On Monday, Apple unveiled a slew of new products, including a 5G iPhone SE, an iPad Air with an M1 CPU, the Mac Studio, and an improved Studio Display. Although it was not mentioned during Apple’s live presentation, the business also offers a new Thunderbolt 4 cable for $159, which looks to be a good deal.
On Apple’s online shop, a new 3-meter Thunderbolt 4 cable is labeled as “Coming soon” with no release or shipment date. “Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, and USB 4 data transfer up to 40Gb/s, USB 3.1 Gen 2 data transfer up to 10Gb/s, DisplayPort video output (HBR3), and powering up to 100W,” according to Apple.
Apple Thunderbolt 4 Undercut By OWC
The cable is braided to prevent tangling and can connect almost 6 Thunderbolt 3 devices in a daisy-chain configuration. Given Apple’s well-deserved reputation for high-priced accessories — after all, this is the same business selling a $999 display stand — there were a lot of comments from the consumers about how costly the cable is. However, it appears that this is a rare instance in which Apple’s pricing is competitive.
According to The Verge, no respectable cable maker appears to be currently supplying a Thunderbolt cable longer than two meters. The maximum data speed of Thunderbolt is 40 gigabits per second, which is a problem for any connection, and the extra length necessitates superior materials than your usual Anker USB cable. A revised 1.8-meter Thunderbolt cord is also available for $129.00 and is now shipping.
There’s more competition at that price range, with Belkin selling a comparable 2m Thunderbolt 4 cord for $70, and Cable Matters having one for $60. Both cables, like Apple’s alternatives, are rated at 40Gb/s. The new Thunderbolt connections are designed to work with Apple’s new Studio Display, a high-end panel that was unveiled on Monday. OWC’s Thunderbolt 4 or USB-C cable is available in three sizes, and it’s significantly less expensive than Apple’s. The 0.7-meter cable costs $24, the 1-meter cable costs $34. The 2-meter cord costs $57.