> Sidenote: Thunderbolt cables are special USB-C cables, i.e. the wire between your Mac and the USB-C power brick.
Not exactly - that is only sort-of valid for Thunderbolt 3 and its successor/merger USB-C 4. TB1 and 2 used the Mini DisplayPort connector.
TB3/4 use the USB-C connector, but unlike USB-C, at longer lengths (per standard: 0.5m [1], but there longer passive cables as well, e.g. [2]) are the cable isn't passive or semi-passive (cables supporting USB-C PD for higher currents/voltages contain "marker" chipsets in the plugs) - it's an "active" cable with special transmission/driver circuitry to achieve tolerable signal integrity.
Not exactly - that is only sort-of valid for Thunderbolt 3 and its successor/merger USB-C 4. TB1 and 2 used the Mini DisplayPort connector.
TB3/4 use the USB-C connector, but unlike USB-C, at longer lengths (per standard: 0.5m [1], but there longer passive cables as well, e.g. [2]) are the cable isn't passive or semi-passive (cables supporting USB-C PD for higher currents/voltages contain "marker" chipsets in the plugs) - it's an "active" cable with special transmission/driver circuitry to achieve tolerable signal integrity.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunderbolt_(interface)#Thunde...
[2] https://www.amazon.de/Cable-Matters-Zertifiziertes-Thunderbo...