Something that’s probably all too common for people picking up a new TV,console, orhome theatersystem is the realization that they don’t have the rightHDMIcables. Many AV products don’t ship with an HDMI cable in the box, and even when they do, it’s not necessarily the right length. In other situations, you might own enough cables of the right length, but they’re incompatible with key device features.
Shopping doesn’t have to be complicated, though. A few basic principles should get you in and out of the store pretty quickly, whether you’re at your local big-box retailer or browsing online. You’ll wonder why HDMI was ever much of an issue in the first place.
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How to decide which HDMI cables to buy
Priority 1: HDMI version
This takes the lead for the simple reason that if you use an outdated cable, you may get substandard performance from connected devices, assuming they work at all. The HDMI format has been around since 2002 – but the earliest cables didn’t support 4K resolution, much less technologies likeHDR(high dynamic range) or variable refresh rates (VRR), the second being essential for modern PCs and game consoles. Always doublecheck an old cable’s specs before recycling it into a new AV setup.
If you use an outdated cable, you may get substandard performance from connected devices, assuming they work at all.
Buying new, I wouldn’t choose a cable with anything less thanHDMI 2.1. This not only supports VRR and any HDR format you could want, but 4K at 120Hz, and 8K up to 60Hz. It also supportseARC, which you’ll want for speakers compatible with 3D surround-sound formats likeDolby Atmosand DTS:X.
For maximum futureproofing, you could invest in HDMI 2.2, which doubles 2.1’s bandwidth. There’s really nothing that can take advantage of it yet, however, and 2.2 cables are liable to be both rarer and costlier. It’s like buying a Porsche for grocery runs or taking your kid to soccer practice.
This trick got my Xbox and Blu-rays to play nice with my HomePods
There may be some hurdles involved, and you’ll be more closely welded to the Apple ecosystem.
Priority 2: Length
Shorter HDMI cables are cheaper than long ones, but it’s important to give yourself some flexibility. Setups change – a three-foot (0.9m) cable may be fine when a console or media streamer is sitting right next to your TV, but if you ever decide to mount your TV well above your entertainment center, you’ll end up forking out for a longer replacement cable.
When in doubt about length, I generally recommend sticking tosix-foot (1.8m) cables. That’s long enough for the vast majority of setups without being excessive. There may be extra slack in some situations, but nothing that zip ties and/or cable managers can’t fix.
It’s important to give yourself some flexibility.
There are exceptions to this, of course. If you always insist on an ultra-compact setup – say, with all your accessories no more than a few inches away from your TV – three-foot cables will make things look sleeker, while also minimizing the chance of tangles, or confusion about which device a cable belongs to. Buying cables measuring 10 feet (3m) or longer may be necessary for some projector-based setups, or if you want an accessory next to where you sit. It’s far more convenient to pop in a Blu-ray from your couch than it is to wander over to the other side of the room.
You can potentially bypass length concerns by investing in wireless HDMI, but be warned – the cost probably isn’t worth the benefit.
Upgrading to wireless HDMI is easy, but I wish I’d have known this first
The main benefit is obvious, but there are some potential pitfalls.
Priority 3: Brand and build quality
I mention branding only to say that you should actually ignore it, for the most part. Perhaps the best-known HDMI brand is Monster, but its cables are infamously overpriced, often costing $40 or more for what a generic $10 HDMI 2.1 cable can accomplish just as well. Insofar as brand matters at all, I’d suggest companies like Anker and Monoprice, which are established players that charge reasonable amounts. Even an Amazon Basics cable should do the trick as long as it meets the right specs.
Ignore any claims about gold plating.
As for build quality, ignore any claims about gold plating. This is sometimes advertised as improving signal quality, but it absolutely does not matter with digital signals, certainly not at the distances in your living room. Gold was only ever practical in the age of analog home setups – paying extra for it now is more about pointless bragging rights.
What does matter is the material of the cable itself. I find it’s worth spending a few dollars extra on braided cables, which not only look nicer, but are less likely to tangle. At lengths of 15 feet (4.6m) or more, you may want to explore “active” or optical HDMI cables, which will genuinely maintain signal quality.
Do you need gold-plated HDMI cables?
It’s time to drive one more nail into the coffin of this idea.
How much should I be spending on HDMI cables?
All done for less than $60
I wouldn’t spend any more than $15 (before taxes) on a single cable unless it’s over six feet. It’s actually pretty easy to find six-foot HDMI 2.1 cables for $10 or less, in fact. Given that most TVs only have three or four HDMI ports to begin with, you shouldn’t have to spend any more than$40 to $60 on a complete setup.
There’s no need to budget as much for your wires as you do for one of the devices you might hook up.
Expect to spend more if things get complicated, naturally. Even then, however, you’re able to find active or optical 15-foot cables for under $30 apiece, so your total budget probably won’t go higher than $120. You may need to add an HDMI switch into the mix if you have more than four devices you need to connect.
The gist is this – you should only worry about HDMI cables as much as you do USB connections on your computer. Tech and quality standards have largely settled down, so there’s no need to budget as much for your wires as you do for one of the devices you might hook up.
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