USB-C to USB-C (Thunderbolt 4)

Where Thunderbolt 3 left 40 Gbps optional, Thunderbolt 4 makes it mandatory, and a certified TB4 cable guarantees that rate along with dual 4K or single 8K display output and PCIe tunneling for external GPUs and storage. Two physical forms exist: passive cables up to 0.8 meters and active cables that hold full bandwidth out to 2 meters. Power delivery of 100 watts allows one cable to charge a laptop while running a dock. Studio displays, professional docking stations, and content-creation workflows are the usual deployments. Compatibility extends across USB4 and USB-C devices, which fall back to their own maximum speeds. Certified cables generally cost $25 to $50.