Introduction
Yes. Your eyes are not tricking you. Cotton On, the fashion company, made a charging cable. (Mindblown?) Cotton On is only charging S$12.95 for the Uptown 1m lightning cable, less than half the price of the official Apple Lightning to USB Cable (1m). Even better, you get 40% discount on the cable (down to S$7.77, excludes delivery fee) if you purchase it from the Cotton On online store. How does the Uptown charging cable compare to Apple's 1m lightning cables? Should you get them over the $5 cables at Big Box or Sim Lim Square?
Design & Build Quality
For a $12.95 lighting cable, the design and build quality of the Uptown is freaking impressive. The leather-like material around the cable gives it an exquisite look and should keep the cable protected. The ends of the cable connecting to USB and Lightning jacks are protected by really thick plastic, reducing the chance of bending and damaging it. You may be disappointed to find out that the wood-looking shell is not actually wood but given the price, we can close an eye and give the build quality an A grade. We also like the cable tie included in the box.
Charging & Transfering Data
The Uptown is gorgeous but it has a major flaw. Due to the large size of the shell at the lightning end, it may not fit into the lightning port when you have a case on your device. I am currently using this JOYROOM case and I have to remove the bottom piece everytime I use the Uptown charging cable. This flaw makes it really difficult for me to recommend it to everyone.
That said, charging works as expected with the Uptown, both on a powerbank and wall adapter. We will need to use the cable for a longer period to test for its durability and we will keep you updated here. Data transfer is not a problem either as my laptop can detect my iPhone SE and open iTunes instantly when connected with the Uptown charging cable.
Conclusion
One last thing you need to know about the Uptown charging cable is that Cotton On will not provide refund if you are unhappy with the lightning cable. This can be a deal breaker to many but considering the amount of protection the cable has, I have a ton of confidence in the durability of the Uptown charging cable. I was not expecting much from a S$12.95 cable but the Cotton On Uptown charging cable really impressed me. It is by far the most beautiful cable I have ever seen.
There is simply no comparison between this and the cheap lightning cables found in Sim Lim Square and Big Box. If all you want is a lightning cable that works, I cannot stop you from purchasing those brandless cables. The Uptown cost more but what you are getting is a superior product. I would definitely recommend the Uptown for its amazing aesthetics and build quality. However, most phone cases I have seen will not work properly with the Uptown charging cable and that is unacceptable. What a pity. We hope Cotton On will address this issue in their next iteration of lightning cables. Right now, if you want a reliable cable, Apple's Lightning Cable is still the way to go.