OnePlus' Warp Charge standard pushes up to 30W to the company's latest 7 Pro, delivering 50% more power compared to the previous 20W Dash Charging system. And although OnePlus has decided to charge $5 more for Warp Charge cables, the older, cheaper Dash-compatible cables work just as well according to both a OnePlus product manager and our own tests.

Given the $5 price difference between 100cm and 150cm variants of OnePlus' two types of cables, one would assume that the more expensive set that is being specifically marketed and labeled "Warp Charge" would have some sort of exclusive compatibility with the new standard, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Our tests confirm that the old flat ribbon-style Dash Charge cables can carry the same power, and OnePlus' Bob X (formerly the accessories product manager, now Bullets Wireless product manager) stated in a recent AMA that "it doesn't matter if you use the old cable."

OnePlus' Dash Charge specification was based on OPPO's VOOC charging, and used a few extra pins paired with a slightly longer male USB-A port to help deliver the added power. OnePlus' new Warp Charge standard debuted with the OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition, after the company dropped the "Dash" name due to trademark issues. 

We've reached out to OnePlus for additional information, but at the time of writing had yet to receive a statement.

Since the old cables are fully compatible with Warp Charge, it seems a little odd that OnePlus would be charging $5 more for... nothing, apparently. (Unfortunately, these sorts of price hikes seem to be a recent trend for OnePlus.) Whatever the company's motivation, if you're in the market for a spare or longer Warp Charge cable, the cheaper OnePlus Fast Charge Type-C Cable is apparently equal in performance to the OnePlus Warp Charge Type-C Cable, so feel free to save yourself $5.

Source: OnePlus Forums, @ArtemR