I use this cable for charging and data transfer. I've tested it with my battery, an external SSD (pics attached) and it works great on both! I even did a unique test with a portable monitor and my phone and it works FANTASTIC. The flat shell resembles silicone. it is very "stubborn" and the metal ends are real metal. I've only had this item for a few weeks (almost a month) with heavy use and am happy with my purchase.