Cables are pretty boring. They come in different lengths and a variety of colors, but for the most part, people just buy the cheapest they can find.
But not all cables are created equal. The king of cables is Thunderbolt, offering at least 40Gbps transfer speeds. All Apple silicon Macs support at least Thunderbolt 3, with the M4 Pro and M4 Max MacBook Pro, M4 Pro Mac mini, and the latest Mac Studio delivering 240W fast charging and data speeds up to 120Gbps with Thunderbolt 5. Compare that to the average USB-C cable’s 60W and 480Mbps.
Thunderbolt 5 cables are so high-end, in fact, that they’re only available in one color option, black. In fact, while some early Thunderbolt cables were available in white, most Thunderbolt 4 and all Thunderbolt 5 cables made over the past 5 years have only been available in black, even the ones made by Apple.
But CalDigit is on a mission to change that. The same company that makes the TS5 Plus—Macworld’s favorite do-it-all Thunderbolt 5 docking station—has launched the first-ever white Thunderbolt 5 cable. Much like its white Thunderbolt 4 cable, the CalDigit Thunderbolt 5 (USB‑C) Pro Cable is available exclusively through the Apple Store for $30 in a braided white design that’s 0.5m (19.7 inches) long and weighs 0.9oz (26g). The cable comes with a two-year warranty, and CalDigit boasts that it can withstand 20,000 bends.
CalDigit has made the first Thudnerbolt 5 cable in white.
CalDigit
Black might still be the better option
CalDigit is also selling its Thunderbolt 5 (USB‑C) Pro Cable in standard black, in lengths of 0.5m ($29.95) and 1m ($59.99), with a 2m version expected in 2026.
All versions of the cable are designed to work with iPhones, even through a protective case, unlike most existing Thunderbolt cables. They are compatible with MacBooks & iPads (Thunderbolt or USB-C) plus USB-C iPhones (iPhone 15 and later), and backward compatible with Thunderbolt 3 and 4, as well as USB4 and USB-C.
The cable supports Thunderbolt 5 and USB4 v2 transfers speeds up to 120Gbps with Bandwidth Boost, or bidirectional 80Gbps, plus 240W of power delivery. It supports 8K displays resolution and 64Gbps PCIe technology with speeds up to 6,200MBps. It’s a great fit for a Mac Thunderbolt dock. Find more of the best Thunderbolt 5 cables in our extensive roundup.
