A: When its Apples three-meter Thunderbolt 4 Pro Cable.
It doesn’t help that Apples cables are junk and usually split and fray in no time at all.
“The active technology that contributes to the quality and performance of Thunderbolt cables also makes it pricey.
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Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt seems like an impossibly capable protocol.
It lets external drives transfer data faster than internal drives of only a few years ago.
In short, Thunderbolt is so fast that it effectively makes external peripherals act like internal components.
Apple
Intelthe inventor of Thunderboltcertifies cables to verify they meet the minimum specs required.
Yes, theyre cables, but theyre notjustcables.
So it seems that high Thunderbolt prices are the norm and arent ever going to drop by much.
Reliable
And you know what?
MyCalDigit TS3+ dockhas most of its ports full, including one connected to a high-quality 7-port USB 3.0 hub.
This setup is so rock solid its like everything is plugged directly into the computer.
Apple
For many people, this reliability makes Thunderbolt worth the price.
You just set things up, and never worry about them again.
Then we add in Apples famous fit and finish.
These Thunderbolt cables have a braided sleeve and are reassuringly thick.
This makes them(hopefully) longer lasting than the cables that ship with iPhones.
The real test is how these compare to the competition, but thats not so easy.
Instead, lets compare Apples 1.8 meter (six-foot) version, which costs $129.
An Amazon search shows us that Belkins 2-meter Thunderbolt 4 cable is currently $80.
CalDigits older Thunderbolt 2 cable (2 meters) costs $109.
Apples cables are, as expected, more expensive than other manufacturers.
