Amazon.com: Customer reviews: StarTech.com 0.5m Thunderbolt Cable - M/M - Thunder Bolt to Thunder Bolt 0.5 Meter Cable

Top positive review

Another use for Thunderbolt and an Explanation of Cost

Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2015

The StarTech Cable:

The StarTech cable works fine, and is slightly less expensive than Apple branded. The company has a good reputation, and the cable seems well constructed. 3 meters (~9.9 foot) is about as long as is available in a copper-based Thunderbolt cable. Longer distances require specialised, and even more expensive optical fibre cables. I have used this cable as a connection in a chain of fast external drives, in connecting one Mac to another in target disk mode, and in a more rarely used function, to use one iMac as a external monitor for another. In each of these capacities the cable has been flawless.I cannot discern any difference in speed between this and the shorter Apple branded cable.

More About Uses:

I have two 27 inch iMac's. One is brand spanking new, and very fast. In addition to a 4 GHz i7 processor, it has a remarkable 1 TB flash drive. As a composer, using a flash drive allows me to a load samples (for example, the sounds of a string section in an orchestra) very quickly, greatly improving the overall functioning of the several software packages. My other 27 inch iMac is quite elderly and recently became cranky. It was clear to me that in addition to a small, faltering internal hard drive, that a couple other issues were causing problems. What I was happy to discover is that by attaching it via a Thunderbolt cable, I can use it as a second monitor for my newer iMac, or for my Mac laptop. it can be used as either a mirror (showing a duplicate of your primary monitor), or as additional display space. You can’t do this with a dead machine. The iMac being converted into a monitor must still be able to boot. Only after booting can it be employed in target monitor mode.

This setup gives me additional screen space, and allows me to place it directly in front of my midi keyboard. the old monitor typically displays the score that I’m working on, and all the controls are placed on the other screen. Macs have incredible displays, and it seemed a shame to me to spend $1000 or more(AOC Q2770PQU 27-Inch (2560x1440 Quad Resolution) LED IPS Monitor) for a (2560x1440) monitor, when my old iMac’s screen still functioned well. It turns out that nearly all Thunderbolt equipped iMacs can be used this way. Some older iMacs models require the use of the DisplayPort rather than Thunderbolt cable to connect. There is an Apple support page about this.

Of course, it’s also possible to use the Thunderbolt cable as a kind of super network connection, allowing for extremely rapid flow of data from the target machine. It can also be used conventionally to connect high-speed external devices like secondary processors and fast drives.

The Expense:

The only problem I have with Thunderbolt is the expense. I did some reading to find out why. The answer most frequently given has to do with licensing. It is commonly said that Apple created a high licensing fee to prevent competition. It turns out, that licensing is an issue – but not for the reasons most often given. Intel, the creator of Thunderbolt and its partner Apple, in order to prevent the production of inferior cables, require that all manufacturers using the term "Thunderbolt" purchase a license. Part of the requirement for licensure is a commitment on the part of manufacturer to assure the quality and technical specifications of the cable.

If you've tried to buy a Thunderbolt cable here on Amazon, you'll find dozens of manufacturers create DisplayPort cables that are marked as "Thunderbolt compatible." if you read carefully, or if you buy one and try it, you'll find out that it is only a DisplayPort cable. The connector is the same, but the function is not. It doesn't carry data signals, it's only meant to connect monitors. Licensing is an attempt to make sure that any cable actually marked with the Thunderbolt symbol meets some very exacting technical specifications. From what I've read, this really doesn't seem to be an attempt to make money, so much as a way of preventing Thunderbolt from getting a black eye. When you read on, you'll understand why this is important

The second reason true Thunderbolt cables are expensive is their complexity. They are not simply bundled wires with connectors at either end. In addition to wires and connectors, each cable contains a total of 12 chips plus a variety of small components, mostly resistors – all encapsulated within the plastic shroud at each end. This technology permits the formidable flow of both power and data, both at rates unavailable from any other competing type of cable. Unlike HDMI or USB, the Thunderbolt makers (which is not really a consortium, so much as a moment to moment alliance between Intel which created Thunderbolt as a proprietary technology, and Apple which early on was looking for an alternative to FireWire and slowpoke USB) wanted to develop a cable which would permit sufficient data rates as to connect virtually any type of component, be it a computer or high-speed device. In the latest versions of the Mac Pro – which is one of the fastest desktop machines available, Thunderbolt is the principle connection for external drives and components, even replacing eSATA and other short distance high-speed connection types. When this computer arrived on the market there was an almost audible intake of breath. It's a very small device, and there's no room for internal expansion. Apple relies on Thunderbolt for virtually all system expansion except memory.

You don't need Thunderbolt for an inkjet. You might want it when you buy the next generation 3-D printer. At 40 Gb per second connection rates, the current generation permits copper wire, three meter connections to fast monitors and hard drives that is currently unparalleled. The next generation is going to be even more extraordinary. USB-C, has great potential. It seems that Apple, Intel and others involved in the development of Thunderbolt are going to the USB 3C connector to Thunderbolt usage. What seems very likely is that these new 3C cables are likely to be considerably more expensive than ordinary USB.

20 people found this helpful

Top critical review

Critical reviews›

Impedimentus

StarTech cable gets hot

Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2012

All Thunderbolt cables can heat up because they contain microchips and transmit electrical energy as well as data.

The StarTech 0,5m Thunderbolt cable seems to get hotter than Apple cables and it appears to cause the attached device to heat up. I attached it to a Seagate Thunderbolt adapter and the Seagate drive became very warm after a few minutes. I had to run it next to a fan to cool it. The cable itself, especially at the ends where the electronics are located, seems to get hotter than Apple Thunderbolt cables. I have four Apple Thunderbolt cables and none of them heat up as much as the StarTech cable under similar conditions.

I'm disappointed with the apparent poor heat dissipation of the StarTech Thunderbolt cable, since the length and the appearance of this cable are exactly what I was looking for.

I suggest potential buyers spend some time to research reviews of black Thunderbolt cables in general, including products that include them. It's possible they are coming from the same source. It's also possible that my experience is an isolated incident.

If this is an isolated incident then these are nice cables, if overheating is a general issue then prepare to be disappointed in this otherwise fine product.

14 people found this helpful

800 total ratings, 424 with reviews

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From the United States

Spike

Another use for Thunderbolt and an Explanation of Cost

Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2015

Size: 10 ft / 3mColor: WhiteVerified Purchase

The StarTech Cable:

The StarTech cable works fine, and is slightly less expensive than Apple branded. The company has a good reputation, and the cable seems well constructed. 3 meters (~9.9 foot) is about as long as is available in a copper-based Thunderbolt cable. Longer distances require specialised, and even more expensive optical fibre cables. I have used this cable as a connection in a chain of fast external drives, in connecting one Mac to another in target disk mode, and in a more rarely used function, to use one iMac as a external monitor for another. In each of these capacities the cable has been flawless.I cannot discern any difference in speed between this and the shorter Apple branded cable.

More About Uses:

I have two 27 inch iMac's. One is brand spanking new, and very fast. In addition to a 4 GHz i7 processor, it has a remarkable 1 TB flash drive. As a composer, using a flash drive allows me to a load samples (for example, the sounds of a string section in an orchestra) very quickly, greatly improving the overall functioning of the several software packages. My other 27 inch iMac is quite elderly and recently became cranky. It was clear to me that in addition to a small, faltering internal hard drive, that a couple other issues were causing problems. What I was happy to discover is that by attaching it via a Thunderbolt cable, I can use it as a second monitor for my newer iMac, or for my Mac laptop. it can be used as either a mirror (showing a duplicate of your primary monitor), or as additional display space. You can’t do this with a dead machine. The iMac being converted into a monitor must still be able to boot. Only after booting can it be employed in target monitor mode.

This setup gives me additional screen space, and allows me to place it directly in front of my midi keyboard. the old monitor typically displays the score that I’m working on, and all the controls are placed on the other screen. Macs have incredible displays, and it seemed a shame to me to spend $1000 or more( AOC Q2770PQU 27-Inch (2560x1440 Quad Resolution) LED IPS Monitor ) for a (2560x1440) monitor, when my old iMac’s screen still functioned well. It turns out that nearly all Thunderbolt equipped iMacs can be used this way. Some older iMacs models require the use of the DisplayPort rather than Thunderbolt cable to connect. There is an Apple support page about this.

Of course, it’s also possible to use the Thunderbolt cable as a kind of super network connection, allowing for extremely rapid flow of data from the target machine. It can also be used conventionally to connect high-speed external devices like secondary processors and fast drives.

The Expense:

The only problem I have with Thunderbolt is the expense. I did some reading to find out why. The answer most frequently given has to do with licensing. It is commonly said that Apple created a high licensing fee to prevent competition. It turns out, that licensing is an issue – but not for the reasons most often given. Intel, the creator of Thunderbolt and its partner Apple, in order to prevent the production of inferior cables, require that all manufacturers using the term "Thunderbolt" purchase a license. Part of the requirement for licensure is a commitment on the part of manufacturer to assure the quality and technical specifications of the cable.

If you've tried to buy a Thunderbolt cable here on Amazon, you'll find dozens of manufacturers create DisplayPort cables that are marked as "Thunderbolt compatible." if you read carefully, or if you buy one and try it, you'll find out that it is only a DisplayPort cable. The connector is the same, but the function is not. It doesn't carry data signals, it's only meant to connect monitors. Licensing is an attempt to make sure that any cable actually marked with the Thunderbolt symbol meets some very exacting technical specifications. From what I've read, this really doesn't seem to be an attempt to make money, so much as a way of preventing Thunderbolt from getting a black eye. When you read on, you'll understand why this is important

The second reason true Thunderbolt cables are expensive is their complexity. They are not simply bundled wires with connectors at either end. In addition to wires and connectors, each cable contains a total of 12 chips plus a variety of small components, mostly resistors – all encapsulated within the plastic shroud at each end. This technology permits the formidable flow of both power and data, both at rates unavailable from any other competing type of cable. Unlike HDMI or USB, the Thunderbolt makers (which is not really a consortium, so much as a moment to moment alliance between Intel which created Thunderbolt as a proprietary technology, and Apple which early on was looking for an alternative to FireWire and slowpoke USB) wanted to develop a cable which would permit sufficient data rates as to connect virtually any type of component, be it a computer or high-speed device. In the latest versions of the Mac Pro – which is one of the fastest desktop machines available, Thunderbolt is the principle connection for external drives and components, even replacing eSATA and other short distance high-speed connection types. When this computer arrived on the market there was an almost audible intake of breath. It's a very small device, and there's no room for internal expansion. Apple relies on Thunderbolt for virtually all system expansion except memory.

You don't need Thunderbolt for an inkjet. You might want it when you buy the next generation 3-D printer. At 40 Gb per second connection rates, the current generation permits copper wire, three meter connections to fast monitors and hard drives that is currently unparalleled. The next generation is going to be even more extraordinary. USB-C, has great potential. It seems that Apple, Intel and others involved in the development of Thunderbolt are going to the USB 3C connector to Thunderbolt usage. What seems very likely is that these new 3C cables are likely to be considerably more expensive than ordinary USB.

20 people found this helpful

Helpful

C Hen.

This works as expected, plug & play and speeds are satisfactory for my usage

Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2020

Verified Purchase

TL;DR - Worked as expected. I plugged into my Pegasus 4 drive Thunderbolt 1 enclosure to my Pegasus 6 drive Thunderbolt 2 enclosure to connect to my Mac Pro (2013 model) and all works as expected.

I purchased this cable to daisy chain connect my 2013 Mac Pro and 3 Thunderbolt enclosures. 2 units are Pegasus 6 drive enclosures with Thunderbolt 2 connections and the third is a Pegasus 4 drive enclosure with Thunderbolt 1 connection. This cable connects on the end of the chain, so it is Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 1 and the drive is accessible and works as expected. The speeds have not been slow in usage but I have never tested speeds. I have over 3TB worth of data on the drive and access it with ease. All of these enclosures sit side by side in distance.

The price on it is slightly more expensive due to Thunderbolt 3 / USB-C style cables being the new standard.

Helpful

Old Timer

Works well for my stationary use

Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2020

Size: 6.5 ftColor: BlackVerified Purchase

I connect a Th.2 device sitting on my desk, to my desktop computer that actually is under the desk. The computer has Th.3 interface, and I use an adapter, into which I plug the other end of the cable. Since I don't move either end of the cable, nor the cable itself, nor do I unplug them, the durability of the connectors is not such a big concern. The cable is black, so it blends well with other black cables. The connection speed is adequate from what I can judge (I have no way to benchmark the throughput). The length is more than sufficient for my use. I am happy with this cable!

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Lars Markhus

Doubling transfer speed between to Mac mini was totally worth the cost of a high quality cable from StarTech.

Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2014

Size: 10 ft / 3mColor: BlackVerified Purchase

I was getting fead up waiting hours backing up 20TB of data from my Mac mini Server to another mini with the backup disks over an antiquated slow 1Gbps Ethernet connection. I worked in the IT business for more than 20 years going from Cat. 4 to 5 to 5e to Cat. 6 cables ready from the 5e to handle fast speeds when faster ethernet switches was said to be just around the corner, but it never panned out and we are still stuck with a very slow connection compared to speeds of RAID systems and fast servers, but those slow ethernet cables slowed everything down and some of the biggest clients saw no other option than to switch to a faster but very expensive optical network, that was high cost 15-20 years ago and still is expensive today. I really expected to see some faster ethernet switches with the new high quality Cat. 6 cables, but all we gained was longer cable lengths with the same slow 1Gbps, so when Apple went to Intel with their new Thunderbolt standard, I was excited and saw a fast and less costly way to set up Thunderbolt networks from 10Gbps and up, but Intel that was chosen to make the hardware, has still not made a HUB/Switch for Thunderbolt networks even though my Macs are ready for it with support in the OS, so I finally had to choose a Thunderbolt network between the Mac minis to speed things up and I knew I would not get speeds even close to 10Gbps with a Mac with only one Thunderbolt port occupied by a Thunderbolt HUB to connect eSATA RAID and USB 3 enclosures all sharing a Thunderbolt 1 with maximum 10Gbps fighting for some of the bandwidth and did not expect to see transfer rates above 200MB/s and my laptop cant use Thunderbolt to connect to the minis with no way to connect more than two HUBS together - no where to plug it in until Switches are on the market. It has only been connected for a few days and so far I have had peak rates up to 189MB/s almost doubling the transfer speeds compared to ethernet. The cool thing about Mac OS X is that it can handle as many networks as you want to it and it can use all of them at the same time but it requires a setup that gives one type of network first priority and so on down the list. You only have to give the networks different private IP's and the following works perfect for my minis: Priority 1 is ethernet on both with static setups that receive and send any traffic to my router for Internet connection. Thunderbolt is set up with different static IP addresses, but only what is needed for data transfers between them, so no DNS setup is used, just IP, Subnet and router IP that is the Thunderbolt IP address of the other mini and the reverse on the other mini. Priority 3 is WiFi, 4 is VPN, 5 is Bluetooth and so on, so although I never expected to have access to the 10Gbps bandwidth, I am pleased with doubling the speed by just buying a high quality 3 meter Thunderbolt cable like the StarTech.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Impedimentus

StarTech cable gets hot

Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2012

Verified Purchase

14 people found this helpful

Helpful

Interwebz Admin

Initial impression, great.

Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2015

Size: 3 ft / 1mColor: BlackVerified Purchase

Seems to work perfectly fine. I've got mine connecting a G-Technology G-SPEED STUDIO external disk array to my iMac. I just spent the past few hours running disk benchmarking utilities and I'm achieving the same transfer rates that everyone else with the same array is seeing, so that tells me there is no signal degradation in the cable.

I noticed some reviews indicating the cable was warm. I assume they mean the connectors on the ends are warm, which is to be expected since there is an actual transceiver inside the connector. My Thunderbolt Display's connector is warmer than this cable, so I see no issue.

I'll update my review longer term since I did see a few mentions of the cable failing after a few months.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

L. Williams

I rate the Cable itself as 100% working and fast transfers as claimed.

Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2012

Size: 3 ft / 1mColor: BlackVerified Purchase

These cables are EXPENSIVE! They have a tiny circuit board at each end and that is what makes it difficult or impossible to duplicate. They are proprietary and licensed to only a very few Companies to sell under their own names. This is the ONLY way I know of to achieve that FAST transfer rate. What cha gonna do, eh! Anyways, it seems like a well constructed cable at that. Nice tight ends and fits snugly where it should. I absolutely do LOVE this cable because it definitely works as it should. I do have a gripe in that it's as expensive to own a MAC as it is to own a SPARK! I wish Linux has these <grin> It won't be long till they do or else I just didn't look diligently enough.
If you have the money it's well worth buying one otherwise you can't use the Thunderbolt adaptor either!

One person found this helpful

Helpful

J. P. Demers

Good materials, seems well made - title is incorrect at present

Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2021

Size: 3 ft / 1mColor: BlackVerified Purchase

Not much you can say about a cable, other than "it works". This one works.
It's actually a Thunderbolt-to-Thunderbolt cable (I'm using it to connect a monitor to a Mac Mini); the illustration and description are correct but the title is completely wrong at present. (I notified Amazon, so it may be fixed by the time you read this.)

Helpful

Shado

As good as Apple for less $

Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2015

Size: 6.5 ftColor: BlackVerified Purchase

I needed a Thunderbolt cable and Hades would be frozen over before I would pay the exorbitant price Apple charges for theirs. The StarTech 2m cable has worked like a charm for a fraction of the price of an Apple-branded cable. Plus, the quality of the cable feels as robust as anything from Apple. I recommend getting a bit longer than you might need, as the extra length offers flexibility and the price doesn't jump up much the longer the cable gets. 2 meters hit the sweet spot for me and I'm satisfied with my purchase. I would recommend to anyone seeking a quality, low-cost Thunderbolt cable option.

Helpful

Jeffrey Dorval

Finally stopped working after a couple months.

Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2019

Size: 6.5 ftColor: BlackVerified Purchase

I bought the white version of this cable 2 years ago and it has been an amazing cable. A few months ago in September, I had to fly out to a different state for some work. When I unpacked my things I realized it wasn't with me. Can you believe it? Anyway, I bought the black cable soon after (I figured it's good to have at least two in case it happens again). At first, I noticed that my MacBook wasn't always reading the interface properly (Clarett 2Pre). I figured I just needed to reinstall the driver or something. I did that and it seemed like the problem went away for a little while. However, it became more and more frequent. Unfortunately, today marks the day the cable went completely out on me. The computer doesn't recognize that the interface is connected to it anymore. It's as if the cable isn't even there. It really was a frustrating moment. I love StarTech, I actually have another product from them. An adapter that comes in clutch often. I never would have the thought the cable had an issue. In fact, I blamed the MacBook and the Clarett before I thought the issue was with the cable! I mean it's a 2 month old cable; how could it be the problem? Needless to say, I'm disappointed. But I understand these things happen. StarTech is still trustworthy for me, but it's unfortunate I received a faulty cable. Now I need to find a new one ASAP.

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StarTech.com 0.5m Thunderbolt Cable - M/M - Thunder Bolt to Thunder Bolt 0.5 Meter Cable - M/M (TBOLTMM50CM),Black,1.5ft / 45cm

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