OWC has announced 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, 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 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.