Active cables are not compatible with USB 3.1 (type-C). That means that the data transfer speed isn't affected by the length of the cable. On the plus side, they are compatible with USB 3.1 (type-C).Īctive cables - Active cables have transceivers that regulate the data transfer through the cable. In most instances, they can compete with active cables on performance, but (and this is the crucial part) if they are longer than 18-inches, they transfer data at about half the optimal speed.

They are designed as 'no frills' cables that are just long enough to be useful. Q: What's the difference between passive and active Thunderbolt 3 cables?Ī: Passive cables - The shorter cables that you receive with Thunderbolt 3 devices (like docks) are passive cables. It is now standard across Macs and is making its way into the world of Windows laptops and PCs. It is designed to provide high data transfer speeds (up to 40GB/s), quick device charging (up to 100W), have the capability to daisy-chain cables and connect multiple devices at once, and much more. Thunderbolt 3 Cable FAQ Q: What is a Thunderbolt 3 cable?Ī: Thunderbolt is an interface developed by Intel and Apple. We’re not sure how bulletproof this warranty is, but from what we’ve heard, the company will honor it.

You also get a 24-month warranty that covers the cable against any faults or damage. It’s also longer (0.7m) than the standard Thunderbolt 3 cables you’d receive in a Thunderbolt 3 dock, hard drive, and display. So, if you want to save some money and you don’t need 40Gb/s data transfer speeds, this cable should be fine. The other benefit is that it’s around $20 cheaper than the Apple Thunderbolt 3 Cable. So, why would you buy this Thunderbolt 3 cable if it can’t transfer data at 40Gb/s? Mainly because it’s compatible with USB 3.1, so you can connect your Mac to a USB 3.1 (type C) peripherals. That means it’s probably only capable of data transfer speeds of around 20Gb/s, similar to that of a Thunderbolt 2 cable.

But, because this is a passive Thunderbolt 3 cable longer than 18-inches, it doesn’t contain transceivers to regulate the data transfer through the cable. It states that this cable can be used to transfer data at speeds up to 40Gb/s. Before we jump into the review, though, we’ve got to debunk a claim made in the product description. If you want to save some money, the BrexLink Thunderbolt 3 Cable is one of the cheapest products on this list.

Hdmi thunderbolt 3 cable