Apple’s 3-meter Thunderbolt 4 cable is a steal at $159
Apple is listing a new 3-meter Thunderbolt 4 Pro cable on its store for $159, which is arguably far too much for a cable. But given the scarcity of other Thunderbolt 4 cable options over 2 meters in length, it might be your only option.
The listing coincides with the announcement of Apple’s new Mac Studio, which includes four Thunderbolt 4 ports on its back to connect to displays and other devices. Apple’s also selling a 1.8-meter cable for $129 that ships in two to three weeks. Apple’s 3-meter Thunderbolt 4 Pro cable says it’s “coming soon.”
Apple’s 3-meter Thunderbolt 4 cable won’t have much, if any, competition when it arrives. Whether it’s Belkin, Caldigit, CableMatters, or Plugable, no major cable manufacturer (that I’ve found) sells a Thunderbolt 4 cable over 2-meters in length. For a very specific kind of user, Apple’s $159 cable might genuinely be the best option.
Apple’s $129 1.8-meter Thunderbolt 4 Pro cable, meanwhile, is entering into a much more crowded market. Caldigit’s 2-meter alternative costs $74.99, Belkin’s costs $69.99, Plugable has one on sale for $69.95, and Cable Matters has one for $59.99. Depending on your needs, you might even be able to save some money with a Thunderbolt 3 cable since the standard supports 5K. Apple’s 5K Studio Monitor, for example, ships with a single Thunderbolt 3 port and a 1-meter Thunderbolt cable in the box.
The Thunderbolt 4 standard is less than two years old at this point, so the lack of availability of 3-meter options is likely to abate over time. But if you want to be an early adopter, than it looks like you might have to pay the Apple tax.
Apple is listing a new 3-meter Thunderbolt 4 Pro cable on its store for $159, which is arguably far too much for a cable. But given the scarcity of other Thunderbolt 4 cable options over 2 meters in length, it might be your only option. The listing coincides with the…
