It’s often joked that buying an Apple product means paying an “Apple tax” due to the perceived premium on even their simplest accessories like cables. However, there might be a solid reason behind this. Lumafield’s report sheds light on this through X-ray scans of USB-C cables from various brands, including Apple, Amazon, NiceTQ, and ATYFUER. Utilizing their Neptune industrial X-ray CT scanner, Lumafield discovered that pricier cables, such as Apple’s Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C), exhibit significantly more complex design and engineering than their counterparts, as evident from the X-ray images.
Specifically, Apple’s cable boasts a sophisticated printed circuit board with numerous wires supporting USB-C, Thunderbolt 3 and 4, and USB 4 transfer speeds of up to 40Gb/s. In contrast, cables like the Amazon Basics USB-C, supporting speeds up to 480MB/s, present a simpler design. This doesn’t inherently mean branded accessories are superior; for instance, Amazon’s cable could suffice depending on your requirements. However, it offers valuable insight into why there are price discrepancies among accessories and, occasionally, the higher costs might be warranted.
Moreover, this isn’t the first deep dive into USB-C cables. Google engineer Benson Leung previously tested various cables, discovering that poor designs could even damage computers. While it’s impractical for consumers to demand X-ray scans for each USB-C cable they consider or to grasp the underlying engineering intricacies, remembering this information could be helpful when wondering about the price differences during your next purchase.
Since 2016, Usman has flourished as an independent tech journalist, reveling in the evaluation of diverse tech gadgets, with a particular fondness for charging technology to ascertain product performance. Besides his journalistic endeavors, he helms the Charger Harbor YouTube channel, where he extends his tech insights to a broader audience.