OWC Debuts 40Gbps USB4 Cables Up to 15 Feet Long

OWC has introduced two new active optical USB4 cables offering extended lengths and high-speed connectivity at more competitive prices than Apple's only long Thunderbolt 4 cable offering. The cables are available in 3-meter (approximately 10 feet) and 4.5-meter (15 feet) lengths, priced at $98.99 and $129.99 respectively.

owc usb4 long cable
Both cables support data transfer speeds of up to 40Gbps, matching the maximum throughput of Thunderbolt 4. The 3-meter version delivers up to 240W of power delivery, while the 4.5-meter cable supports up to 60W charging capabilities, according to OWC.

Intel only guarantees Thunderbolt 4 performance over cables up to 2 meters in length, so while these cables aren't officially certified as Thunderbolt 4, they do maintain compatibility with Thunderbolt 3 and 4 devices, including docks and hubs.

OWC says it achieves the extended length capabilities through fiber optic technology, which provides better immunity to electromagnetic interference compared to traditional copper cables. The technology is reminiscent of the Light Peak project that Intel and Apple initially developed before settling on copper-based Thunderbolt solutions.

The release presents a more affordable alternative to Apple's 3-meter Thunderbolt 4 cable, which is priced at $159. Like Apple's offering, the OWC cables feature a braided nylon covering for durability and flexibility.

Also from today, OWC's previously announced Thunderbolt 5 hub is now available to purchase, having been on pre-order since November. Priced at $189.99, OWC's hub is one of the first accessories to support Intel's latest Thunderbolt standard, and offers Thunderbolt 5 compatibility with Apple's latest Mac mini and MacBook Pro Models with M4 Pro and M4 Max chips. The new cables and hub are available to order directly from the OWC website.

Popular Stories

Apple Shopping Event 2025

Apple Announces 2025 Black Friday Event, Here's What You Can Get

Thursday November 20, 2025 6:28 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others. During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date. Keep reading...
hikawa phone grip stand apple%402x

Apple Launches Second Limited-Edition iPhone Accessory in a Month

Friday November 21, 2025 3:53 am PST by
Apple has begun selling the Hikawa Phone Grip and Stand, a new limited-edition iPhone accessory designed with accessibility in mind. Designed by LA-based Bailey Hikawa to celebrate the 40th anniversary of accessibility at Apple, the grip uses magnets to securely snap onto any iPhone with MagSafe. Apple says it can be removed with ease, and doubles as a stand with two different viewing...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Wednesday November 19, 2025 4:00 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
ipad black friday 2025

The Best Early Black Friday iPad Deals

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:20 am PST by
Black Friday is just over a week away, and iPad deals have finally started to flood in at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Below we're tracking discounts on every current generation iPad, including lowest-ever prices on M3 iPad Air and M5 iPad Pro, plus steep markdowns on iPad and iPad mini. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a ...
ipad mini 7 feature red and blue

iPad Mini 8: Four Major New Features to Expect

Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:50 am PST by
Apple's eighth-generation iPad mini is highly likely to arrive next year, offering a significant refresh of the device with at least four major new features. OLED Display The next-generation version of the iPad mini could feature an OLED display, as part of Apple's plan to expand the display technology across many more of its devices. Apple's first OLED device was the Apple Watch in 2015, ...
watchos 26 workout app

Apple Watch Users Claim Workout App Is Now Worse in Every Way

Thursday November 20, 2025 7:01 am PST by
Apple Watch owners have been voicing their frustration online over changes to the Workout app that Apple introduced in watchOS 26, with many finding the redesigned interface makes starting exercises difficult and exasperating. When Apple launched watchOS 26 in September, the Workout app went from large, easily tapped workout tiles to a scrolling, corner-button interface. Instead of tapping a ...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Two More U.S. States Commit to Offering iPhone Driver's Licenses in Apple Wallet App

Thursday November 20, 2025 8:21 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Earlier this week, Illinois became the 13th state in the U.S. to offer the feature. Subsequently, we shared a list of additional states that are committed...
android iphone airdrop quickshare

iPhone Users Can Now AirDrop Files to Android Devices

Thursday November 20, 2025 9:47 am PST by
Google today announced a new cross-platform feature that allows for file sharing between iPhone and Android users. With AirDrop on the iPhone and QuickShare on Pixel 10 devices, there is a new file transfer function available. The file sharing option works on Apple devices that include iPhone, iPad, and Mac, along with the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Fold....

Top Rated Comments

DaveN Avatar
12 months ago
People here are complaining about the cost but fail to mention how crazy fast these things are. If you need 40 Gbps chances are that you have the money for them. And look how complicated they are. You are combining copper cable with optical which means you have to have optical to electrical signal conversion at each end.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
theluggage Avatar
12 months ago

Who would’ve thunk we’d be paying these prices for 3m cable?
Who would've thunk we'd be getting 100x the original bandwidth of FireWire out of a 3m cable?

If you're happy with "merely" 10x the bandwidth of USB 2 then cheap 3m USB3 cables are available - and backward compatible with USB4.


Now we understand why SJ chose Firewire over USB technology way back.
When did SJ "choose Firewire over USB"?

Firewire pre-dated USB by years so SJ never chose it "over" USB, and the first version of USB was only suitable for modems, printers mice etc. Turn-of-the-century Macs used both, with USB 1 replacing ADB & RS432, and Firewire replacing SCSI on higher-end Macs (pretty sure that the base iMac was USB only) - but as soon as USB took off, Firewire got left in the dirt, with a niche market in digital video, audio and Mac users who didn't want to replace their old FW800 HD enclosures...

SJ declared Firewire dead in 2008 ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_1394#FireWire_S1600_and_S3200'). Thunderbolt effectively replaced it as a "pro" alternative to USB - and then effectively "merged" with USB (Thunderbolt 4 & 5 now being a branding/certification service for USB4 with stricter "options").

Firewire 400 (1986): 400 Mbits/s
USB 1.0 (1996): 12 Mbits/s
USB 2.0 (2000): 480 Mbits/s
Firewire 800 (2002): 400 Mbits/s
Firewire 1600 (2007): 1600 Mbits/s
USB 3 (2008): 5,000 Mbits/s
Thunderbolt 1 (2011): 10,000 Mbits/s
USB 3.1 (2013): 10,000 Mbits/s
Thunderbolt 2 (2013): 20,000 Mbits/s
Thunderbolt 3 (2016): 40,000 Mbits/s
USB4/TB4 (2019): 40,000 Mbits/s
USB4v2/TB5 (2023): 80,000 Mbits/s
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Razorpit Avatar
12 months ago

How good are OWC these days? I only really heard of them when I got my first Mac around 2008 and thought they were more about generic products which wouldn't be as good as the Lacies and Seagates of the world.

I've sadly never bought for that reasoning.
I have been using their products since around '06'sh. Love them and their support. I currently have in use a miniStack Max (no longer in production) that houses a 4TB Time Machine drive and a Blue-ray drive. A Mercury Elite Pro Quad, and a Thunderbay 4. Had a first generation Mini server I sent in years ago to have the drives upgraded. Also used to buy SSD's from them back when you were able to swap them out. Never had any issues with them.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Blackstick Avatar
12 months ago
I’m glad these exist but fortunately I have no use case for $100+ cables ?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
God of Biscuits Avatar
12 months ago

How good are OWC these days? I only really heard of them when I got my first Mac around 2008 and thought they were more about generic products which wouldn't be as good as the Lacies and Seagates of the world.

I've sadly never bought for that reasoning.
I've always bought RAM from them, and everything else I've bought from them (docks, an SSD) have been stellar as well. Everything is great.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
svish Avatar
12 months ago
Though I don't need longer cables right now, good to see cables of longer length are now available for purchase.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)