Best USB-C and USB-A Testers to buy in 2023. Short Review of AVHzY, NB48, TC66, U96P.

[@etow8034]

Do you suggest using an USB-A to USB-C adapter if you got one of these meters with an USB-A plug ? I notice that when you use an adapter there is higher resistance and lower voltage than using a straight USB-C meter. The USB-C meters are now more expensive than the meters with only USB-A plugs.

[@ElectronicsComputers]

If you're doing some precise lab measurement, then adapter is not a good idea. For troubleshooting, device diagnostics, port testing, laptop and tablets repair using adapter is not gonna affect anything. You can also buy two short USB-C cables one with male to male connector and another with male to female one and use dedicated USB-C ports on the USB tester.

[@StevieRayLou]

Can any of these testers identify usb ports, i.e., will it identify a 3.0 port, a 3.1 port, a SuperSpeed port, a 10 Gbps port, a 20 Gbps port?

[@ElectronicsComputers]

No, I've never seen such testers.

[@turkeyphant]

With the FNB48 do you also need a load to test PD power draw?

[@darkijah-andersjehovahsn7893]

A thing I don't understand is the colors in these units... As far as I recall in the electrical education yellow was used for Voltage, Red for Amps and Blue for Watts - Grey for Ohms in Denmark. But none of them do this. So I will fix that with the C4 and C4L!

[@ElectronicsComputers]

Yeah, the color may vary depending on the country or specific industry. But I think in this case they just use random colors, just what the designer of the GUI picked up to his liking.

[@sloanNYC]

Great review. I recently picked up the ChargerLab Power-Z and have loved how powerful these gadgets are. Testing cords (no, that one was NOT Thunderbolt 4) and powerbanks to make sure they are up to spec!

[@ElectronicsComputers]

Good choice! It's a good tester with lots of useful features.

[@1349LL]

Can you tell me what the differences, aside from aesthetics, of the FNB48 and the FNB58? I’m mainly looking for something to test USB protocols on the various chargers and cords in my house.

[@ElectronicsComputers]

FNB48 has more features especially if you buy a Bluetooth version and with an app you can get a whole bunch of different information and you can control your meter via that app as well. Also FNB48 provides more information on its screen and overall has more expert features. But it looks like a prototype compared to FNB58. I'd still choose FNB58. Amazon and Aliexpress links are in the description.

[@MCgranat999]

@@ElectronicsComputers There's also FNB48P with or without Bluetooth. I have no idea how it exactly differs from FNB58 (it's also available with or without BT). Looks like it's almost exactly the same. (I'm thinking about the metal models) What are the additional features you're talking about?

[@JAKOB1977]

@@MCgranat999 I got the FNB58, and yeah its a way more polished product, with a siginificant better and more pleasing UI and the build and screen is the highest standard I have seen in a USB meter and you also get an extra digit then FNB48. but some of the details from the FNB48 display-info aint present as far as I can tell.. like max and min and avg. you can see it briefly at 2:41 at the bottom (that info could be handy) Feature wise.. I dont think there is that big a difference.from FNB48.. seems to be more or less the same.. biggest difference seems to be that max / min info. with protocol detection 1.3 (fw0.67) it does PD3.1, QC4, QC4.0+, QC5.. I purchased the FNB58 BT vers. around singles day or maybe it was black friday (alie) and it set me back around 35 US in total with incl. shipping and incl. 25% danish VAT (37USD nominel after some coupons and I tend to use cash''b4ck on that AliE-platform so useally makes it a tad cheaper., also went for the new Fnirsi SG003A (ref signal meter) which also was a pleasant supprise with a build that you useally dont reflect with the Fnirsi-brand that often made products that looked like some mashup product that looked to be piggyback riding on other products cases etc. So Fnirsi seems to have stepped up their game. ...but for the price FNB58, I reckon its a very polished product and hopefully they can add new interfaces in the future with fx max & min. The app, is nothing to write home about.

[@theoneprofaned]

Can you use those devices to check thunderbolt cable's signals?

[@ElectronicsComputers]

I don't think that such USB testers even exist.

[@TomFYouTube]

Question: I have a collection of Anker USB-A Qualcom3/IQ wall chargers and power bricks. I also have a few Anker USB-C IQ wall chargers. I only buy quality Anker braided cables for all my lightning, micro USB and USB-C devices. It is soooo frustrating trying to find the right charger for the appropriate device. Furthermore, sometimes I think my Anker chargers are stuck in a very low charge state and/or the protocol is stuck or wrong. For example I might use a Anker IQ charger and micro USB cable to charge up my ear buds and then try to charge up my 10,000mah Anker Power Brick with the same charger cable combination and it takes a full 24 hours! A different charger may charge the same brick up in only 3 or 4 hours. Another issue I'm having is one of my Anker USB-C IQ chargers won't charge my USB-C iPad at all but it charges my Samsung tablet. So, I am trying to troubleshoot and figure out what chargers and cables work properly and what chargers to use for what devices. Knowing the charge rate in mah and total mah input/charges would be nice too. While I know quite a bit about electronic components. (Used to build Heathkit projects with my dad as a teen) I only want to troubleshoot my own devices. That said I would like to pay as little as possible for a analyzer. Which one do you recommend? Thanks

[@ElectronicsComputers]

Watch my video about this USB tester: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZOudImbr9-jj6M It's the only one as of today that has so many features and allows you even check the cables specs.

[@The_Ballo]

What about the FNB58 and Witrn U3/L?

[@URobotics]

As i see it's copy of U3 and C4 tester. I use U2 many years and it works perfect. So i plan to buy C4 tester now.

[@susanv1125]

Great Video. Do adapters distort the readings? Thank you!

[@ElectronicsComputers]

Of course what you'll get is not lab level measurements, but close enough. These USB testers are powered via USB and they consume some current which affects the measurements you get.

[@susanv1125]

@@ElectronicsComputers thank you understood.

[@szerwony1]

​@@ElectronicsComputers What about USB-C/USB-A adapters you show at 1:25? Don't they alter the readings? I never found an adapter capable of more than 5V 2.4A.

[@carlosw1687]

Hello. If I need to use an adapter don't you think the adapter will cause some important errors in measurement and protocol detecting? I have a charger with USB C output.

[@ElectronicsComputers]

I've never seen any difference in measurements and never got any errors. Technically, USB adapter creates an extra resistance but unless you're doing some lab level experiments and test it it's not gonna affect your measurements.

[@Agtsmirnoff]

Can it test data transfer speed?

[@ElectronicsComputers]

No! I really doubt, that such USB testers exist.

[@Agtsmirnoff]

@@ElectronicsComputers But can it tell you what a cable is rated at e.g. USB4, USB 3.2 gen 2, etc...

[@darkijah-andersjehovahsn7893]

looking at some of WITRNSYS products, the C4 is said to be able to do 10 Amps for shorter periods. And the C4L 11 Amps... And... the U3 at least one place says 13 Amps although... not so sure that it is correct. But overall they look to be the best bet for something to handle over 8 Amps continusly.

[@ElectronicsComputers]

Thank you for the comment.

[@dreamcat4]

thanks for letting us know about these... but which one is u3 ? Witrn U3 maybe?

[@darkijah-andersjehovahsn7893]

@@ElectronicsComputers Hope you test them out ;)

[@darkijah-andersjehovahsn7893]

@@dreamcat4 Although I can only find a 6 Amp USB C to USB A converter - and that is not enough. Not sure if it will work with the crocodile usb A thing I have, I will test it will lower effect at first and see what happens when I get them.

[@kostasevoulon9891]

Which one do you think is better avhzy ct-3 or fnirsi fnb58?

[@ElectronicsComputers]

I have a video about FNB58 explaining all its unique features. As of today, it's the best and the most feature-packed USB tester. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZOudImbr9-jj6M

[@turkeyphant]

And what does the warning when you are activating triggers mean?

[@ElectronicsComputers]

That warning means, that instead of standard 5 volts, your USB port may have 9, 12, 18 or 20 volts and if you connect a device to the tester that doesn't support that voltage it will be immediately damaged.

[@64bit-]

So the best one out of these is the tc66?

[@ElectronicsComputers]

Among all the USB testers reviewed, the AVHzY CT-3 stands out as the best in terms of the number of features. However, nowadays, the top USB tester on the market is the Fnirsi FNB58. I have a video review on it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZOudImbr9-jj6M

[@CorentinLeman]

The tester at 1:45 seems to be able to cycle through all the protocols by itself, is it the only device which can do that? It seems that with the more expensive ones, you have to do it one at a time, and one voltage at a time, or maybe they do cycle through automatically as well? Thank you for the video! Super informative!

[@XenHat]

The Fnirsi FNB58 is able to perform automated protocol detection. Source: I have one.

[@CorentinLeman]

@@XenHat awesome, thank you!

[@ElectronicsComputers]

I've made a review of of Fnirsi FNB58 it's the best and features rich tester on the market. It takes several seconds to scan all protocols and voltages and you get all that information. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZOudImbr9-jj6M

[@prada2640]

I came across your video while doing research. I have a question for you. I want to test the 20 Volt/12 Amps 240W SUPERVOOC charging adapter and find out its actual values. I want to measure directly at the adapter output and I want to measure from the cable output after plugging the cable into the adapter. The adapter has a TYPE-C output, 240 Watts gives the value as 20 Volt/12 Amps. I have researched a lot of products, there are products that see 240 Watts and can reach much higher Volt levels than 20 Volts, such as ChargerLAB Power-Z KM003C - Power-Z C240 or PLUGABLE USB C Power Meter Tester 240W, but these testers are not in the Ampere range of the SUPERVOOC adapter (I need 20 Volts/12 Amps, but I could find a maximum of 6 Amps in the meters I researched), so I think a healthy measurement cannot be made. What can I do about this, how can I reach the correct measurement, is there a device you can recommend?

[@ElectronicsComputers]

For such applications, I use a regular multimeter or a clamp/fork meter for current measurements. 12 Amps is a lot of current for those USB testers, not sure if they can hold it even theoretically.

[@azamizi]

finally I am able to understand how to get the multiple voltages from my power bank ! thank you very much for this video

[@ElectronicsComputers]

Glad it helped

[@lucerodj11]

can i use this straightly to an older phone with micro usb and not a type-c one? will it work? did you test it sir? I am curious and just new to this thing.

[@pmarquisYT]

You need to plug the the micro-usb end in your phone and the USB-A end of your cable into the tester and plug the tester into your charger. I know it will work with a tester like the first one.

[@ElectronicsComputers]

All modern USB testers have either a USB-C male plug or a USB-A male plug. You can use a USB-C to microUSB adapter, or you can simply plug the USB tester into your charger and connect the USB cable you use for charging your phone into your phone and the female USB-A port on the tester.

[@psyko_chewbacca]

Which one is the more precise? Do you have any data on the value drift of each unit. Surely the $5 ones are less precise but by how much?

[@ElectronicsComputers]

AVHzY are the most accurate among those. But the best tester at the moment on the market is FNB58. I've just made a review of that tester: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZOudImbr9-jj6M

[@stevenv2190]

Does any of these have over-current/voltage protection. Destroyed two nvme enclosures by just plugging them into a laptop. The controller in the enclosure took the hit. Good thing the drive is stll ok - by testing in a good enclosure. And why are all these "testers" pass-through? If over-voltage/current is detected will there be two smoking devices?

[@ElectronicsComputers]

There's no adapters with current or voltage protection and it shouldn't be there. If your NVMe enclosure designed to work with 5 volts and you switch your USB port to 9 volts using that tester, then of course any device (not designed for that voltage) connected to that adapter will be burned.

[@stevenv2190]

​@@ElectronicsComputers So, these "tools" are not for testing USB-C ports on laptops directly? And for safety it should have over-current/voltage protection.

[@dariuszdamski6641]

Good topic. I smoked my notebook by connecting fnb58 via usb A while using meter in 12v mode through usb c. Didn't realize there will be electricity in usb A in this meter. I don't think they are super safe. So be careful and think twice before You plug in something and double check. This was probably costly lesson.

[@ElectronicsComputers]

@@stevenv2190 The "safety" should be in your head first of all. You have to understand what you're doing. These tools can't predict what you're about to do and such USB testers won't exist. If you forced your USB port to switch to a higher voltage and then plugged something into that adapter then it's your fault not adapter's. USB testers can measure voltage of your USB port and trigger power delivery and charge protocols. If you want to connect some load, then you'll see what current and power it draws. And if you want to play with voltage while having some load connected, then you have to do it in accordance with the specs of that load or at least understand what you're doing. I hope it will help.

[@estebanod]

Does the C3 has all the same features as CT3? I only want usb c

[@ElectronicsComputers]

Almost all features are the same.

[@estusflask982]

What about the ones that look like crosses (plus signs) and are about $25?

[@ElectronicsComputers]

They all have the same basic features but if you need to identify and control protocols, then these are the best.

[@JesusArmyII]

Thanks for the review. Would these tester be suitable to diagnose a charger with a potential grouding or leak issue? When I plug it to a PC it makes touchpoint go crazy but not always... Would this meter able to detect that leakage pin pointing that something is wrong?

[@ElectronicsComputers]

USB testers are not gonna help you with that issue. They just show the voltage on the terminals and the current draw on the other end of the tester.

[@cernejr]

Nice video, I learned something today :).

[@ElectronicsComputers]

Glad I could help!

[@agnisikha7482]

Hi. Are the functions of ct-3 and c3 same??

[@ElectronicsComputers]

All basix features are the same but if you need some extended features then definitely CT-3

[@irfanahmed9112]

Guide the each functions

[@ScotLam]

Are the C3 and TC-66 the same one with buttons and one with scroller button (like the CT-3)? I don't see a like to the C3 and I didn't see the TC-66 reviewed. Thanks for clarifying.

[@ElectronicsComputers]

No, they are different. C3 is way more advanced in its features than TC66. If you need a compact USB-C tester then C3 is the best option on the market as of today. I use that one on a daily basis for laptop, tablets repair and diagnostics. Technically, the best adapter on the market today is FNB-58: alii.pub/6mypq7

[@ScotLam]

@@ElectronicsComputers I've watched many reviews and I would agree with you that the FNB 58 is the best one out there but it has that USB a interface. I think the c3 is the best one out there with a USBC interface, although I'd much rather have the larger screen. You must have the only one in existence since I can't seem to find anywhere to buy it. Your link only goes too the CT3.

[@dawidrosinski5107]

Always wondering to buy one of those but don't know are they data transferable? For example i want to measure power draw from external drive witch depends of what type of USB is connected working slightly different. you know what I mean?

[@ElectronicsComputers]

Yes, the data can go trough the USB tester. Think of these USB testers as if you connect a multimeter to the USB cable between your external drive and your laptop. If your external drive supports USB 3.0 or higher and you bought a cheap USB testers that support only USB 2.0 then it will affect the speed of data transfer, though it still will work flawlessly.

[@dawidrosinski5107]

@Electronics&Computers ok tested and it's seems to be usb 1 pass trough. After that test i ordered fnb58 stick maybe gonna be better.

[@aliidogar]

Great Video m8, & congratulations on 100k :). Can you please show a comparison between fnb58 and avhzy ct3? Thanks!

[@ElectronicsComputers]

Thank you! FNB58 is the best USB tester on the market at the moment. Great user interface, lots of features and overall it looks like a high-quality device.

[@dollarbutt]

​@ElectronicsComputers I disagree. Best is the ct-3 with the load module attached.

[@B4uneed]

Thank You ! Great Video.

[@ElectronicsComputers]

Glad it helped and thank you for the comment!

[@brosonbroson8491]

Where can we buy it in Lahore?

[@ElectronicsComputers]

You can buy it on Aliexpress with free delivery. The links in the description.

[@johntunstall4835]

I would like one of these for a sata connector to monitor hard disk

[@ElectronicsComputers]

You can make it yourself if you have some basic knowledge in electronics and soldering, because such adapter doesn't exist.

[@bambampepe]

Hello, thanks for this video. I just bought the C3 which only comes with USBC ports. Im just starting but the screens in C3 are very different from what I can see in your testing of the CT-3. Do they actually have the very same features? By the way, is it possible to make a zoom in the oscilloscope mode? Have you done a dedicated video for the C3? Thanks very much in advance!

[@ElectronicsComputers]

Those testers have different menus but all main features are the same. When you're in the oscilloscope mode use the rocker (left-right) to change the speed/resolution and then press the rocker down to pause metering and freeze the result on the screen. If you want to play with the scope and some other features, then connect your tester to a PC and install AVHzY software. There will be way more features.

[@bambampepe]

@@ElectronicsComputers Thanks, will try that

[@jirehla-ab1671]

​@@ElectronicsComputerssome usb male on a usb port might be euther too tight or too loose, is thee a tool for this?

[@AmandaHanssonHernow]

can any of these also perform datablocking?

[@ElectronicsComputers]

I've never seen USB testers with such feature.

[@amandahernow]

Yeah I know. Should be really easy to add that to them though.

[@Me-nf1sj]

Hey man I need help. I recently found my old Xbox one and I wanted to launch it again after nearly 2 years. I started downloading the updates and right at the end I got an error code e203. I tried resetting and still the same. Is there any hope for my Xbox if I download the offline update on the usb for it to launch and still keep the data I had on my old games?

[@ElectronicsComputers]

Did you participate in the Xbox insider program?

[@YeahNoTellTheTruth]

I think the clips are a little mixed up

[@tosemcriatividade6698]

Hey Man where the vídeo about the Xbox one x nvme.2 mod ?

[@ElectronicsComputers]

The first (hardware) part was filmed but I didn't upload it yet. I've made a community post on the channel you can see what's going on.

[@Adam-br9pz]

Congrats on 100}

[@RonBumstead]

Good information thanks.

[@ElectronicsComputers]

Glad it was helpful!

[@OldLadyGamersince1990]

The main question is...Are these necessary?

[@ElectronicsComputers]

If you're doing electronics repair, testing some devices and their features, or conducting experiments and prototyping, then yes, they are necessary.

[@alx9r]

Do any of these show the supported signaling protocols reported by cables? A USB-C cable could support up to either 480Mbps, 5Gbps, 10Gbps, 20Gbps, or 40Gbps. Apparently the speeds are reported by a chip similar to power capabilities.

[@ElectronicsComputers]

I've never seen USB testers with such feature. Moreover, lots of cables don't have an ID chip inside.

[@frankdaeran352]

Great, thank you 👍

[@ElectronicsComputers]

Thank you too!

[@meindianbro]

Cool Stuff

[@Adam-br9pz]

Congrats on 100k

[@ElectronicsComputers]

99902 to be exact. Thank you!

[@Adam-br9pz]

@@ElectronicsComputers aw haha, close enough! I appreciate your videos keep it up and goodluck! You'll receive your plaque soon!!

[@ElectronicsComputers]

@@Adam-br9pz Thank you for your support!

[@CHAGOmusik]

I think you lose power efficiency when you use a USB-A to C adapter

[@ElectronicsComputers]

It's the same thing when you use travel adapters for your laptop or other devices when you go abroad. It doesn't make any difference. Technically, you loose some power due to extra resistance on adapter's contacts but its gonna be less than 0.1%

[@CHAGOmusik]

@@ElectronicsComputers I think it was more that 0.1% in my example, I had a USB c charger, with a USB C to USB A OTG adapter plugged into it, then plugged in a USB A - C cable into the adapter and my phone charged a lot slower.

[@ElectronicsComputers]

@Southstar93 Try to flip around your adapter (one side of the connectors may not work properly). Most likely, there's no data communication between the charger and your phone, and as a result, the charger doesn't provide enough current.

[@avada0]

Why do all of them have a backlight? It's so stupid. It takes away a lot of current compared to a simple grey LCD and skews the results, since they don't have their own power source...

[@ElectronicsComputers]

If you need precise voltage measurements on a USB port, then use a multimiter. For the rest these testers do an amazing job. We repair laptops, tablets etc and these little tools are very important for initial diagnostics.

[@avada0]

@@ElectronicsComputers I was mainly interested about the connected devices' current/voltage. Which I can't see being accurate since they run on the same USB port, and all devices having (relatively) power-hungry emissive displays.

[@RationallySkeptical]

Well Mr Self Centered, not everyone shares your preferences. I would MUCH rather have the easy to read and good-looking color display than the eye sore you're describing. More importantly, though, what's your evidence that the backlighting is THAT much of a drain? You said you "can't see it" being accurate - that sounds a lot more like an incredulity fallacy than evidence. I suspect it doesn't make nearly as much difference as you think.

[@avada0]

@@RationallySkeptical Research the power requirements of an LCD compared to a LED, electroluminescent, etc backlighting, instead of whining for evidence for something that's common knowledge.

[@URobotics]

I think it's copy of chinese WITRN U3 and C4 usb tester.

[@DemPilafian]

USB-A is hideous and needs to disappear yesterday. USB-C has been available since 2014.

[@Sam-Retina]

Agreed!

[@tydshiin5783]

Usb A is too universal to be thrown for the next 10-15 years

[@DemPilafian]

@@tydshiin5783 I haven't used USB-A in literally years. I even built a custom Ryobi battery to USB-C charger from electrical parts because the official Ryobi product included a USB-A port. I won't buy any product if it has even one USB-A port.

[@alejandroperez5368]

I don't think your typical wireless keyboard / mouse RF receiver will like your suggestion.

[@DemPilafian]

@@alejandroperez5368 I have both a wireless keyboard and trackpad, and neither of them use antiquated USB-A ports. *Do you buy your electronics at flee markets?*

[@mikefromflorida8357]

Instead of saying cheapest try saying least expensive instead. It sounds a little more intelligent, and the word cheap to many of us means it’s a piece of junk.

[@ElectronicsComputers]

I'd understand if that was said by Mike from London but not from Florida. Nobody says "least expensive" in informal speech.

[@RationallySkeptical]

​@@ElectronicsComputersThat's absolutely untrue. Maybe MOST ppl don't, but a lot of us do.

[@malanalan1]

useless w/o voltage range and w/o amp range info

[@RationallySkeptical]

Untrue.

[@fivish]

usb c is an abomination!

[@ElectronicsComputers]

Why?

[@chainjail4834]

I used to hate usb c but after I used them, I hate micro even more lol

[@omicrondec]

Nah. It's the best option yet. USB-IF, however, has abominable marketing and nomenclature.

[@stevenv2190]

​@@ElectronicsComputers . USB-C for use as charging laptops is the dumbest (in the engineering POV). I have seen many laptops damaged due to broken/abused USB-c ports. The port is good for phones and smaller things, but for laptop charging - No. Looking at you - Lenovo.