Best HDMI Cables for Gaming [2024 Guide]

Good image quality is very important for smooth gaming experience. Gaming consoles and PCs are good companions for home. Displayport can be a good choice for PC gamers, but HDMI cable is the next great thing to direct connect your gaming consoles to TVs or monitors. With the development of the HDMI standard, HDMI 2.1 can support 8K video. Though the image quality is affected by many factors, including your devices, a good HDMI cable is essential for your viewing experience.

Popular Gaming Platforms

Gaming has become very popular for entertainment, and there are more and more players and games. More importantly, new gaming platforms have emerged. PC, PlayStation, Xbox series, Mobile devices, and Nintendo have become the most important gaming platforms. To get the best gaming experience, hooking up your game consoles and TV (monitor) with a direct HDMI connection is a great choice. A direct HDMI connection can achieve high image quality, allowing you to enjoy the game. So, how to choose the best HDMI cable for gaming?

HDMI Cables for Gaming

HDMI cables have been developed into many versions since 2002, and the latest standard is HDMI 2.1. HDMI cables allow for both video and audio data transmission, often used in gaming devices.

A new game console often comes with a corresponding HDMI cable and you’d better use them for the perfect performance. But sometimes, life doesn’t work out the way you want it. Maybe you lost the provided HDMI cable or want a longer cable or you want a cable to be wall-mounted. At this time, you need to buy the HDMI cable yourself. Choosing the correct HDMI cable is very important, or you’ll be frustrated by the blurring and screen tearing. Here is a brief guide to HDMI cables for different gaming platforms.

• PC: PC gaming has always been the primary platform for most players, and there are various PC brands such as Dell, HP, and Sony. HDMI 2.1 is the latest standard that supports 8K video, but it is not always the best choice for your PC gaming. If your PC can only support 4K or lower standard, HDMI 2.1 is overkill. Learn your PC specification in advance and then choose the correct HDMI cable.
• Xbox Platform: Xbox has many generations. An HDMI 1.4 or high-speed HDMI is enough for Xbox One and Xbox One S. Xbox One X is recommended to use HDMI 2.0. Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are equipped with HDMI 2.1 port (Ultra High Speed HDMI port), designed to support 4K 60Hz-120Hz and 1080p 120Hz. But most gaming support 4K 60Hz or lower, so HDMI 2.0 is also OK for Xbox Series.
• PlayStation: PlayStation series is one of Sony’s most successful products. HDMI 1.4 is enough for PS4. An HDMI 2.0 cable (premium high speed HDMI cable) is needed for PS4 Pro. Like Xbox Series X/S, PS5 is equipped with HDMI 2.1 port, but premium and ultra high speed HDMI cables are both OK.
• Nintendo: Nintendo Switch brings fun for all ages in a busy lifestyle, which is always a popular handheld gaming console. Nintendo also boasts Wii consoles, a home video game console. Unlike other gaming platforms, the official claims that the Wii console is not compatible with HDMI cables. But there are many Wii to HDMI adapters on the market to meet people’s different needs.

How to Choose the Best HDMI Cable for Gaming?

The visual effect of gaming largely depends on your devices and setups, but choosing the correct HDMI cable indeed helps a lot. Before buying an HDMI cable, you should consider the following three factors.

Resolution Quality

The resolution quality of both the monitor and your gaming console should be considered. You should check the resolution of your monitor. Connecting a 1080P-supported HDMI cable with a 4K monitor can cause flickering pictures and audio dropouts. Similarly, a 4K supported HDMI cable is overkill used with a 1080P monitor. The performance of your gaming system and consoles is also very important. For example, if you decided to hoop up your PS5 (supporting 4K 120HZ) to a TV that only supports 2K 60HZ, you will never get the best performance even if you use ultra high speed HDMI cables.

Cable Construction

The physical construction is also very important as it will affect the performance of HDMI cables. A perfect HDMI cable usually features a copper core for fast and stable data transmission. The copper needs to be wrapped with multiple layers to reduce and even avoid external electromagnetic interference. In addition, the layer should be robust enough to protect the HDMI cable from bends and snaps. A perfect HDMI cable should also feature gold-plated contact for excellent durability.

Cable Distance

Sometimes there may be a situation in which you need a longer HDMI cable to connect your gaming consoles to your TV. It is known the data signal will degrade over a long distance. So how to solve this problem? You may need an active HDMI cable, which has a built-in booster to keep the data signal. And if your projector needs an even longer HDMI cable, an HDMI extender is also one of your choices.

Tips: HDMI cables provide a seamless transmission of both audio and video data, making them a versatile and convenient option. With the user-friendly design of the HDMI port, plugging and unplugging the cable is hassle-free without the use of buttons.

However, it is important to note that frequent hot plugging may damage the HDMI port, so it's best to avoid excessive plugging and unplugging.

FAQs

Should I choose Displayport or HDMI for gaming?

Displayport and HDMI are both popular connectors for gaming. But if your gaming uses  FreeSync and G-Sync, Displayport is greater.

What HDMI cable should I use for 4K/8K gaming?

HDMI 2.0 (Premium High-Speed HDMI cable) is suitable for 4K gaming, and HDMI 2.1 (Ultra High-Speed HDMI cable) is designed for 8K gaming.

What’s the maximum length of an HDMI cable?

The signal of the HDMI cable will degrade at a longer length. It is said that the maximum length of a passive HDMI cable is 25 feet and of an active HDMI cable is 100 feet.

For more information on this topic, you can keep up on our blogs. While VCELINK offers general and basic information for our customers and other visitors to the website, it’s not professional advice.