USB-C vs Thunderbolt cable: what’s the difference? These two are both rated up to 240 W; the difference is data speed and video.
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Choose the charging cable for power and USB 2 data; choose the Thunderbolt cable for supported high-speed data and video. These are the two Apple models named in the Short.
Apple 240W USB-C Charge Cable, 2 m (MYQT3AM/A):
Apple Thunderbolt 5 Pro Cable, 1 m (MDW94AM/A):
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Two USB-C cables from Apple: the 240W USB-C Charge Cable (2 m) and the Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) Pro Cable (1 m), both rated up to 240 watts. For data, the Thunderbolt cable is rated up to 80 Gb/s, about 160 times the Charge Cable’s USB 2 speed (480 Mb/s). Of the two, Apple lists video output only for the Thunderbolt cable.
This AI-assisted animation uses simplified diagrams of what each cable supports, not what is inside them. Specs are Apple’s listings on October 6, 2026.
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Sources:
#USBC #Thunderbolt5 #USBCvsThunderbolt
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Easy one: before watching, did you think these two cables had the same power rating? Yes or no?
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