This is the English edition of a review from my Japanese YouTube channel, iestaLife. I review gadgets from my home studio in Japan, so product links go to Amazon Japan.
Quick take
I compared four magnetic USB-C adapters: CIO, Elecom, and two budget adapters sold in Japan under the name “Nihon no Chusho Kigyo” (¥1,280 and ¥980). All four charged and transferred data. Only the two budget ones passed video through to a portable monitor. For everyday charging of a keyboard or mouse, CIO felt the smoothest and most reassuring; if you need video, the budget pair were the only option that worked.
What I tested
- CIO magnetic USB-C adapter, straight type (¥1,580)
- Elecom magnetic USB-C adapter (¥1,280)
- “Nihon no Chusho Kigyo” magnetic USB-C adapter, L-shaped, listed as 240 W / 40 Gbps / 8K (¥1,280)
- “Nihon no Chusho Kigyo” magnetic USB-C adapter, listed as 240 W / 80 Gbps / 8K (¥980)
- Tests: charging a speaker, file transfer from a recorder, and video output to a portable monitor
What I found
- Weights on my scale: CIO 5.2 g, Elecom 5.5 g, ¥1,280 budget 4.8 g, ¥980 budget 4.1 g.
- All four charged and transferred files without problems.
- Video output: CIO and Elecom showed nothing on the monitor; both budget adapters showed the picture as soon as they snapped together.
- CIO snapped together most smoothly, with almost no catching.
- The Elecom tip also worked on the CIO cable end, but not the other way round. The two budget adapters were compatible with each other.
- The ¥1,280 budget adapter has a charging LED, but its tip did not go fully into my speaker’s port. The budget tips were also hard to pull out of a device.
- Spare device-side tips sell separately: CIO ¥1,100, Elecom ¥790, budget type ¥500.
Comparison
| CIO | Elecom | Budget ¥1,280 | Budget ¥980 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price in Japan at recording | ¥1,580 | ¥1,280 | ¥1,280 | ¥980 |
| Weight (my scale) | 5.2 g | 5.5 g | 4.8 g | 4.1 g |
| Charging | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Data transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Video to monitor | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Who it’s for
- CIO: charging desk devices such as a keyboard, trackpad or mouse, where you want the smoothest snap and a safety-focused design.
- Elecom: similar use to CIO, a little cheaper.
- The budget adapters: a portable monitor or anything where you need video through the adapter. They are Japan-only listings.
- Skip the budget ones if you would rather not take any chance with an expensive PC or display. As the video description notes, their 24-pin design carries some risk of short circuits.
My longer-term use of the CIO adapter
In two earlier videos I tried CIO’s L-shaped and straight adapters on an iPhone. With a case on, the straight type often did not seat fully; the L-shaped type worked with most cases, but the tip was hard to remove. Where it really shines is on desk devices you charge only now and then: I colour-matched white and black adapters to my Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad, and now just snap a cable on without looking.
Watch the review
The video is in Japanese; YouTube’s auto-generated captions can be translated into English. The video-output test starts at about 11:10.
Limitations
I tested one unit of each, with my own devices, over a short period. I did not test long-term durability or safety. Prices are Amazon Japan’s at the time of recording.
Products
CIO magnetic USB-C adapter (straight): on Amazon Japan
CIO magnetic USB-C adapter (L-shaped): on Amazon Japan
Elecom magnetic USB-C adapter: on Amazon Japan
Budget magnetic USB-C adapter, ¥1,280: on Amazon Japan
Budget magnetic USB-C adapter, ¥980: on Amazon Japan
The Amazon Japan links above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Check the listing for the exact model, current price and shipping availability in your region.
More reviews in English
All Chargers & Cables (29) →Browse all English reviews →
This review is also available in Japanese.