Kastoo
A €50 HDMI cable does not give a better picture than a €10 one if both meet the specification. The signal is digital: either it arrives properly or it causes problems (dropouts, flickering, a black screen). What matters is the type of cable, not the price or the gold plating.
Which cable you need
| Use | Cable type | Bandwidth |
|---|---|---|
| HD and Full HD | High Speed | 10.2 Gbps |
| 4K at 60 Hz with HDR | Premium High Speed | 18 Gbps |
| 4K at 120 Hz (PS5, Xbox Series X), 8K | Ultra High Speed | 48 Gbps |
How to tell if it is genuine
Certified cables have a label on the box with a QR code: orange on Premium High Speed cables and holographic on Ultra High Speed ones. You can scan it with the official “HDMI Cable Certification” app to check the brand, model and length.
Not all of your TV’s HDMI ports are the same
On many TVs, only some ports are HDMI 2.1 (the ones that support 4K at 120 Hz) and only one has eARC, the one used for the soundbar. If you connect the console to a different one, it stays at 60 frames per second even if the cable and the TV could do more. Check the labels next to each port or the manual: they usually say “4K 120”, “2.1” or “eARC”. For a TV box or a decoder, any port will do.
What does not matter
- Gold-plated connectors: they just resist corrosion better.
- Braiding and thick jackets: they add durability, not quality.
- Claims like “8K Ready” without a certification label.
When you should change the cable
If you see the picture dropping out, flickering or the screen going black for a few seconds, especially with 4K and HDR, try a certified cable of the right type. With cables longer than 3 metres, cable quality matters more.
For IPTV, the HDMI cable only connects the TV box to the TV: if channels keep cutting out, the culprit is usually the network. We cover it in Wi-Fi or cable for IPTV?.
Frequently asked questions
Does an Ultra High Speed cable work for everything?
Yes, it is compatible with everything that came before. If you are buying a new one, it is the most future-proof option.
Does the cable affect the sound?
Not if it meets the specification. For eARC with a soundbar, use at least a High Speed with Ethernet cable or an Ultra High Speed one.
How much does a certified cable cost?
You can find certified ones for under €15. The price is no guarantee; the label is.
Sources
- Cómo elegir un cable HDMI · OCU, in Spanish
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