OWC has released two new extra-long active optical USB4 cables. They are available in lengths of nearly 10 feet (3 meters) and 15 feet (4.5 meters) and offer up to 40Gbps of data throughput. According to OWC press materials, they are priced at $98.99 and $129.99, respectively, but they are currently listed on OWC’s website for a slightly lower price. Compared to what Apple is charging, this is a bargain.
Data throughput aside, OWC says the 3m option can deliver up to 240W of power, while the 4.5m cable can deliver 60W. The cable is also covered in braided nylon, which is expected to provide great flexibility. Although these are not Thunderbolt 4 cables, they will work as expected with other Thunderbolt 3 or 4-enabled devices, such as docks and hubs.
Intel typically guarantees Thunderbolt 4 performance over a range of up to 2 meters over traditional copper cables. These cables require special technology inside to maintain throughput over long distances, which is one reason why Apple’s 3-meter 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 cable costs $159. It is thought that.
USB4 cables of the same length as OWC are available for much less, but longer cables tend not to provide the same high throughput, which OWC attributes to the electromagnetic interference immunity of fiber optics. Masu.
OWC’s cables are a bit of a throwback to Thunderbolt’s roots as Light Peak. Light Peak was originally co-developed by Intel and Apple as a fiber optic cable standard and was adopted by Sony laptops just as the companies decided to use copper wire. Optical data-only Thunderbolt is alive and well with companies like Corning, and if you need a $480 164-foot (50-meter) 5K optical display cable, you’ve got it covered.
Aside from the cable, OWC also recently announced a $189.99 Thunderbolt 5 hub. It went up for pre-order in November and is available now. It has four Thunderbolt 5 ports and one USB-A port and supports three simultaneous 8K displays at 60Hz.