The technology described herein is directed towards microwave attenuators, and more particularly to a cryogenic microwave attenuator device for quantum technologies. In some embodiments, a device can comprise a cryogenic microwave attenuator device. The cryogenic microwave attenuator device can comprise: a housing component and a microwave attenuator chip, wherein the housing component can have thermal conductivity of about at least 0.1 Watts per meter-Kelvin at 1 degree Kelvin. The cryogenic microwave attenuator device can also comprise a microwave connector comprising a signal conductor that is direct wire coupled to the microwave attenuator chip.