USB On-The-Go (USB OTG) initially build for smartphones and tablets to allow accessories devices, such as USB flash drives, mouse, and keyboard to be attached.
Today, USB OTG is seemingly to be mandatory for some people. If you haven’t one, then you should consider buying one. But, there are some considerations you must aware of before choosing the right OTG adapter for your Android phone.
Check out the list!
Table of Contents
#1 USB-C or micro USB – See what kind of USB port your phone support
This is the most common mistake that often happens. Due to its small form, USB-C and micro USB can be confused to distinguish and some people may overlook them.
USB-C is rectangular-shape with a rounded corner, and Micro USB is almost trapezium-shape and a little bit smaller than USB-C. Both ports are nearly the same size but actually not identical if you take a closer look. The user manual or the phone’s specification on the internet can help you figure out what the port it has.
#2 OTG cable or OTG adapter – choose the version that would fit your preferences
The OTG cable using a wire to connect the USB-C stem to a standard USB-A port. Meanwhile, the OTG adapter virtually has no cable on it. The stem and port are attached in one unibody.
Both functions the same, but you may prefer one from another. For example, an OTG cable may be helpful to connect devices that a bit hard to reach. While OTG adapter looks better for laptops since it has a minimalist design approach.
#3 Android support – Not all Android supports OTG
Not all Android devices support OTG connection. Generally, phones produced before 2013 lacks OTG support, meaning that you can’t use an OTG adapter to connect USB devices. But if your phone was produced in 2013 or above, it’s very likely that the OTG connection is supported.
You can check it via an app named USB OTG Checker. If your phone didn’t support the OTG connection, you might want to root the phone and reconfigure the USB OTG connection manually with USB OTG Helper. But even that risky step won’t guarantee to work.
#4 USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 – depending on your phone’s performance
As we already know, USB 2.0 is a mainstream generation that has been updated to USB 3.0. The interface still the same but the latest one is faster for transferring data. There is also a minor update dubbed USB 3.1 which twice faster than its predecessor.
Theoretically, USB 2.0 can reach 480 MB/s, while USB 3.0 and USB 3.1 could reach 5 GB/s and 10 GB/s respectively. Of course, you have to pay extra for that speed. But keep in mind that most phones today are not that fast, so it will run at slower speeds.
Also it depends on the use case. If you only want to transfer small documents between devices, then USB 3.0 won’t be any different from USB 2.0.
#5 Price – Always select branded products
The USB OTG for Android phones currently start from $5 on Amazon. For example, AUKEY USB-C with a USB 3.0 interface priced at $5,99, and you got two pieces in the package. Meanwhile, Micro USB OTG is cheaper at $2,50.
Some brands are selling more expensive USB OTG with better durability, longer warranty, and perhaps additional features. It’s up to you to choose, but generally speaking, branded products are more recommended.
