0 Type-C Cable Power Rating logo, for 240W or 60W, may be used only with a cable that passed the USB-IF test procedure and is posted on the USB-IF Integrators List⁶. That logo must carry the word CERTIFIED⁶. A wattage printed on a box or a listing is the seller's own statement. The CERTIFIED logo and an Integrators List entry are the standards body's check, so look for both before you rely on a 240W figure.

What do my phone and laptop actually ask for?

Start with your device maker's own page, because a cable only needs to cover what the device asks for. Apple's page for the iPhone 18 Pro, read 31 October 2026, says it wired fast charges with a 60W-capable USB-C cable and a USB PD adapter with AVS². AVS is the USB PD 3.1 mode that lets a device request voltages between 15V and the charger's highest fixed voltage¹⁴. Google says the Pixel 11 Pro XL charges up to 75% in about 30 minutes with a 45W USB-C PPS charger or higher⁵.

Laptops are where the numbers climb. Apple says the MacBook Pro 16-inch is fast-charge capable with a 140W or higher USB PD power source, recommends at least 94W, and ships with a 140W USB-C Power Adapter³. A 60W cable sits below that 94W minimum, and a 100W cable sits below the 140W fast charge level³. USB PD 3.1 reaches 140W at 28V, above the 20V and 5A of a 100W cable⁴. The table on this page sets each device beside the cable rating that covers it.

Does my charger need to support 240W as well?

Yes. A cable carries power, but the charger has to offer it. UGREEN says the USB-C1 port on its Nexode 500W station gives up to 240W at 48V and 5A, which makes it a charger that can use a 240W cable¹⁵. Titan's own 330W GaN PowerStation gives up to 100W on each USB-C port, so a 100W cable rated at 5A covers every port¹⁶. On that charger, a 240W cable does not raise the 100W each port gives¹⁶.

So match the cable to the strongest port you plug it into and the hungriest device you charge. If both stay at 100W or below, a 100W cable covers you. Titan's Smart Cable PRO is listed at up to 100W charging on USB-C PD¹³.

Where does the 240W PrismCore Cable fit?

The 240W PrismCore Cable is listed at 240W. Its product page says it is built to charge laptops, phones, tablets and more, with no adapters needed. It suits a desk or bag where a laptop asks for more than 100W from a charger that can supply it.

The product page says the reinforced silicone and zinc alloy build handles daily wear and over 100,000 bends without breaking. The thick, tangle-free design is made to stay neat in the car, at home or on the road. Each cable comes with a 30-day guarantee and 24/7 support. For its lengths, its certification and which connector carries which wattage, check the product page before you buy.