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A Lightning cable that glows and “breathes” while it charges? I tried the McDodo LED cable to see if it’s worth it.
Here’s the build, how the breathing LED behaved while my iPhone charged, and one warning you should know before buying. The exact cable from my video isn’t listed anymore, so the button goes to McDodo’s current smart LED Lightning cable.
- Cool breathing light effect
- Easy to find in the dark
- Feels nicer than expected
- Handy silicone tie that stays on
- Kept charging my iPhone
- I got an “accessory may not be supported” message once
- Not sure it’s MFi certified
- Certified non-LED cables can cost less
▶ Watch the full review on YouTube
Build quality
It comes with a silicone tie that stays on the cable, which is clever. The USB end has a light, alloy-feeling metal shell that looks way nicer than I expected, and the Lightning end has the same metal with a translucent base where the LED lives. Mine is 4 feet long.
The breathing LED
I plugged it into a small Apple charging block and my iPhone. Even with a case on, you can see the green light, and it really does breathe, fading in and out while it charges.
Even with the phone unplugged, the LED collar stays lit, so you can find the cable in the dark. That’s nice for a nightstand, bedroom or dark office.
At about 60% when I plugged it in, I left it to see if the light would change or shut off once the phone was full. Even near the end, it was still breathing.
The warning: accessory may not be supported
Partway through charging I got the message that this accessory may not be supported, and it stopped charging. I unplugged it, plugged it right back in, and it kept charging after that, up to about 96%.
With some non-authorized cables, the error comes right back after you reconnect, but not with this one. Still, iOS updates sometimes break accessories that worked fine before, so buy at your own risk.
Is it worth it?
For about $10 it does work, it’s long, and the light is a fun touch. If you just need a Lightning cable, I’ve found certified ones without lights for a little less. If you want one you can find in the dark, this one is definitely okay.
FAQ
Does the McDodo LED cable work with iPhone?
It charged my iPhone, after one “accessory may not be supported” message that cleared when I replugged it.
Does the light stay on after unplugging the phone?
Yes, so you can find the cable in the dark.
What color is the light?
Green on mine, and it breathes while charging.
How long is it?
Mine is 4 feet.
Is it MFi certified?
I’m not sure. The warning I got suggests it might not be, so buy at your own risk.
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