Thunderbolt and Linus' odd fiber optic tech differ in approach and purpose.
Thunderbolt and Linus' odd fiber optic tech differ in approach and purpose.
I aim to position my PC outside the room just like Linus does. I've noticed his $1800 fiber optic hubs and the way he brought the CalDigit TS4 with him—what’s the purpose behind that? Wouldn’t it be more cost-effective to run a Thunderbolt 4 cable through the walls and use a Thunderbolt dock instead of setting up an entire fiber system? What advantages does fiber bring?
Linus relies on Thunderbolt technology. The issue is that copper cables have restrictions, which is why fiber is chosen instead.
Fiber offers lower latency. You could match fiber speeds using just a copper Thunderbolt cable (though fiber will still outperform copper in most scenarios). Using a copper connection would place your device close to the source, similar to having it nearby rather than far away. I don’t have specific numbers on copper latency, but adding around 10ms in an online game with a copper HDMI link across the house wouldn’t be surprising. For your setup, placing all equipment in a closet and running a 15ft Thunderbolt cable to your desk should work well.