When Apple announced 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 charging up to 100W. While it comes with the high price of $129, a new teardown of the cable shows why the accessory is super expensive.
The teardown was conducted by ChargerLAB, which posted a YouTube video showing all the details and specifications of Apple’s Thunderbolt 4 Pro Cable. The cable taken apart was the 1.8-meter version, as the 3-meter version (priced at $159) is not yet available in stores.
Apple’s new Thunderbolt cable features a braided design that coils without tangling and makes it more durable. But while it may look like just a regular cable on the outside despite its 5 millimeter diameter, the inside of the cable reveals some interesting details.
As shown by ChargerLAB, the accessory is a coaxial cable with 19 wires inside. The cable is protected by a waterproof and dustproof woven layer. Underneath the fabric, there’s another protection made of thermoplastic elastomer material (TPE) with a thin foil layer for shielding.
Among the 19 wires, there are 5 tinned copper wires used for power supply. The video notes that most of the wires are plated with silver and pure copper. It also highlights 2 white plastic-covered wires used for USB 2.0 transmission (the cable is backward compatible with Thunderbolt 3 and regular USB).
The inside of the connectors, which are protected by hard black plastic and a brass sleeve, carry multiple components. One of the most notable components is an Intel chip that manages the Thunderbolt connection and acts as a signal reconstructor to reduce signal jitter. Each connector has 24 pins, which are all gold plated.
ChargerLAB explains that Apple’s Thunderbolt 4 Pro Cable is very well built with premium materials that make it more durable and less susceptible to interference, not to mention the licensed Intel chip that stabilizes signal transmission. Professionals who constantly transfer large amounts of data will certainly benefit from the cable, which the video says is one of the best in its class.
You can buy Thunderbolt 4 Pro Cable from the Apple Store, or look for more affordable third-party alternatives at Amazon.
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