We Compared the Leading USB To Serial Adapters. Here's Why Legacylink is #1:
Written by Emma Collins
Most owners try the obvious fixes next: a second cable from another brand, a driver download from a forum, an old laptop kept alive only for its serial port. Each one patches today's job and leaves the cause in place. Then the next system update or the next toss into a bag puts you back at the bench.
What to look for instead is a short list. Start with the chip brand, then the connector and shielding, because those decide whether the link holds up in a bag, on a bench or beside a motor. Port gender and cable length decide whether it fits your setup at all, and a usb to serial adapter that gets one of them wrong ends up in a drawer.
That is why we put five models side by side: the chip inside each, the operating systems it names, the conductors, shielding and plating, the cable length, and what buyers praise or report. Product photos make these cables look alike, but their specs do not. Here is how they stack up.
Here's what we found.
How We Compared Them
We compared five usb to serial adapter models on four criteria: Chipset Authenticity, Driver Stability, Build Quality and Cable Length. Chipset Authenticity covers which chip sits inside and how buyers describe its behavior after system updates. Driver Stability looks at the operating systems each maker names and whether a driver install is expected.
Build Quality covers conductor material, shielding, connector plating and strain relief. Cable Length covers reach, weight and how the plug secures to the device. Everything came from published specifications, materials, design details and real buyer feedback. Nobody ran bench work on these cables, so every score reflects what is on paper and what buyers report.
On Chipset Authenticity and Driver Stability, our top pick lists an FTDI FT232RL chip, plug and play use and hot-plugging. The outcome is a short path to a working COM port: connect it while the PC runs, open your software and start work.
On Build Quality and Cable Length, the spec list covers oxygen-free copper conductors, a PVC jacket and gold-plated ends, on a 2 m (78.7 in) run that weighs 89 g (3.14 oz). You get a cable that reaches from your desk and still rides in a laptop bag.
The honest limitation is the connector. The male DB9 end needs a female DB9 port on your equipment, so look at the port before you order. If it has pin holes rather than pins, you are set, and the check takes seconds.
The Results:
Legacylink is the top pick because its FTDI FT232RL chip, double shielding and screw-lock DB9 end give legacy equipment a steady link to a modern computer.
Value
Stop juggling spare cables and forum downloads. This one is plug and play and hot-pluggable, so you connect it while the PC is running, open your software and look for the COM port. The time you used to lose to a stubborn connection goes back to your work.
Doing nothing has a cost too. A cable that keeps dropping out means replacements, a spare in the kit, and a transfer to a register or CNC loader done twice. A second cable in the bag patches the problem for a day and leaves the cause in place.
Build is where long-term confidence comes from. Oxygen-free copper conductors, double shielding, a PVC jacket and gold-plated ends make up the cable, and the molded connector with strain relief is built to protect it where it plugs in and bends. Plug it in once and get back to the job.
Your Serial Gear, Back on Your Desk
Picture the next service call: laptop open, cable in, a COM port waiting. You screw the DB9 end onto the machine and open your software. It is a cleaner setup for your next service call.
Field service engineers, retail IT support, network admins at a rack, bench technicians logging data from an old multimeter and hobbyists configuring radios or boards all hit the same wall. Anyone with a DB9 serial port and a laptop without one benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions
It works with Windows XP through Windows 10 and macOS. If your computer runs one of those, connect it and open your software. Check that your equipment has a female DB9 port before you order.
It is plug and play and hot-pluggable, so you can connect it while your PC is running and open your software. Your equipment's own software may ask for port settings, so follow its instructions for those.
They are two chip makers you will see on a usb to serial adapter. This model has an FTDI FT232RL chip inside, while UGREEN, SABRENT and CableCreation in this comparison use Prolific chips. Pick the chip you prefer, then match the maker's OS list to your computer.
It is made for equipment with a 9-pin RS232 serial port, such as cash registers, printers, barcode printers, scanners, PLCs, CNC machines and modems. Check that yours has a DB9 port, because this usb to serial adapter is built for exactly that connection.
The serial end is a 9-pin male with screw posts, so it plugs into a female DB9 port. Whether you need a null modem depends on your device, so check its manual.
It is used for console setup on Cisco, Juniper and Huawei gear, though the H3C S1500 is not supported. Confirm your model takes a standard RS232 connection before you order.
Double shielding and oxygen-free copper conductors help keep the signal steady near noisy machines. The injection-molded connector has strain relief where the cable meets the plug, and gold-plated ends keep contact clean.
The cable runs 2 m (78.7 in), long enough to work from your desk with the machine beside you. It weighs 89 g (3.14 oz) and has a PVC jacket, so it rides in a laptop bag without weighing it down.
Purchase and Delivery Process
Before you order, look at your equipment and check that it has a female DB9 serial port, the 9-pin socket with holes rather than pins.
When that matches, use the button on this page to confirm your order. Then plug in, open your software and look for the new COM port.
Where Can I Buy the Legacylink?
Getting your own Legacylink with a 50% discount is simple. Just follow these steps: