Nomad’s new $100 USB-C cable includes an inline wireless charging pad for the Apple Watch and AirPods. | Image: Nomad
Nomad has announced a new USB-C cable designed to charge multiple devices simultaneously. Instead of copying Anker’s homework and releasing a charging cable with dual USB-C connectors on one end, Nomad’s new Universal Cable for Apple Watch features an inline charging puck for Apple’s smartwatch on one end. It seems ideal for travelers wanting to minimize the number of cables they’re packing, but it could be just as useful for tidying up a cluttered desk.
The Universal Cable for Apple Watch is available now through Nomad’s online store for $100, and is only offered in a single 1.5-meter length. That’s definitely expensive when even Apple only charges $29 for its Apple Watch charger.
Nomad says its USB-C cable is wrapped in a durable “double-braided Kevlar outer weave” and features “reinforced, electroplated metal connectors,” but it’s the cable’s functionality, not its build quality, that might justify its price tag.
Nomad says you’ll need to plug its universal USB-C cable into an adapter that outputs at least 20W of power in order to charge multiple devices. The cable is rated for up to 100W of power delivery if you’re using an adapter that can deliver that much juice, but it prioritizes power to the wireless charging puck. So if you’re also charging any of the Apple Watch models (fast charging the Series 7-10, Ultra, and Ultra 2 is supported) or the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4 (ANC), power delivery to the USB-C connector will top out at up to 92W.
Data transfer rates aren’t quite as impressive. Nomad says it maxes out at USB 2.0 speeds “to allow for longer cable length.”
The Universal Cable for Apple Watch isn’t limited to only charging devices from an adapter plugged into a wall outlet. You can charge your Apple Watch from an iPhone with one end of the USB-C cable plugged into the smartphone, and even charge your AirPods at the same time by plugging them into the other end of the cable.
But if you were to plug the other end of the cable into a device that can deliver more power, like a MacBook or an iPad, the iPhone will instead start drawing power and charging, as demonstrated by Nomad’s CEO Noah Dentzel in a video.
