Thunderbolt cables carry data, video and power over a single USB-C connector. Every cable in this range is Thunderbolt-certified, so it will run at its rated speed rather than falling back to plain USB-C transfer rates.
Thunderbolt 3, 4 and 5 — what changes
Thunderbolt 3 cables are sold in two speeds that look identical: 20 Gbps and 40 Gbps. The slower version is common and often cheaper, and it is the single most frequent mistake in buying Thunderbolt. Check the rating on the cable, not the connector. Thunderbolt 3 supports 4K and 5K displays and 100 W power delivery.
Thunderbolt 4 removed that ambiguity. Every certified Thunderbolt 4 cable runs at 40 Gbps, drives dual 4K or single 8K displays, and carries 100 W of charging power. If you want one cable that behaves predictably across a mixed fleet, this is it.
Thunderbolt 5 runs at 80 Gbps in both directions, with up to 120 Gbps available for display bandwidth, 8K at 60 Hz, and 240 W power delivery. It suits workstations driving multiple high-resolution displays or external GPU and storage enclosures.
Passive or active — it depends on length
Passive Thunderbolt cables hold full speed up to about 0.8 m. Beyond that a passive cable drops to 20 Gbps. Active cables carry signal-conditioning electronics and hold 40 Gbps at 2 m and longer, which is why a 2 m active cable costs more than a 2 m passive one. If the run is under a metre, passive is the sensible choice; if you are reaching a docking station across a desk, specify active.
Choosing for a business fleet
Lengths in this range run from 0.5 m to 3 m, including right-angle cables for tight spaces behind wall-mounted displays. Thunderbolt 4 and 5 cables are backward compatible with Thunderbolt 3, USB4 and USB-C devices, so standardising on Thunderbolt 4 across an office usually costs less in support time than stocking several generations.
Brands stocked include StarTech.com, Apple, Lenovo, Lindy, Microconnect, C2G, Belkin and i-tec. Trade pricing and business accounts are available for UK organisations, and bulk orders are welcome — request a quote.
