This Thunderbolt 4 cable alternative offers the same speed and longer sizes for 40% less

You have a new alternative if you need a long-distance Thunderbolt cable to connect peripherals to your Apple devices but can’t stomach the price tag those cables carry. 

OWC just introduced a USB4 active optical cable available in 3-meter and 4.5-meter versions (just under 10 feet and 15 feet), priced at $94.99 and $128.99 respectively. available in 3-meter and 4.5-meter versions (just under 10 feet and 15 feet), priced at $94.99 and $128.99 respectively. For comparison, Apple’s official Thunderbolt 4 cable is currently priced at $129 for a 1.8-meter version and $159.00 for the 3-meter version – a savings of 40%. Apple doesn’t offer an official 4.5-meter Thunderbolt cable. 

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Like official Thunderbolt 3 and 4 cables, OWC’s cables promise 40Gb/s of stable data transfer speed. The charging ability does differ a little, as both lengths from Apple offer 100 watts. For OWC’s cables, the shorter can provide up to 240 watts of charging (what Thunderbolt 5 offers) while the longer cable drops to 60 watts.

The cables have a braided nylon exterior, which helps with durability, OWC says, and makes them immune to EMI/RFI interference. The cables support high-resolution displays up to 8K, including DisplayPort, Apple Pro Display XDR, Apple Studio Display, LG Ultrafine, and any display plugged into a Thunderbolt dock, according to OWC.

Apple’s latest Thunderbolt 5 cables, which just hit the market earlier this year, promise data transfer up to 80Gb/s (120Gb/s with Bandwidth Boost). That’s significantly faster than the speed of OWC’s cables. However, if the lower speed is sufficient for your needs, this is a fantastic way to save money. Other USB4 cables are available, but they’re significantly shorter or offer slower transfer speeds. 

In addition to the cables, OWC also announced the availability of its $189.99 Thunderbolt 5 Hub, which turns one connection into three and adds a USB-A port for older devices.