Active Cable

Physical & Construction

A cable with built-in signal boosting electronics, enabling longer runs at full speed.

Passive USB4 cables are limited to ~0.8m for 40 Gbps. Active cables embed retimer or repeater chips to maintain signal integrity over 2-5 meters. They cost more and are directional — the host end and device end are marked. Essential for long Thunderbolt or HDMI 2.1 runs.

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