Safer than cloud storage, cheaper than file sync: Plugable promises seamless file transfer product using affordable USB cable solution

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Plugable promises seamless file transfer product using affordable USB cable solution

Plugable
(Image credit: Plugable)

Plugable is one of the most well known names in the admittedly not very sexy wired file transfer space, offering quality cables to move files from PC to PC. 

We were recently impressed by the Thunderbolt 4 & USB4 HDMI Docking Station, a comprehensive dock for ultra-fast transfer speeds (albeit for a pretty penny), and Plugable has now announced the USB 3.0 Transfer Cable with USB-C Adapter. 

As the name aptly suggestions, the new cable offers both USB-C and USB-A compatibility, making it an essential tool for workplaces that are still moving into the current decade of connectivity. Plugable includes its Bravura software, which works to boost speeds and smooth out file transfers between Windows PCs.

Full support

The USBC-TRAN, a slightly more palatable name that Plugable calls the adapter, is the successor to the USB3-TRAN, and facilities file intra-PC file and folder transfers. 

According to the company, USBC-TRAN supports every version of Windows from Windows XP to Windows 11, and helpfully across both 32-bit and 64-bit formats, as well as pretty much every USB-C and USB-C port out there. 

That's right: Plugable has made the USBC-TRAN to support Windows 11, 10, 8.1/8, 7, Vista, and XP out of the box, no extra steps required. (Sorry macOS users, you're going to have to sit this one out.) 

Plugable's Bravura tool can be installed on pretty much every version of Windows, too, and works on an unlimited number of computers. If you're an IT administrator for your organisation trying to figure out how to migrate PCs, your life just got easier. 

Plugable-and-play 

Plugable

(Image credit: Plugable)

One of the biggest charms of Plugable's setup is just how easy file transfers can be: a drag-and-drop file transfer features pairs nicely with a friendly user interface to make the mundane easier. 

In terms of the actual hardware, the USBC-TRAN has a two meter (or 6.5 foot) cable, which is plenty of length for most rooms, alongside LED indicators and handy built-in adapters to convert USB-A to USB-C on both ends. 

Plugable says transfer speeds can reach up to 5 Gbps, which is mighty impressive and makes moving even large videos or other documents really simple. 

The USBC-TRAN will set you back $44.95 with a 20% discount at launch via Plugable's website or Amazon, and ships in the US, Canada, and the UK. 

Safety first 

You might be thinking, cloud storage is so good now, and internet speeds are so quick, why do I need a cable? 

The simple answer is this: security. Cloud storage introduces a third-party into your file storage and moving process, and while providers like Dropbox, Google Drive, and others are really safe, there is still an element of jeopardy. 

Anyone in an IT department who has handled sensitive files knows how much they need to be protected at all costs, and moving them offline – via a physical cable in your physical location – is pretty much the safest way. Nothing leaves the building. 

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Max Slater-Robins

Max Slater-Robins has been writing about technology for nearly a decade at various outlets, covering the rise of the technology giants, trends in enterprise and SaaS companies, and much more besides. Originally from Suffolk, he currently lives in London and likes a good night out and walks in the countryside.