Cable Matters
Cable Matters USB C to Serial Adapter Cable
Bottom line: The Cable Matters USB C to Serial Adapter Cable: Direct USB-C to DB9 RS232 link, no adapter-chain dongles required; main trade-off: needs driver download from Cable Matters, not plug-and-play.
As an Amazon Associate, SpecPicks earns from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure →
Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓ Direct USB-C to DB9 RS232 link, no adapter-chain dongles required
- ✓ Works with Thunderbolt 5/4 USB-C ports
- ✓ Broad OS coverage: Windows 11 down to XP, plus macOS 11.0+
- ✓ Handles CNC, GPS, telescopes, Cisco switches, set-top boxes
Cons
- ✗ Needs driver download from Cable Matters, not plug-and-play
- ✗ Short 3ft cable limits placement and reach
- ✗ Male DB9 devices need a gender changer, sold separately
- ✗ PC-to-PC serial requires a null modem adapter, sold separately
SpecPicks Verdict
SpecPicks scored Cable Matters USB C to Serial Adapter Cable using a rating × review-volume × price-fit model applied to published specs and reviews across the cables & connectors category. Cable Matters's cables & connectors lineup sits within the broader category mid-tier; price and specs are the deciding factors over brand loyalty here. Judge it on the specification table and the price rather than on sentiment: check the figures that decide your use case, then put it side-by-side with two or three close alternatives in the Compare tool before clicking through.
Common buyer scenarios for cables & connectors of this kind: matching it to an existing build, replacing a failing part, or upgrading from a previous-generation equivalent. Check the spec table below against your current setup — particularly socket / form-factor / power-rating fields — and confirm compatibility on the retailer's listing before purchase. Prices and stock are set by the retailer and may have moved since this page was last updated.
Key Features
- Direct USB C to RS232 Connection: This USB C to serial adapter cable connects a USB-C port on your computer to devices with a female DB9 port for easy configuration or programming, serving as a vital link for various equipment.
- Flexible Device Communication: Utilize this male to male serial to USB C cable for seamless interaction with devices requiring a DB9 connector. For compatibility with different port types, consider a DB9 mini gender changer (sold separately).
- Effortless Setup: Install this USB C to DB9 adapter effortlessly with downloadable drivers from Cable Matters. Add a null modem adapter (sold separately) for direct computer-to-computer serial connections.
- Wide OS Compatibility: This db9 to USB C cable is fully compatible with the latest versions of Windows and macOS. Be aware that some devices may need additional proprietary software which could affect compatibility.
- Extensive Equipment Compatibility: The RS-232 compatible USB C serial cable is essential for a myriad of devices, including CNC machines, GPS units, telescopes, set-top boxes, Cisco network switches, sewing machines, and more.
Full Specifications
| Brand | Cable Matters |
|---|---|
| Color | Black |
| Model | 201060-3 |
| Cable Type | USB, VGA |
| Item Shape | Round |
| Model Name | USB-C to RS-232 DB9 Male Serial Adapter Cable |
| Unit Count | 1.0 Count |
| Item Length | 3 Feet |
| Part Number | 201060-3 |
| Connectivity | USB-C |
| Compatibility | Mac |
| Connector Type | Usb-c, Db9 |
| Number of Pins | 9 |
| Outer Material | Other |
| Maximum Voltage | 15 Volts (DC) |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Special Feature | Data Transfer |
| Connector Gender | Male-to-Male |
| Compatible Devices | Modem, PC |
| Data Transfer Rate | 5 Gigabits Per Second |
| Full listing title | Cable Matters USB C to Serial Adapter Cable, USB C to RS232 Cable, 3ft | USB C to DB9 Cable Compatible with Thunderbolt 5/4, Windows 11/10/8/7/Vista/XP, macOS 11+ |
Ready to buy?
Cable Matters USB C to Serial Adapter Cable, USB C to RS232 Cable, 3ft | USB C to DB9 Cable Compatible with Thunderbolt 5/4, Windows 11/10/8/7/Vista/XP, macOS 11+ is listed on Amazon. Price, availability, shipping and returns are set by Amazon and its sellers — check the listing for current terms. SpecPicks earns a small commission on qualifying purchases — thank you for supporting independent review work.
Related Cables & Connectors
More guides & deep dives from the SpecPicks archive
Browse all articles & guides →- Best Retro Handhelds in 2026 — From $35 to $500
- Best 1440p Gaming GPUs in 2026
- Emulation Hardware in 2026: FPGA, Software, and Cart-Reader Ecosystems
- The Complete Voodoo5 5500 AGP Driver Guide (2026 Edition)
- How to Build a Windows 98 Retro PC in 2026
- Best Budget Gaming PC Build 2026 — ~$1,000 ($800 on Sale)
- RTX 4070 Super vs RX 7800 XT — Which to Buy in 2026
More reviews from the SpecPicks archive
Browse all reviews →- Microsoft Now Points to 32GB RAM for Windows 11 Gaming
- Playnix RX 9060 XT 16GB: A Steam Machine Rival at €1,140
- Is the Logitech G502 Hero Still the Best FPS Mouse in 2026?
- Baidu Unlimited OCR Runs Locally: Document AI on an RTX 3060 12GB
- Best Controller for Emulation and Fighting Games in 2026
- Best Budget NVMe SSD for a Big Steam Library: WD Blue SN550 vs SATA
- Best SATA/IDE-to-USB Adapters for Ripping Old Drives in 2026
- Add NVMe Boot and Active Cooling to a Raspberry Pi 5 in 2026
- Radeon Pro W7900 48GB vs RTX A6000 48GB for Local 70B Inference (2026)
- Rescue a Dying Vintage IDE Drive: Imaging Retro Disks with a USB-to-IDE Adapter
- Best SSD for the PS4 Pro in 2026: SATA Upgrade Guide
- NVK Open-Source Vulkan Driver Gains Experimental DLSS on Linux
- Intel Arc Pro B60 Creator 24GB: Workstation GPU Guide
- Why NVIDIA's New AI Servers Use Hot-Tub Coolant
- First PC Build Guide: Components, Budget & Aesthetics
- RX 580 in 2026: Still Worth It for 1080p Gaming?
- Running a Local LLM on a Raspberry Pi 5 With llama.cpp: Real tok/s on 1B-8B Models
- Noctua-Style Pi 5 NAS Build Goes Viral — Here's the Parts List
- Ryzen AI Max+ 395 (Strix Halo) Mini PC vs RTX 3060 12GB for Local LLMs
- Period-Correct Windows XP Gaming PC: 2002-2005 Build Guide for 2026
- Best CPU Cooler for Ryzen 9 3900X Overclocking in 2026
- AMD Ryzen AI Halo ($4K) vs a $900 RTX 3060 12GB Local-LLM Build: Buy or Build?
- Glide on Modern PCs: dgVoodoo2 + nGlide for 3dfx-Era Games (2026)
- Using Claude to Drive Period-Correct Win98 Driver Installs on Voodoo and GeForce 4 Hardware
Earliest SpecPicks reviews
Browse full archive →- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 8B (2026)
- Best GPU for Qwen 3 14B (2026)
- Best GPU for Qwen 3 32B (2026)
- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 70B (2026)
- Best GPU for DeepSeek-R1 32B (2026)
- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 405B (2026)
- How to run Llama 3.1 8B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Qwen 3 14B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Qwen 3 32B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Llama 3.1 70B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run DeepSeek-R1 32B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Llama 3.1 8B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090