Top-Rated Ethernet Cables : A Buyer’s Guide

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• We’ve reviewed our recommendations and these are still the best Ethernet cables you can buy.

Buying the right Ethernet cable is important. Getting the wrong cable will slow down your network performance and speed—and it might apart quickly to boot. The right Ethernet cable will be fast and durable. Here are the best ones to buy.

UPDATE: 11/16/2023

We’ve reviewed our recommendations and these are still the best Ethernet cables you can buy.

Cable Matters Snagless Shielded Cat 6A Ethernet Cable

Best Ethernet Cable Overall
$9 at Amazon

Amazon Basics Cat 6 Ethernet Cable

Best Budget Ethernet Cable
$4 at Amazon

Snowkids Cat 8 Ethernet Cable

Best Ethernet Cable for Gaming
$8 at Amazon

DanYee Nylon Braided Cat 7 Ethernet Cable

Best Braided Ethernet Cable
$7 at Amazon

TESMAX Cat 8 Ethernet Cable

Best Cat 8 Ethernet Cable
$8 at Amazon

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GearIT Cat 6 Outdoor Ethernet Cable

Best Ethernet Cable for Outdoors
$31 at Amazon

What to Look For in an Ethernet Cable in 2023

Ethernet cables come in many different varieties, all with different specs and designs suited for different use cases. Some are better for having around your home, some better for outdoors, some better for gaming, and some that offer lightning-fast speeds.

It’s important to lock down exactly what you need, starting with performance. If you have a 600Mbps connection through your internet service provider (ISP), you won’t want a cable that only supports 100Mbps. Most modern Ethernet cables offer Cat 6 compatibility or above, offering at least 10Gbps performance.

You’ll also want to pay attention to what each cable is made of. Some offer poor designs that can lead to accelerated aging or fraying over time, while others can withstand harsh weather conditions for years on end.

If you need something lightweight and flexible that’ll remain in an office, for example, a standard plastic cable could suffice. But if you’ll be tossing the cable around or routing it outside, you’ll want to shop for something more durable (such as a braided cable) or one that’s weather-resistant.

One of the most important things to look out for is shielding, which helps to block external interference from other devices and ensures performance remains consistent with longer cables. You’ll find this in virtually every Cat 7 and Cat 8 cable. However, only some Cat 6 and 6A cables have it. Any older cable probably won’t have shielding, so you’ll want to avoid them.

Last but not least, gold-plated cables are technically better than cables that use cheaper materials. While you won’t be getting faster performance from the cable with gold, you will experience better durability since they’re highly conductive and won’t corrode over time.

With that in mind, here are the Ethernet cables we recommend checking out.

How-To Geek’s product recommendations come from the same team of experts that have helped people fix their gadgets over one billion times. We only recommend the best products based on our research and expertise. We never accept payment to endorse or review a product. Read More »

Best Ethernet Cable Overall: Cable Matters Snagless Shielded Cat 6A Cable

Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek

Our pick for the best all-around Ethernet cable is one from Cable Matters. The Snagless Shielded Cat 6A Cable offers gold-plated connectors and 550MHz of bandwidth, with up to 10Gbps data performance.

This cable gets its name from the snagless connectors that maintain their connection to your devices thanks to a special clip mechanism. It’s also shielded, so you’ll have stable performance even if you pick up the 200-foot size .

Cat 6A isn’t the best Ethernet standard at the moment, and this cable doesn’t offer any added durability. But if what you want is a solid Ethernet cable that’ll get the job done while not breaking the bank, this is the one to get.

Best Ethernet Cable Overall

Cable Matters Snagless Shielded Cat 6A Ethernet Cable

Cable Matters offers a well-rounded Ethernet cable with shielding and great performance, all while not breaking the bank. It’s the perfect cable for anyone who just something solid that’ll get the job done.

$9 at Amazon

Best Budget Ethernet Cable: Amazon Basics Cat 6 Cable

Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek

If you’re shopping on a budget, you should check out the Amazon Basics Cat 6 Ethernet cable . It offers gold-plated connectors to avoid corrosion, decent performance with up to 1Gbps speeds, and a variety of lengths ranging from three feet to 50 feet. Plus, it starts at just over $5.

Nowadays, Cat 6 is considered outdated given its somewhat limited performance and bandwidth, plus its lack of shielding. However, Amazon’s cable is still a solid option if you want something cheap that still packs a bit of a punch.

Best Budget Ethernet Cable

Amazon Basics Cat 6 Ethernet Cable

While it’s not the fastest or most robust Ethernet cable you can get, this cable from Amazon Basics is a solid option for anyone shopping on a budget.

$4 at Amazon

Best Ethernet Cable for Gaming: Snowkids Cat 8 Ethernet Cable

Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek Hannah Stryker / Review Geek Hannah Stryker / LifeSavvy

When creating the perfect online gaming setup, it can be easy to overlook less exciting components like the ethernet cable. But using the best cable for the job can make a huge difference, especially for fast-paced gaming, where milliseconds separate the victors from the defeated.

The Snowkids Cat 8 Cable is the ethernet connection your gaming PC or console needs. For a start, it’s Cat 8, which gives you a possible 40Gbps of data speed and 2000Mhz bandwidth. That’s around 4x the capacity of a Cat 7 cable and as fast as you can find until Cat 9 arrives. It’s also backward compatible down to Cat 5, in case you haven’t upgraded all your network devices yet.

The RJ45 connectors are plated in 24-carat gold to ensure a great connection at either end, while a low-resistance 26AWG copper core helps to avoid the drop in speed often experienced when an ethernet cable is run over a long distance. Cable protection comes from a braided nylon outer, with internal PVC and HDPE shielding to prevent interference.

Although not truly flat, the cable is slightly flattened and is suitable for running beneath carpets without too much of a visible lump. The available lengths range between 1.5 and 100ft , but there’s only one color option, and that’s blue. It’s quite a pleasant shade of blue, but it might not be to everyone’s taste.

Best Ethernet Cable for Gaming

Snowkids Cat 8 Ethernet Cable

$8 $9 Save $1

This is a robust Cat 8 ethernet cable, with high-quality components throughout, and capable of delivering the connection you need to get the most from your gaming and other online activities.

$8 at Amazon

Best Braided Ethernet Cable: DanYee Nylon Braided Cat 7 Cable

Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek

Braided cables are always better for durability than their rubber or plastic-coated counterparts, and DanYee’s Nylon Braided Ethernet Cable is a perfect example of that. This cable is available from 1.6 feet to 100 feet , and DanYee even includes a velcro strap to round up any extra cable for a cleaner installation.

Since it’s a Cat 7 standard Ethernet cable, the cable supports 600MHz bandwidth and 10Gbps data transfers, plus it’s shielded and has gold-plated connectors. With a price of $7 for 10 feet, it’s also affordable.

The DanYee cable might be a bit bulkier than you’d like—especially if you’re trying to hide it or keep it flush on a floorboard—but beyond that, it’s a solid option.

Best Braided Ethernet Cable

DanYee Nylon Braided Cat 7 Ethernet Cable

If you’re looking for a braided Ethernet cable, DanYee’s Cat 7 cable is a great pick with a durable design, great performance, and an affordable price.

$7 at Amazon

Best Cat 8 Ethernet Cable: TESMAX Cat 8 Cable

Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek

If you want the fastest speeds you can possibly get from an Ethernet cable, you’ll want to shop for a Cat 8 cable, and this one from TESMAX is sure to please.

With 2,000MHz of bandwidth, the cable supports up to 40Gbps data performance. The shielding also ensures the same performance extends to the longest size you can get it in, which is 50 feet . Gold-plated connectors will avoid corrosion, and this Ethernet cable even offers a weatherproof exterior that’s UV resistant.

The entire package is a bit overkill for most people, and while it is weatherproof, it’s not necessarily ideal for running outside since you can only get 50 feet of it—you’ll want a different cable for the outdoors .

However, for anyone shopping for a well-rounded Cat 8 cable, TESMAX’s offering is a great choice.

Best Cat 8 Ethernet Cable

TESMAX Cat 8 Ethernet Cable

For anyone looking for one of the most well-rounded and robust Cat 8 cables you can buy, TESMAX’s offering is sure to please.

$8 at Amazon

Best Ethernet Cable for Outdoors: GearIT Cat 6 Outdoor Cable

Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek

If you need a durable, long-lasting Ethernet cable hooking up something on a deck or patio, GearIT has what you’re looking for. The company’s Cat 6 cable is rated for use in all sorts of outdoor conditions, including being directly buried in the ground, run through PVC in the ground, exposed to UV rays, exposed to inclement weather, and more.

This cable achieves this durability by being built out of clad aluminum (CCA) and unshielded twisted pair (UTP) to maintain performance. Even better, it’s available in a variety of lengths from 25 feet to 250 feet , meaning it should be easy to get this cable to whatever you need to plug in.

Performance may be less than ideal since it’s only Cat 6, which means you’re looking at 550MHz of bandwidth and 10Gbps of data performance. The connectors are also not gold-plated, so you might have to swap them out eventually if they start aging.

But all in all, this is one of the best cables to buy if you plan on extending your internet connection to the outdoors.

Best Ethernet Cable for Outdoors

GearIT Cat 6 Outdoor Ethernet Cable

$31 $33 Save $2

GearIT’s Cat 6 outdoor Ethernet cable comes rated for all sorts of outside conditions, is available in up to 250 feet in size, and uses special materials to maintain optimal performance, making it perfect for the outdoors.

$31 at Amazon

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