Bought an iPhone 15 or 16? Try these USB-C accessories first

$18 at Walmart

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Fast charging USB-C charger

Anker 323 2 port charger

 

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$13 at Walmart

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Cheap but good USB-C cable

Anker 333 USB-C cable

 

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$8 on Amazon

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Plug USB-C cables into older USB-A ports

Syntech USB-C Adapters (3-Pack)

 

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$26 on Amazon

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MagSafe friendly Power Bank

Baseus Magnetic Power Bank (10,000maH)

 

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$100 on Amazon

BackBone One PlayStation Edition game controller mounted on iPhone 13 Pro

 

USB-C game delivery

Backbone One Mobile Game Controller

 

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$27 on Amazon

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Bonus Pick: Maximize iPhone grip

PopSockets MagSafe Round

 

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If you picked up the iPhone 15 at a discount right when the iPhone 16 hit the market — or you’re planning to upgrade more than one generation to the new iPhone this holiday shopping season, you’ll need some new accessories. Apple switched to Type-C from the Lightning port with the iPhone 15, so you’ll need Type-C accessories to accompany your new device. The USB-C connector is a technology standard that has been included in nearly all mobile devices and computers — not to mention, many Apple products — for several years now.

In addition to USB-C charger upgrades and other must-haves for a new iPhone (like a new case), there’s a strong collection of “goodies” (which might include new wireless speakers or headphones). Check out our top picks below to find USB-C accessories that are compatible with the iPhone 15 and 16. This upgrade makes it easier to connect a multitude of devices to your iPhone, whether it’s an external power source like portable batteries, external storage devices, wired headphones and any other USB-C compatible accessory you can think of.

The iPhone 15 line is the first to have USB-C charging ports on the phone itself, but Apple has been shipping cables with USB-C at the end of the power source for the past couple of years. Still have an old-school wall adapter with a rectangular USB-A port? This will work with the addition of some cheap dongles (see below), but may result in a slower charging speed. For the best experience, invest in a wall adapter with genuine USB-C ports with at least 20 watts of power or more. For less than $20, we like the Anker 323, which offers a maximum of 33 watts of power and includes both USB-C and USB-A ports for maximum flexibility. We charged an iPhone 14 Pro from zero to 57% in 30 minutes with this model; it should have no problem doing the same fast charging on the iPhone 15 series.

Pro upgrade: If you want an even more capable charger, open Anker’s 735 charger. It has an additional USB-C port and can handle charging up to 65 watts, which is enough for most laptops.

Amazon customer sentiment

People who bought this charger rated it an average of 4.8 out of 5. Reviewers were pleased with the fast charging speed and mentioned that its compact size and foldable prongs make it convenient for travel.

To be clear, your new iPhone 15 includes a 1 meter (3.3 feet) Apple USB-C cable in the box. You’ll want a few extra cables for other rooms in the house or for travel. The latest generic USB-C cables should suffice, but we like these Anker cables, which are braided for high durability and rated for up to 100 watts of charging power. Even better, Anker gives you a two-by-6-foot bundle for $16. That beats the $19 Apple charges for its 1-meter braided cable (presumably the same one that ships with new iPhones) and the $29 the company charges for its Lightning to USB-C adapter. (Do yourself a favor and buy these cables instead of that adapter.)

Pro upgrade: If you want a cable that’s fully rated for higher power charging, faster data speeds and 8K video output, turn to the Anker 515 USB 4 cable.

Amazon customer sentiment

Anker 333 USB-C Cables have an Amazon rating of 4.7 out of 5. People love the convenience of the 10-inch length, the durability of the braided cable, and the fast charging speed. Some reviewers noted that these cables aren’t ideal for fast data transfers, while a handful reported problems using these iPhone adapters. The latter may indicate that this product does not work with every car with Apple CarPlay on board

Adapters like this will allow you to plug a USB-C cable into a USB-A jack. (Your biggest challenge will be not losing them — just leave them plugged into the jacks on your computer or charger.) Note that these aren’t rated for bandwidth beyond USB 2.0, but they’re fine for charging or data transfer to a peak. For example, we just used one to unplug an Apple Watch charger (with a USB-C plug) from a USB-A wall outlet during a recent hotel stay.

Amazon customer sentiment

These Syntech USB-C adapters have a rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars. These have been praised for their compact size, value and convenience when shopping for new charging blocks.

Like recent iPhones, the iPhone 15 series supports MagSafe charging — Apple’s take on the Qi wireless charging standard — that lets you magnetically attach battery packs and other accessories to the back of the phone. (In fact, Apple has confirmed that the iPhone 15 supports the new Qi2 standard, but the company hasn’t specified exactly what that means in terms of charging speeds or power limits.) This Baseus magnetic battery pack isn’t quite in MagSafe compatible — it won’t charge the iPhone at full speed — but for its sub-$40 price, it’s a better buy than Apple’s now-discontinued $95 battery pack, which has less battery capacity, requires a Lightning cable, and lacks a built-in one. -on the kickstand. If colors are your thing, this one has more options than the standard Apple White. It also has twice the capacity of the Anker 622 MagGo (which is a good choice if you want a lighter option).

Amazon customer sentiment

With a rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars, the Baseus magnetic power bank won approval for its long battery life and how well the magnet fits a phone. People also liked the bonus features, which include a hidden kickstand and its digital battery percentage display.

While you can certainly hook your phone on top of your favorite console controller, it’s not the most portable solution ever. There are several game controllers designed to wrap around your phone so that the buttons are on either side of the screen, and if you’re looking for the best, what you really want is a spine. You can choose between Xbox and PlayStation button layouts with matching color schemes, and the grips couldn’t be more comfortable for gaming on the go. It’s a little more expensive than using a standard controller, but it’s much more compact and you can actually charge your phone while you play thanks to the USB-C passthrough.

Amazon customer sentiment

The Backbone One Mobile Game Controller is rated 4.4 out of 5. Reviewers love how lightweight it is and how well it fits your phone compared to previous models. Some people didn’t like the sensitivity of the lever and some found the grip to be too small. The fact that you have to remove the phone case to use it was a sticking point for some.

One of the cool things that USB-C brings to the iPhone 15 Pro series is the ability to connect to professional photo and video equipment. If you’re interested in trying this out without spending a fortune, this field monitor looks like a great place to start. You can connect the monitor to your phone via USB-C and get a waveform reading so you can correct it without having to move your phone. It’s a relatively inexpensive way to try something new on your phone and a great way to dive deeper into the world of iPhone photography.

Amazon customer sentiment

With a rating of 4.3 out of 5, Feelworld FW568 V3 reviews touched on the excellent picture quality and lightweight feel. Reviewers wished it had a touchscreen and didn’t like the fact that this product doesn’t come with a power supply. (Be sure to buy batteries if you order one.)

For many, the big question with every new phone and new case is, “Can I use my PopSocket for this?” The great news is that when it comes to the iPhone 15, the answer will always be yes. All you need to do is make sure you have the right thing to connect your favorite PopSocket design, which is why we recommend everyone to get the new MagSafe Round. It’s packed with magnets to ensure a stable connection either directly to the back of your phone or to any MagSafe case. If you’re looking at a case that doesn’t come with MagSafe, the Round comes with an adhesive ring with magnets that you can stick inside and keep that connection stable. When you’re ready to charge your phone, just pull out the PopSocket and you’re good to go.

Case option: Prefer a case with a built-in PopSocket? The company offers it for the full range of iPhone models.

Amazon customer sentiment

With a rating of 4.6 out of 5, the PopSocket is praised for its strong magnet and ease of installation and removal. While many people loved the sleek and attractive design, others found it a bit cumbersome.