is a thunderbolt cable the same as a USB-C?

USB-C is a connector specification. A connector specification. That’s it.

A USB4 cable is a Thunderbolt cable.

From there, things get a little more complex…

All sorts of protocols can be operating via a USB-C connector, including USB, USB Power Delivery, and Thunderbolt.

USB 3.x and USB4 are communications protocols that can operate with various existing devices. USB 3.x can operate over both USB-A and USB-C connectors and some other connectors. USB4 requires the use of USB-C connectors, and requires Thunderbolt 3 connectivity.

Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 cable connection can also provide USB and power. A USB-C Thunderbolt cable (Thunderbolt 3, or Thunderbolt 4) also provides USB (usually USB 3.x, maybe USB4) and USB Power Delivery, and can also connect to Thunderbolt displays, as well as allowing a means to extend a PCIe I/O bus external to a device that is the central purpose of Thunderbolt.

Different USB cables can be different USB speeds, with the charging cables usually being charging and USB 2.0 speeds; slow.

Anker offers reasonably-regarded Thunderbolt 3 cables at prices cheaper than does Apple.

Details:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_hardware

Yes and no.

USB-C is a very general specification.

Thunderbolt is a very specific specification.

All Thunderbolt cables (in the last 5+ years or so) are USB-C ... however, most USB-C cables are NOT Thunderbolt.

If you want to read a LOT, perform an internet search for USB-C vs Thunderbolt.

Oh, and not all non-TB USB-C cables have the same capability either. 🫣

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USB-C cables I own

° Thunderbolt 3 40 gigabit/sec

° USB 3.1 gen 1 5 gigabit/sec

° USB 3.1 gen 2 10 gigabit/sec

° USB 3.1 gen 2 10 gigabit/sec *_WITH_* DisplayPort support (needed to drive my USB-C DELL monitor)

° and a few I have not figured out yet.

It is very important to know what kind of cable the device needs, and the device’s power requirements. The fun part is not all devices actually spell it out for you.

Grant Bennet-Alder wrote:

y_p_w wrote:

...

I looked it up, and Apple's shortest Thunderbolt 4 cable is $129.

Thunderbolt 4 Pro Cable (1.8 m) - Apple

That specific cable has special capabilities. at 1.8 meters, It is far longer, yet operates at top speeds -- because it has signal re-drivers in it to perform the same as the fastest 0.8 meter 'straight' cable.

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That would make sense. In the silicon world they're called repeaters, although I'm sure it's different with differential wire signals. But it's really complicated because a Thunderbolt cable is a transmission line, which doesn't behave like a pure RC delay.

Any kind of active circuit in a $2 USB-C cable is unlikely.

BobHarris wrote:

USB-C cables I own …

I’ll bet you have a USB-C charger cable or three hiding somewhere, BobHarris. That being the “consolation-prize” cable shipped with many products. Some Beats products have a ~10cm version, for instance.

True, between my wife and I w most likely have 4 or 5 since Apple 2016 when Apple started providing power bricks with USB-C charging cables.

Unfortunately, they only carry USB 2 signals. OK in a desperate pinch, but rather slow for many things.

PS. I do have more than one of many of those above Thunderbolt 3 and USB cables, except the one I got for my monitor with DisplayPort support. Took me a while to figure out just what longer than 18” USB-C cable I needed.

y_p_w wrote:

...

I looked it up, and Apple's shortest Thunderbolt 4 cable is $129.

Thunderbolt 4 Pro Cable (1.8 m) - Apple

That specific cable has special capabilities. at 1.8 meters, It is far longer, yet operates at top speeds -- because it has signal re-drivers in it to perform the same as the fastest 0.8 meter 'straight' cable.

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Not really. Thunderbolt 3/4 are very specific and need cables with specific markers. They should work with almost anything to transmit data, but not necessarily at full Thunderbolt speeds. There's a reason why I can get. a basic USB-C/USB-C cable for less than $2 but need to spend a lot more on a Thunderbolt 4 cable.

I looked it up, and Apple's shortest Thunderbolt 4 cable is $129. From pictures, it looks like it's considerably thicker than most USB-C only cables. And most USB-C only cables are for USB 2.0 speeds.

Thunderbolt 4 Pro Cable (1.8 m) - Apple

There are other Thunderbolt 4 cables like from Anker. It's not an Apple specific standard. Intel is really the big creator of the standard.