Today Apple announced the M4 Mac mini, which includes Thunderbolt 5 connectivity for advanced data transfer speeds on select models. Now, the online Apple Store has also been updated to include a new Thunderbolt 5 USB-C cable for separate purchase.
Faster data transfer speeds enabled by Thunderbolt 5
Thunderbolt 5 is a new addition to the Mac, and there’s a good chance we’ll see it as part of the new M4 MacBook Pro expected to be announced tomorrow.
In the meantime though, if you’re buying a new Mac mini with the M4 Pro, there are three Thunderbolt 5 ports built in.
As my colleague Chance notes, “Apple says that Thunderbolt 5 support enables up to 120 Gb/s data transfer speeds on Mac mini, and more than doubles the throughput of Thunderbolt 4.”
You can unlock those fastest possible data transfer speeds only by using a Thunderbolt 5 cable.
Apple sells a new Thunderbolt 5 USB-C braided black cable in its online store for $69.
Here’s the description:
Featuring a black braided design that coils without tangling, this 1-meter cable supports Thunderbolt 5 data transfer up to 120Gb/s;¹ Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, and USB 4 data transfer up to 40Gb/s; USB 3 data transfer up to 10Gb/s; DisplayPort 2.1 video output; and charging up to 240W.
Use this cable to connect a Mac with Thunderbolt 3, 4, or 5 (USB-C) ports to Thunderbolt (USB-C) and USB displays and devices such as Studio Display, Pro Display XDR, docks, and external drives. You can also use this cable to connect iPhone and iPad models with USB-C to your Mac.
Expect to see more announcements regarding the possibilities for Thunderbolt 5 before long—maybe as soon as tomorrow’s MacBook Pro debut.
Perhaps the pulled info regarding the new iMac supporting an 8K monitor at 120Hz was intended for another Mac, and Thunderbolt 5 is part of that equation.
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