Therefore, this same connector supports USB 2.0, USB 3.1 Gen 1 (USB 3.0), USB 3.1 Gen 2, USB 3.2 (and its following generations), USB4, and even Thunderbolt 3 and 4. For a rundown of all USB cable types and generations, read our guide to understanding USB cable types and which one to use . The latest entries, USB 4.0, Thunderbolt 3, and Thunderbolt 4, are where you'll find the highest data transfer speeds: a maximum capable throughput of 40 Gbps. Thunderbolt is another transfer speed standard used in some USB-C cables---all Thunderbolt 3 and 4 cables are USB-C, but not all USB-C cables are Thunderbolt. A Thunderbolt 4-enabled laptop or dock will accept Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, USB4, USB 3.x and USB 2.0 devices. Is Thunderbolt 4 the same as USB-C? No. USB-C (or USB Type-C) is a physical connector for transmitting data, video and power. Like USB-C, the Thunderbolt 3 has a 24-pin, 8.4mm, reversible connector. However, Thunderbolt 3 is not a USB cable at all; it is a unique hardware interface standard developed by Apple and Intel. It does all the same things as USB-C but many times faster, plus transmit video and connect to monitors. A Thunderbolt 3 or 4 cable—which feature the thunderbolt logo—is backwards compatible with all speeds of USB-C, but you may need a special cable to get the most from a 10Gbps or 20Gbps USB-C connection. Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 cables are interchangeable and backward compatible. USB-C ports capable of transferring DisplayPort signals are either called USB-C DisplayPort or DP Alt Mode. They allow you to connect video sources (e.g. PCs, Blu-Ray players, etc.) and display devices (e.g. TVs, projectors, etc.) that support DisplayPort to each other via their USB-C ports to broadcast high-definition video. Thunderbolt USB-C to USB-C cable: There are two kinds of Thunderbolt, Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4, the same is the USB-C interface, but different devices use different data transmission protocols. Both USB4 and Thunderbolt 4 are based on the Thunderbolt 3 protocol, and Thunderbolt 4 is fully compatible with USB4. Now, the Thunderbolt 3 has adapted into a USB-C connector. While it looks the same as any USB-C cable, a Thunderbolt 3 cable offers faster data transfer speeds. In order to reap all the benefits of this stellar technology, you need to invest in active cables instead of passive cables. A passive Thunderbolt 3 cable would perform the same as any rAiGdEE.