A Look Inside Apple's $130 USB-C Cable
Adam Savage’s Tested・2 minutes read
Adam Savage, John from Luma Field, and Zack Ring analyze Apple cables and imitators to compare expensive and cheap cables, highlighting differences in construction, performance, and potential hazards. The Thunderbolt 4 cable, priced at $130, contains advanced chips, power supplies, and processors for high-speed data transmission, while cheaper alternatives like the Amazon Basics USB-C cable may lack active components and precision in manufacturing, posing risks of malfunction and damage to hardware over time due to manufacturing defects.
Insights
- Thunderbolt 4 cables are intricate, containing advanced components like processors and power supplies, utilizing differential signals and shielding to ensure high-speed data transmission and prevent interference, showcasing the importance of quality engineering in cable manufacturing.
- Cheap cables, like the Amazon Basics USB-C, lack active components and precision in construction, increasing the risk of damage over time due to bending or twisting, emphasizing the necessity of investing in well-engineered cables to avoid potential harm to hardware and ensure optimal performance.
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Recent questions
What are Thunderbolt cables used for?
Thunderbolt cables have direct connections to high-speed computer components.
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Summary
00:00
"Analyzing Apple vs. Amazon USB-C Cables"
- Adam Savage, John from Luma Field, and Zack Ring examine Apple cables and imitators using advanced equipment.
- They aim to understand the differences between expensive and cheap cables.
- A Thunderbolt 4 cable costs $130 and contains a complex chip with power supplies and a processor.
- Thunderbolt cables have direct connections to high-speed computer components.
- The cables use differential signals and multiple channels to transmit data effectively.
- The cables filter out interference and manage power for the processor.
- The cables have twisted pairs of wires and shielded cores to prevent interference.
- The cables undergo meticulous engineering and manufacturing processes for quality.
- A comparison with an Amazon Basics USB-C cable reveals differences in pin count and construction.
- The Amazon Basics cable lacks active components and precision in soldering, potentially affecting performance.
13:43
Cable Damage Prevention and Connector Quality
- The harm from using a cable usually occurs after prolonged use, when it gets bent or twisted, leading to manufacturing defects and potential damage to hardware due to shorting out or overheating.
- The cable's engineering, including strain relief and shielding, reduces the likelihood of such issues.
- The cable consists of copper braided together to form the jacket, with voids inside some wires, possibly containing a nylon thread or being hollow.
- Inexpensive connectors, priced at $3, are poorly made, with one lacking a circuit board and wires soldered directly to the connector.
- Another cheap connector, also $3, has all 24 pins but only four wires connected, likely used solely for charging without data transmission.
- The lack of shielding in the cheap connectors allows them to pass FCC certification for emissions, with some pins potentially unused for cost-saving purposes.
