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You might want to see Adam Savage’s video about why, say, Apple’s $130 3’ Thunderbolt cable (the pinnacle of cables) actually is not overpriced. It also gives a

You might want to see Adam Savage’s video about why, say, Apple’s $130 3’ Thunderbolt cable (the pinnacle of cables) actually is not overpriced. It also gives a sense as to what a quality cable is like. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AD5aAd8Oy84&pp=ygULYXBwbGUgdXNiIGM%3D https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AD5aAd8Oy84&pp=ygULYXBwbGUgdXN...

izacus 3y ago
That article mixes up Thunderbolt cables with basic charging cables so it's terrible about actually informing you about quality. For example, a quality charging cable doesn't have Thunderbolt amplifiers in it - even the artisanal Apple ones. It doesn't cost 120$ either. It's just... quality for feature set it has. Usually more like 30$. Even worse, the fact that you think that 130$ is reasonable for that cable is proof just how misleading it is - there are signficantly cheaper Thunderbolt cables from other brands with same capabilities (and same fancy chips you can ooh and aah via Xray like in that other article) below 100$.
- wslh 3y ago
  I understand your point, but could you give more information about the original question? I think the video posted by OP is incredible in terms of analysis (CT scan!) but it would great to follow the thread through "normal" cables without electronics?
  - izacus 3y ago
    My point: the article you've posted is useless for help anyone understand cable quality. Even worse, it's actively misleading by making a non-sensical comparison between two different things. Do not post it in context of trying to determine cable quality. Am I now clear enough? :)
    - gjsman-1000 3y ago
      Two different things with the same connector, and with the Thunderbolt cable easily able to take on all responsibilities of a USB-C cable, means they aren’t that different. A Thunderbolt cable basically is a overpowered USB-C cable at the end of the day. I suggest you find a better resource or stop playing semantics.
      - izacus 3y ago
        > Two different things with the same connector, and with the Thunderbolt cable easily able to take on all responsibilities of a USB-C cable, means they aren’t that different. That is... not actually true. Let's ignore the fact that Thunderbolt cable will probably be 2-5x more expensive and thicker. But as soon as you get past a certain very short length (~0.5m), it'll need active amplification and those active repeaters tend to not support alt modes properly and have issues with certain USB3.2 devices as well - making them outright worse or even non-functional when used with non-Thunderbolt devices (which is most of devices - the Thunderbolt chipsets are staggeringly expensive). But sure, scroll down and tell the person that's asking for a CarPlay cable to buy a 130$ cable to connect their USB2.0 phone to USB2.0 car for a USB2.0 protocol :)
    - wslh 3y ago
      I am not that user, I am the one of ELI5 so please share your information to educate people without the knowledge. Thanks!

izacus 3y ago

That article mixes up Thunderbolt cables with basic charging cables so it's terrible about actually informing you about quality. For example, a quality charging cable doesn't have Thunderbolt amplifiers in it - even the artisanal Apple ones. It doesn't cost 120$ either. It's just... quality for feature set it has. Usually more like 30$. Even worse, the fact that you think that 130$ is reasonable for that cable is proof just how misleading it is - there are signficantly cheaper Thunderbolt cables from other brands with same capabilities (and same fancy chips you can ooh and aah via Xray like in that other article) below 100$.

wslh 3y ago
I understand your point, but could you give more information about the original question? I think the video posted by OP is incredible in terms of analysis (CT scan!) but it would great to follow the thread through "normal" cables without electronics?
- izacus 3y ago
  My point: the article you've posted is useless for help anyone understand cable quality. Even worse, it's actively misleading by making a non-sensical comparison between two different things. Do not post it in context of trying to determine cable quality. Am I now clear enough? :)
  - gjsman-1000 3y ago
    Two different things with the same connector, and with the Thunderbolt cable easily able to take on all responsibilities of a USB-C cable, means they aren’t that different. A Thunderbolt cable basically is a overpowered USB-C cable at the end of the day. I suggest you find a better resource or stop playing semantics.
    - izacus 3y ago
      > Two different things with the same connector, and with the Thunderbolt cable easily able to take on all responsibilities of a USB-C cable, means they aren’t that different. That is... not actually true. Let's ignore the fact that Thunderbolt cable will probably be 2-5x more expensive and thicker. But as soon as you get past a certain very short length (~0.5m), it'll need active amplification and those active repeaters tend to not support alt modes properly and have issues with certain USB3.2 devices as well - making them outright worse or even non-functional when used with non-Thunderbolt devices (which is most of devices - the Thunderbolt chipsets are staggeringly expensive). But sure, scroll down and tell the person that's asking for a CarPlay cable to buy a 130$ cable to connect their USB2.0 phone to USB2.0 car for a USB2.0 protocol :)
  - wslh 3y ago
    I am not that user, I am the one of ELI5 so please share your information to educate people without the knowledge. Thanks!