Apple’s 3M Thunderbolt Cable is a Good Deal at $159. Yes, Really.

After Apple’s Peek Performance event this week winded down the company unveiled a new accessory: a 3M Thunderbolt 4 cable. At first blush it seems like a nothingburger served with a side of Apple gouging. Upon closer inspection though, there’s more to it than you might think.

The introduction of the new 3M cable for $159 came amidst the announcement of Apple’s new Mac Studio PC , which boasts six Thunderbolt 4 ports (four on the rear, two on the front). Although Thunderbolt 4 cables are easy to find, they typically come in lengths that top out at 2M (6.56 feet). That’s because according to Intel, which developed the spec with Apple, that length allows for “full speed” 40Gb/s data transfers. Theoretically, a longer cable might result in slower data transfer rates, which makes Apple’s extra-long cable a rarity. Despite its length, Apple’s website says the cable delivers transfer rates “up to 40Gb/s.” Apple also announced a shorter 1.8M cable, which is actually ridiculously priced at $129.

As The Verge noted, cables 2M and under are commonplace, and relatively affordable. For example a 2.62 foot (0.8M) TB4 cable that is generic-yet-certified costs just $30. The same generic cable in 2M length costs a bit more though, coming in at $75 on Amazon. A 2M cable from a known brand such as Belkin is similarly priced, at $70. That makes its 1.8M cable a very tough sell. But the 3M cable? If you need to place a device 10 feet away from its source, it’s likely your only option. As far as how Apple was able to achieve this feet of cable mastery while others haven’t, we’re not really sure. It’s possible most people are satisfied with 6.56 feet of cable, which should be enough for most use cases. It’s also likely that since Intel and Apple specify the appropriate length as 2M, that’s what they’re sticking to.

Of course, it wouldn’t be an Apple product launch if there wasn’t some type of outrageous add-on pricing. For example, it unveiled a new 27″ Studio Display that only offers tilt adjustment. If you want to adjust the height of the panel though, Apple will sell you a height-adjusting stand for $400 extra. This type of “upgrade” is reminiscent of the company’s infamous $999 monitor stand. The $1,599 Studio Display also does not include Apple’s $19 polishing cloth. On a similar note, if you want to upgrade the Mac Studio desktop to its maximum of 8TB of SSD storage, it’ll set you back $2,200.

Continue reading

Micron Announces 176-Layer NAND, Volume Shipments Underway

Micron has announced its 176-layer NAND today in an impressive step forward for the industry.

No Flying Cars Yet, But How About a $300 Toaster With a Touch Screen?

As 2020 draws to a close, there's still no word on flying cars, but don't worry: We found something even better. For a certain definition of the word "better."

Elon Musk: SpaceX Will Send People to Mars in 4 to 6 Years

SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk likes to make bold claims. Sometimes he comes through, and we end up with a reusable Falcon 9 rocket, but Musk also has a tendency to get carried away, particularly when it comes to Mars. The SpaceX CEO has long promised a Mars colony on an aggressive, and some…

Minecraft With Ray Tracing Now Available for All Windows 10 Players

You don't usually think of Minecraft as a realistic game, but the developers have been hard at work adding RTX ray tracing to the game for the last eight months. It's finally out of beta today, and it really works with the blocky look of Minecraft.