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Over the last several years, the HDMI port has become one of the most sought, used, and important AV connectivity options. You’ll be hard-pressed to find any shiny-new smart TV, streaming device, game console, soundbar, or computer that doesn’t have at least one HDMI connection. And for every HDMI port, there’s the HDMI cable you’ll need to complete every Device A to Device B handshake. USB3.1 Type-C Female
Believe it or not, HDMI cables are not all created equal. Some are dirt-cheap, while others cost more than most of us would ever spend on a wire. But you’ll also want to make sure you’re buying the right HDMI cables for the equipment you own. To help you on this corded journey, we’d like to share this list of the five best HDMI cables you can buy right now.
Who it’s for:The customer who wants a superior HDMI cable without overpaying.
With some HDMI cables hitting over the $40 or even $50 mark, it can seem scary to buy one on the cheap. However, the Zeskit Maya HDMI 2.1 cable is likely for you. While being below the $20 line, this cable from Zeskit still manages to reach the HDMI 2.1 certifications that should last you for years and with upgraded equipment. That means it can work well with eARC, HDR, Dolby Vision Atmos and many other highly-requested features in an HDMI cable. It will pair well with your computer, TV, laptop, and projector and can appropriately connect with Apple TV, consoles, monitors, and more.
The Zeskit Maya 2.1 HDMI Cable uses quality braiding, and its wiring is built to resist interference from EMI waves, while the interior is built with a single solid-body Copper wire instead of the many wires that other HDMI cables might have. Available lengths run from 1.5 feet to 10 feet, all of which are customer-tested and approved. Its uni-body plug-in heads are nestled into a zinc alloy housing for enhanced durability. For most people, this is the best HDMI cable to get.
Who it’s for:Those who need a durable, good-looking HDMI cable of nearly any length.
A close second to the Zeskit Maya, the Highwings HDMI cable is a customer favorite and has a slightly lower price than some of the competition. The tough braiding on the exterior actually looks nice, too, making it one of the best HDMI cables in terms of appearance. This braiding, along with its anti-break, fray-resistant head, make the Highwings HDMI cable perfect for throwing in your travel bag or to bring along for your projector during business presentations. That being said, this technology makes the ends rather stiff and non-pliable, making them harder to plug-in in more cramped spaces.
Another thing to note about the Highwings HDMI cable is the absurd possibilities in the length of the cord available. It’s best to get the shortest length possible (most customers will enjoy the 1, 1.5, 3.3, or 6.6 foot models) but — if need be — you can get a Highwings HDMI cable up to 330 feet long if you desire. It goes without saying, there can be some customer complaints about HDR not working, but that goes with the territory with overly long HDMI cables. Stick to what you need, and the Highwings HDMI cable is one of the best.
Who it’s for:The action gamer looking to get the most out of their gaming monitor.
The Cable Matters HDMI cable will allow your 4K gaming monitor to operate at its maximum refresh rate (or at least up to 240Hz). That matters if you’re a gamer with lightning-fast reflexes and want an extra edge in those sniper-on-sniper duels the best FPS games are known for. It’s also a big deal if you want to get the most out of your fancy monitor. Plus, it can operate in 8K up to a 60Hz refresh rate if you want the extra beauty and aren’t too concerned with the refresh rate too much.
One of the reasons this cable is recommended as the best HDMI cable for gaming is its speed, the other is the discounted rate you can get on color-coded multipacks for your dual-monitor setup. Unfortunately, the color coding is limited to the heads and not the PVC covering of the wire itself, but that’s still enough to see what is going where should problems arise.
Who it’s for:The PS5 gamer that wants all the features and an easy plug-in.
If you’re a console gamer, one of the trickier parts of setup is running wires behind your TV. This is in large part due to the way TVs tend to have their HDMI connections facing outward from the TV while also abutting walls and cabinetry. One solution is to have downwards-facing connections on your TV. Another is buying a high-quality right-angle HDMI cable, such as the Cable Matters Right Angle HDMI cable.
Believe it or not, one of the most sought-after cables is an HDMI cable for PS5 consoles. Part of this comes down to confusing messaging from Sony, which mentions that PS5 supports HDMI 2.1, but the hallmark HDMI 2.1 benchmark of 4K@120Hz is not fully supported by most PS5 game makers. They then go on to assert that auto low-latency mode (ALLM) is supported, but only if you use HDMI 2.1. To further confuse, there is this officially licensed PS5 HDMI cable that happens to be quite expensive.
Our research, and public sentiment, indicates that this offering from Cable Matters will do the trick and save you money. If you want to save even more money, are okay with 4K@60Hz, and don’t need ALLM, you can also try this right-angled HDMI 2.0 cable from UGREEN for your PS5.
Who it’s for: Those using older equipment.
If you want the absolute cheapest possible, yet still functional HDMI cable, the Amazon Basics HDMI 2.0 cable is for you. The big warning is that this cable is “only” HDMI 2.0, just supporting a 60Hz refresh rate at 4K. While this guide will overall push you to get an HDMI 2.1 cable — this is the only HDMI 2.0 cable on the list — this really isn’t too bad of a deal if you want something on the cheap. To put it into perspective, one of the best laptops (the Dell XPS 13) refreshes at 60Hz in lower than 4K resolution. It’s simply not that bad.
This being said, the savings here aren’t so great that better cables should be skipped over. An HDMI 2.1 cable will likely last you years and years if you don’t feel the need for the latest tech and will only cost a tad more. Plus, features that will be popping up on your next TV, monitor, etc. won’t necessarily work with your old 2.1 cable. This is the best HDMI cable for you if it is destined to be for a dedicated setup using older equipment or if you want to buy in bulk. Otherwise, you’re setting yourself up to buy two cables; one now and one in the future.
You do not absolutely need an HDMI 2.1 cable if you have older equipment, but the reasons to get an older cable are shrinking by the day. The latest, HDMI 2.1b cables are simply not that much more expensive than HDMI 2.0 cables and are backwards compatible. We’re talking about mere dollars. Plus, you’ll need them when you finally want to take advantage of features like Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) for gaming or Quick Media Switching (QMS).
The one exception where you might want to go ahead and grab an HDMI 2.0 cable, today, is if you were to take advantage of massive bulk buying. That’s one of the reasons that the Amazon Basics HDMI 2.0 still makes the list, you can buy up to 52 of them at a time.
How long can my HDMI cable be before it quits working? It’s a pretty common question in the quest to figure out the best HDMI cable length for your setup. There is a lot of math, science, and calculation that can come into play when considering what HDMI cable to buy. Overall, HDMI cables between 1 and 3 feet are probably optimal. You should also be extra careful with super long HDMI cables hitting 25 feet or longer. That 5-foot cable? If it has a solid build, it should be fine.
Ultimately, in most circumstances, highly-rated cables are going to be okay for whatever lengths they are selling for. Ground truth customer experience, in the form of reviews, is a consistent check and balance for manufacturers. Longer cables that don’t have consistency in their quality will show up in reviews.
Believe it or not, there is more to choosing the best HDMI cable than getting the right protocol and length. In fact, one of the most technically sound writings on HDMI cables, protocols, and what to look for already exists. It’s in the form of our HDMI cable choosing guide, where you can learn the ins and outs of what’s changed in HDMI 2.1 and technical specifics right down to the copper wiring.
Here’s an alternate take on what you need to look for when getting the best HDMI cable for your setup, boiled down for the average shopper:
In short, expensive HDMI cables do not make a difference. That being said, if you find a generic HDMI cable that has an especially low price, expect that it might be of an older protocol and not the latest. Similarly, bins of HDMI cables with a $25 or higher price tag and fancy branding need to be looked at with a careful eye.
A new 2.1 HDMI cable is worth it if you’ve recently upgraded your TV. You should also strongly consider getting one for your monitor, TV, or other device — no matter the current tech — if you think you’ll upgrade in the near future, as HDMI 2.1 cables don’t cost much more than 2.0 cables and they’re backwards compatible. By buying 2.1 now, you’ll save yourself from having to repurchase and “re-setup” your cables once you upgrade your equipment. Checking HDMI specs carefully will give you a broader overview of an HDMI cable’s capabilities.
In short, an 8K HDMI cable is worth it as it won’t be much more expensive than an “ordinary” HDMI cable and you can avoid buying a new one when you eventually upgrade your TV or device to 8K. However, it is also worth noting that the idea of an “8K cable” is a simplification for consumers who are looking for HDMI cables that can run well in 8K. In other words, an 8K cable is another word for an HDMI 2.1b cable, which passes information at “8K60, 4K120” or better. This means that they can supply information at least at an 8K resolution at 60 refreshes per second.
This article is managed and created separately from the Digital Trends Editorial team.
John Alexander is a former ESL teacher, current writer and internet addict, and lacks the wisdom to know what the future holds. His writing has appeared in PopSci, HeadPhonesty, WIRED, and Digital Trends. When not working, he can be found playing board games, drinking too much tea, taking long walks, and attempting to read foreign language books.
Michael Bizzaco has been writing about and working with consumer tech for well over a decade, writing about everything from A/V components and smart home devices to encryption software, cloud backup platforms, search engine tools, and more. He has written for Digital Trends for over three years, covering entertainment content, A/V, and smart home devices.
While most TV deals consist of 4K TVs, there are some 8K TVs out there if you’d like to consider future-proofing your home theater. And while 4K TV deals are made up of Sony TV deals, LG TV deals, Samsung TV deals, Vizio TV deals, and TCL TV deals, 8K TV deals are a little more difficult to find. Right now we’re only seeing 8K TVs by Samsung discounted. Samsung is almost always considered one of the best TV brands, so you can dive into the savings knowing you’re getting a quality 8K TV, and there are several different sizes available if you’re looking for 65-inch TV deals, 70-inch TV deals, 75-inch TV deals, or 85-inch TV deals. Samsung 65-inch QN800C QLED 8K TV — $2,179, was $3,499
Samsung makes some of the most popular TV models on the market, and its QN800C Neo QLED 8K TV is one of its most popular 8K TVs. Its 8K resolution offers 16 times the pixels the Full HD, and it has upscaling technology that makes all imagery look better. This is an important feature, as there’s very little 8K content out there right now, so knowing the TV can convert everything from Full HD to 4K into sharp 8K resolution will make this a worthy investment. You’ll also get plenty of smart features with this TV, including easy access to all of your favorite streaming services.
Whether for a full-fledged home theater or for the corner of the office, TCL likely has the right TV for your viewing space. TCL is on the rise among TV brand recognition, as it makes quality TVs that lean toward the affordable end of the pricing spectrum. This is in part because there are almost always some great TCL TV deals going on. That’s certainly the case right now whether you’re looking for 65-inch TV deals, 70-inch TV deals, 75-inch TV deals, and even 85-inch TV deals. You’ll even find some TCL TVs scattered amongst the best QLED TV deals from time to time. With so many TCL TV deals out there to shop we thought we’d round them all up. You’ll find all of those details below.
There are a lot of TV brands out there right now with models offering some savings, so be sure to check out the best Sony TV deals, best Samsung TV deals, best LG TV deals, and best Vizio TV deals as well. Today’s best TCL TV deals
If you’re looking to go big with your TV watching experiences there are a lot of TV deals out there to shop. 70-inch TV deals, 75-inch TV deals, and even 85-inch TV deals are out there to shop, but here we’d like to direct you to the best 65-inch TV deals currently available to take a look at. All of the best TV brands have something to offer at the 65-inch size, so among these 65-inch TV deals you’ll find Samsung TV deals, Sony TV deals, LG TV deals, Vizio TV deals, and TCL TV deals. You’ll find a few other brands and resolutions that include 4K and 8K TVs currently discounted, so read onward for all of the details on how to save. Insignia 65-inch F30 4K Smart TV — $330, was $450
The Insignia F30 Series is a 4K smart TV that offers impressive affordability, with this 65-inch model offering tremendous value. The F30 presents all of your favorite content in breathtaking 4K resolution, and HDR technology provides a wide range of color details and sharper contrast that make movies more immersive and things like sports more impactful. This TV also offers smart features like Alexa voice control, DTS Studio Sound, and Apple AirPlay. And because the Insignia F30 is a Fire TV, it will give you instant access to over 500,000 streaming movies and TV episodes, and access to thousands of channels and apps.
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