The best USB-C accessories to pair with your new iPhone or Android device

This power bank has quickly become a go-to now that everything we need to charge regularly has a USB-C port. The built-in USB-C cable makes it an option to toss in the bag as you head out the door, and we've found it's just as reliable for charging our iPad as it is our iPhone, headphones, portable speaker, and more.

It's fast, compact, and has a large 10,000mAh capacity that is much more than you'd expect for its small size. This battery pack also has a convenient digital display to show the battery percentage, something you're not going to find on most rival options.

We can't think of major downsides – it has additional ports (a USB-C and a USB-A) for versatility and comes in at a pretty reasonable price too.

One neat benefit of Apple's move to USB-C is that it makes it a lot easier to move files between devices without having to hunt for adapters or invest in a multiport hub.

All you need is a tiny flash storage drive with a USB-C connector and you'll have no trouble moving photos and documents to and from an iPhone. Perfect if you've had enough of resorting to emailing yourself that e-ticket you need to have available on your phone.

We're big fans of this super compact and colourful drive that comes in a wide range of storage sizes and has a little reversible cap revealing both USB-C and USB-A connectors, something that makes it even more versatile to use with older laptops and computers.

We’ve linked to the 128GB version, but you can also pick it up in a smaller 64GB or the larger capacities of 256GB or 512 GB. Because it's compatible with several devices, it would be a super reliable way for a friend to offload a video they shot on their Samsung phone, and then pass you the drive so you can put it on your iPhone 16, for example.

If you're after the most compact and convenient power bank that still delivers a fast charge, we'd go with this diminutive "Nano" option from Anker, as it's a pocketable battery that doesn't have the typical downside of wireless MagSafe-compatible rivals that are limited to a 7.5W charging speed.

This can fuel your phone up at 22.5W speeds, making it still faster than even the upgraded Qi2 batteries that will arrive on the market soon, offering 15W wireless charging on the go.

While this will need to plug into the port rather than charging through a magnetic attachment, it'll have your phone halfway charged in around 30 minutes. For us, this convenience is invaluable, and we appreciate the built-in flip-up USB-C connector means we don't have to remember our cables.

We use wireless earbuds every day, but that doesn't mean we don't still prefer wired earbuds in several circumstances.

For phone calls and Zoom meetings, a wired option with an in-line microphone is going to provide much better reproduction of your voice without any lag, while you won't have to worry about latency at all if you need to use the earphones for gaming.

The problem? Barely any phone manufacturers include a 3.5mm headphone jack anymore. The solution? Wired USB-C earbuds. Lately, we've been loving this JBL pair. They sound great, have a reliable microphone, a good fit that isolates noise well and an appealing price tag. You can't go wrong.

While we really like the fabric-coated cable that comes in the box with the newest iPhones, you can't go wrong with getting a longer cable.

It's an easy quality-of-life improvement that means you're just a bit less tethered to the desk, bedside or particular side of the sofa if you'd prefer to move around while using and recharging your phone.

A 6-foot-long cable is a great idea, and we love this "bio-based" one from Anker that feels robust and has a built-in cable tidy to keep it nicely wrapped when you're done using it. It also comes in a smaller 3-foot-long size if you just need an extra small cable.

The promise of USB-C isn't only about the port on your phone itself but also about the simplicity of owning a wall plug that also uses USB-C so that you have a more versatile range of options for charging all your devices. If you're keen to travel light, picking up a three-port charger like this is well worth it.

The power on offer here is enough to fuel up three devices at once, through its two USB-C ports and USB-A port. It'll help you charge quickly and efficiently, and once you're done, it's easy to toss in your bag with fold-down prongs so it takes up as little space as possible.

Photographers and videographers needing to get snaps and footage from a proper camera over to an iPhone for editing have long had to rely on expensive Apple-approved adapters, Lightning to SD card readers or janky solutions involving apps, WiFi and Bluetooth.

Let's be honest, none of these workarounds function as well as a simple memory card reader that goes straight into the USB-C port on the newest iPhones. In many ways, this is one of the best upgrades to the device and makes it far easier to process and post shots from a mirrorless or DSLR camera on the phone.

We love this little Anker SD reader so much that we've got two of them, and it's the same one we use to get files off an SD or MicroSD card onto our iPad or laptop. If you may still need a USB-A connector, though, we recommend this 2-in-1 option.

Modern iPhones are capable enough to be proper portable gaming platforms. But the top-tier games aren't easy to play on a small screen without a controller, and the same can be said for several on offer within the Apple Arcade subscription that comes with a free trial when you pick up a new handset.

If you're keen to use your phone for gaming (or know someone who is!), we'd recommend pairing it with the Backbone One mobile controller. This is an affordable grip that snaps onto your phone and plugs into the USB-C port – it's seamless, comfortable to use and straightforward to set up.

The ability to connect to a serious USB-C hub is a testament to just how much versatility is now on offer with the latest iPhone models – we use this brilliant Belkin hub while working from home to connect our MacBook Air to an external display and to offload files from various USB drives and SD cards while hooking up wired headphones.

We checked and it has absolutely no trouble putting the iPhone's display on a larger screen with the HDMI connection, as well as charging it and enabling us to connect external audio. It may not fit most people's use of a phone, but power users will find a lot to like.

Have a pair of high-end wired headphones in mind and don't want to go down the route of shopping for niche USB-C earbuds? Luckily, Apple's been in the USB-C game for some time and already makes what's widely regarded as one of the best options for getting quality sound out of your phone and into audiophile-grade gear.

Even before getting our hands on the iPhone 15s, we used one with the iPad, Android phones, laptops and our Nintendo Switch. We use ours often to listen to playlists on Tidal with our favourite wired IEMs and open-back headphones while at home, and it's never let us down, much like the Lightning to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter before it. Need a DAC (digital-to-analogue converter) option with better build quality? Check out the iFi Go Link instead.

Believe us, we're as sceptical as it comes when considering whether audiophile accessories actually make a big difference to your listening experience, but we're seriously impressed by this little dongle, which connects via USB-C in addition to coming with USB-A and Lightning adapters in the box.

We can hear much more body and depth in our test tracks in our direct comparisons against the Apple adapter when we use this portable DAC (digital-to-analogue converter) and amplifier. Sound also comes out clean and detailed, but we must stress that many people may not be able to sense the difference between this and the basic pick.

The main obvious upgrades are in the better build quality, the extra clarity without distortion, and the price-to-performance ratio (it costs a lot more to buy other DACs this good). You'll hear the most difference when using quality IEMs or proper headphones – we used the Sennheiser IE200, the Final A5000 and the Grado SR325x – paired with a high-res music source like Tidal or Qobuz.

Bluetooth buds are good for music and stay in sync with videos, but often lack the low lag that gamers need. These SteelSeries earbuds come with a USB-C dongle to connect them to your devices for a faster and more reliable connection.

Reducing the delay between the game and the audio getting to your ears means you can respond quicker to sounds inside your games. This dongle is also useful in the unlikely event that a device doesn’t have Bluetooth.

These earbuds also sound great. They come in a small, sturdy case, can be charged wirelessly, are IP55 water and dust-resistant and have over 10 hours of playtime. The noise-cancelling is good for cutting distractions from the outside world, too.

If you've got to charge devices that are just a bit more power-hungry (like a MacBook Pro), it's going to be worth looking at the most advanced possible wall charger. This Anker model can charge three USB-C devices at once and has a USB-A port to spare – we've come to rely on it when we need to refuel loads of electricals at once!

It can output 140W of power, and will keep you informed about how fast it's charging via a screen on the plug – pretty fancy! It also has fold-down prongs for easy portability and comes with a high-speed USB-C cable in the box.

You can't go wrong with this – the ChargeKey is a practical and portable way to never be without a USB-C cable, so you can always charge up your phone, earbuds, Kindle or whatever you need to when your tech is running low on juice.

It's light and compact, fits easily on a keychain, and the two sides of the cable snap together with magnets. The cable itself has a robust braided nylon construction, and its connectors are also reinforced.

The 12cm cable isn't one to deliver a slow charge, too – it supports 60W fast charging from a compatible wall plug or power bank.