Does it matter which HDMI cable you use? I

If you’re looking for a new HDMI cable for your gaming console, soundbar, or streaming device, you may have noticed that there are tons of options. You will also have noticed that they vary wildly in price, with some costing hundreds.

While this may at first seem like a minefield, you’ll be happy to know that it’s actually simple and you can get a great HDMI cable very cheaply.

As TechRadar’s senior TV reviewer, and in my years working in AV retail before that, I’ve used many different HDMI cables on the best TVs and soundbars. So I’m here to help explain what the different types of HDMI cables actually mean and how much you need them. Really need to spend.

HDMI Basics

First, we need to determine why you need your HDMI cable and which type is best. I recently wrote about the different HDMI ports on your TV, and essentially the same basic specifications apply to cables.

If you want to get the most out of your soundbar or gaming console, you’ll need to use an HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps) cable. Luckily, they’re not that expensive anymore. You can expect to pick one up for a 1m cable (more on length below) for less than $10 / £10 / AU$30.

You may also have noticed that the cables support 8K and even 10K resolution. While this is great for future-proofing, it’s unlikely we’ll see content that uses it anytime soon.

But because HDMI cables are very confusingly labeled, looking for 8K support is really helpful in knowing if you’re buying the right one. If you see a cable that supports 8K, you can be sure that it Also supports HDMI 2.1, because it’s necessary for 8K video – it’s just Also This is what you need for 4K 120Hz on gaming consoles. Again, these cables don’t cost much more than other options, despite what they support.

In general, I always recommend people buy an HDMI 2.1 cable, even if you don’t care about 4K 120Hz or the latest fancy features, because it means you’re future-proofed.

Yes, you can buy a more basic HDMI 2.0 (18Gbps) cable that supports 4K HDR and is great for devices like the best 4K Blu-ray players – but because the price difference between these cables and HDMI 2.1 cables is so small, you’re still better off getting a more advanced cable to cover your bases for the foreseeable future.

So in summary: just buy HDMI cables labeled as supporting 8K, even if you don’t care about 8K, because they mean you’ll never have to think about HDMI specifications in the future (probably).

What about fancy, expensive cables?

If you’ve really been down an HDMI rabbit hole, you may have noticed some extreme cases where HDMI cables cost upwards of $400 / £400 / AU$800, with notable brands like AudioQuest, Chord and QED hitting those big numbers.

Why are they so expensive? Actually, it depends on the metal and the case. Some of these premium cables use gold rather than the standard copper you’ll find in most cables, which is said to produce better sound quality for audiophile applications, by providing better isolation and data transfer.

While this may seem like the best option, you’ll be fine with more basic cables. When I sold HDMI cables in my AV retail job, I often went on the budget side. Hell, one of my main cables even today is an Amazon Basics model!

HDMI audio is digital, which means it is not disturbed in the same way as analog audio cables. Yes, the signal from HDMI cables can absolutely be disrupted – and yes, it is possible to buy a cheap cable that will make it look or sound bad.

But really, only if you buy a cable that costs $1 from a guy in an alley. HDMI cables will only look back if they are poor specs or if they are so poorly made that the connection doesn’t work properly.

Budget cables work just as well as high-end items in any standard configuration – but one area where things can get non-standard is cable length, however.

Cable length

One area you need to be careful with HDMI cables is the length. The maximum length at which you are unlikely to have problems with an HDMI cable is 5m (10ft). If you need a longer cable, for a home cinema installation for example, it may be tempting to go for a cheap cable as they are available. However, you should avoid doing this.

Once a standard HDMI cable exceeds 5m in length, you’re more susceptible to potential problems such as signal loss between a source and a display. If you need a longer HDMI cable, it is better to opt for an optical HDMI cable, as these are designed to transmit the signal over greater distances without signal loss compared to standard HDMI.

So this is the area where you may need to consider paying more for a big brand because you don’t want to redo your wall installation, right…

My HDMI cable recommendations

Below I’ve chosen some of the best HDMI cables on offer, including the Amazon Basics 1.8m / 3ftthe one I use regularly in my own testing, and it’s very inexpensive – just make sure it’s long enough for you!

I also chose a slightly more premium cable as in the AudioQuest Pearl – but which remains a reasonable price. There are also Amazon best sellers from Ubluker, Highwings And Anker – all of which support HDMI 2.1 4K 120 Hz and 8K 60 Hz.

My choices for HDMI cables – United States

My HDMI Cable Picks – UK

James is the TV Materials Editor at TechRadar. Before joining the team, he worked at a large UK-based AV retailer selling TV and audio equipment, where he explained to customers the difference between OLED and QLED or was impressed watching a PS5 run on the LG 65G2. When he’s not writing about the latest TV technology, James is gaming, reading, watching rugby, or coming up with another idea for a novel.