---
title: "OWC launches USB4 optical cables with 240W charging over 3 metres"
description: "New active optical cables deliver full 40Gbps speed at up to 5 metres, with 240W power delivery on the shorter model."
url: https://mactoreality.com/owc-launches-usb4-optical-cables-with-240w-charging-over-3-metres
published: 2026-10-09T19:14:49Z
updated: 2026-10-09T19:14:49Z
author: "Mac to Reality Newsdesk"
category: Rumours
tags: ["Accessories","Mac"]
publisher: Mac to Reality
ai_assisted: true
apple_heat_impact: 1
---

# OWC launches USB4 optical cables with 240W charging over 3 metres

*New active optical cables deliver full 40Gbps speed at up to 5 metres, with 240W power delivery on the shorter model.*

**Key points**

- OWC announced USB4 active optical cables in 3m (240W PD) and 5m (60W PD) lengths, priced at $99 and $130 respectively.
- The cables maintain full 40Gbps USB4 bandwidth over the entire length using optical fibre, and support DisplayPort Alt Mode for up to 8K displays.
- General availability is scheduled for mid‑October; pre‑orders are open now.

OWC has [announced](https://www.owc.com/news/other-world-computing-expands-usb4-products-portfolio-launches-owc-usb4-hub-and-usb4-40gb-s-active-optical-cables-in-3-meter-and-5-meter-lengths) USB4 Active Optical Cables in 3-metre and 5-metre lengths that keep full 40Gbps data speeds across the whole run, using fibre optics inside a braided nylon jacket. According to [OWC’s product page](https://www.owc.com/solutions/usb4-cables), the 3-metre version supports up to 240W Power Delivery, enough to fast-charge a 16-inch MacBook Pro, while the 5-metre cable is rated for 60W. [Macworld](https://www.macworld.com/article/3255690/this-breakthrough-usb-c-cable-solves-your-mac-desktops-biggest-problem.html) also covered the launch.

New to these cables is DisplayPort Alt Mode support, so they work with ordinary USB-C monitors as well as Thunderbolt screens. OWC says they can drive Thunderbolt displays at up to 8K, naming Apple’s Studio Display and Pro Display XDR among compatible models. Pre-orders are open at US$98.99 for the 3-metre cable and US$129.99 for the 5-metre cable, with general availability expected in mid-October.

Passive USB4 and Thunderbolt cables are typically limited to 1–2 metres at full speed. Apple’s own active Thunderbolt 4 Pro Cable (40Gbps) costs US$129 for 1.8 m and US$159 for 3 m, and its 240W USB-C Charge Cable costs US$29 but only manages 480Mbps. OWC’s optical cables avoid those distance limits while keeping data and power in a single cable. Corning offers a 25-metre 40Gbps cable, but it costs over US$400 and does not support charging.

## Sources

- [OWC: Other World Computing Expands USB4 Products Portfolio – Launches OWC USB4 Hub and USB4 40Gb/s Active Optical Cables in 3-Meter and 5-Meter Lengths](https://www.owc.com/news/other-world-computing-expands-usb4-products-portfolio-launches-owc-usb4-hub-and-usb4-40gb-s-active-optical-cables-in-3-meter-and-5-meter-lengths)
- [OWC: OWC USB4 Active Optical Cable](https://www.owc.com/solutions/usb4-cables)
- [Macworld: This breakthrough USB-C cable solves your Mac desktop’s biggest problem](https://www.macworld.com/article/3255690/this-breakthrough-usb-c-cable-solves-your-mac-desktops-biggest-problem.html)

*This report was written by the Mac to Reality newsdesk with AI assistance from the sources listed above, under the editorial policy at https://mactoreality.com/editorial-policy.*