When Apple announced the Mac Studio and Studio Display earlier this year, the company also quietly introduced a new Thunderbolt 4 Pro cable capable of up to 40Gb/s data transfer and up to 100W of charging power. While it comes with a high price of $129, a new teardown of the cable shows why the accessory is so expensive.
The teardown was carried out by ChargerLAB, which released a YouTube video showing all the details and specifications of Apple’s Thunderbolt 4 Pro cable. The detached cable is the 1.8-meter version, as the 3-meter version ($159) is not yet available in stores.
Apple’s new Thunderbolt cables feature a braided design that wraps around without tangling, making them more durable. But while it might look like a normal cable on the outside despite its 5mm diameter, the inside of the cable reveals some interesting details.
As shown in the ChargerLAB, the accessory is a coaxial cable with 19 wires in it. The cable is protected by a waterproof and dustproof braid. Underneath the fabric, there is another protective layer made of thermoplastic elastomer material (TPE) with a thin foil layer for shielding.
Of the 19 wires, 5 tinned copper wires are used for power supply. The video states that most wires are plated with silver and pure copper. It also highlights the 2 white plastic-covered wires for USB 2.0 transfers (the cable is backwards compatible with Thunderbolt 3 and regular USB).
The interior of the connector is protected by a hard black plastic and brass sleeve that can carry multiple components. One of the most notable components is the Intel chip that manages the Thunderbolt connection and acts as a signal reconstructor to reduce signal jitter. Each connector has 24 pins and is gold plated.
ChargerLAB explains that Apple’s Thunderbolt 4 Pro cables are made with high-quality materials that make them more durable and less prone to interference, not to mention licensed Intel chips for stable signal transmission. Professionals who are constantly transferring large amounts of data will definitely benefit from the cable, which the video calls one of the best in its class.
You can buy a Thunderbolt 4 Pro cable from the Apple Store, or look for more affordable third-party alternatives on Amazon.
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