Sanwa Supply Inc., a leading Japanese company known for building peripherals and other accessories, like the USB foot pedals and MagSafe-like Ethernet cables, has just released a USB-C cable with a connector that bends by 180 degrees and rotates on its axis by 360 degrees. Japanese site ITmedia (machine translated) said that the company offers the USB-C to USB-C cable in two lengths—1 meter (approx. 3.2 feet) and 1.8 meters (approx. 5.9 feet)—and also has USB-A to USB-C cable (with only the USB-C end having the 360-degree rotating feature) in 1- or 2-meter lengths.
サンワ、ケーブルへの負担を軽減できる回転式コネクターを採用したUSB Type-Cケーブルを発売https://t.co/PdWefZH1vJDecember 20, 2024
Unfortunately, both cable models are limited to USB 2.0 speeds, so it only has a maximum transfer speed of 480mbps. Nevertheless, the USB-C to USB-C model is rated as PD 240W, making it compatible for charging even the most power-hungry devices, like gaming laptops. On the other hand, the USB-A to USB-C option is compatible with Quick Charge 3.0, making it useful for charging the average smartphone. The design should reduce strain on your USB C ports, and make charging more convenient. You won't have to hold or position your device a certain wait to prevent long term damage on your USB-C port or cable.
The 1-meter USB-C to USB-C cable is priced at ¥2,580 while the longer 1.8-meter option is ¥2,780. This translates to about $16.46 for the shorter USB-C cable and $17.73 for the longer one. But if you only need one USB-C cable and don’t have use for the faster charging speed of PD 240W, the USB-C to USB-A option is cheaper at ¥1,980 for the 1-meter option (around $12.63) and ¥2,280 for the 2-meter model (about $14.54). This puts it at about the same price as other branded cables with a protective nylon covering, but you get more flexibility versus other competing USB-C cables.
The cable is not available on Amazon yet, so you’ll need to buy it directly from the Japanese site and find a way to have it shipped. There are other 360-degree charging cables that you can find on the eCommerce platform, but they’re all charging cables that do not allow data transfers. If you’re looking for another weird but useful product from Sanwa, the company just launched its wireless mouse receiver that also serves as a USB and HDMI hub, allowing you to use a 2.4G wireless mouse, plug an external monitor, and charge your laptop from a single USB-C port.
