How to buy the best HDMI 2.1 cable that suits your needs
Now more than ever, it's important to pay attention to buying the right HDMI 2.1 cable for your needs, especially after the amazing capabilities we've gotten with the XBOX Series X, Playstation 5, and NVIDIA and AMD cards that have the ability to handle and adapt to the higher pixel density.
But it should be noted that when buying a cable compatible with your devices, you should not look for the term HDMI 2.1, instead you should look for the name HDMI Ultra High Speed. Also, when we were dealing with an HDMI 2.0b cable, we were looking for a cable under the name HDMI High Speed.
To ensure you are getting a high-quality HDMI 2.1 cable, you should look for a hologram or QR Code that means the cable has already been tested to the minimum standards and has been certified by the HDMI Certification Authority. Of course, certified cables will cost more than the traditional cables available on the retail sites, but they will ensure that you are getting the full bandwidth allowed for an HDMI 2.1 cable.
To make it easy for the average user or customer when trying to verify the authenticity of the cable, the HDMI Forum has provided an application compatible with both Android and iPhone phones. All you have to do is run the application from your phone and point the camera at the HDMI 2.1 cable package. In this case, you should get a Congratulations message, which means that it is indeed an original cable and certified by the HDMI Certification Officer. Another prominent mark that you should see according to the HDMI Certification Officer standards is that the name of the cable must be printed on its outer packaging.
If it fails the test or there is no hologram on the cable's packaging label, it means that it has not been tested by an HDMI licensing official - this does not necessarily mean that it will not work while you are using it, but it does mean that there is no guarantee that it is capable of passing the full 48Gbit bandwidth, which is the approved value for an HDMI 2.1 cable.
But if you've already paid for a certified HDMI 2.1 cable that has a QR code on the outside label, and it still fails the test, you should try returning it for a refund or replacing it with a different certified cable. You'll find most or all Belkin and Zeskit cables from $20 to $39 are certified, but it doesn't hurt to check for yourself after you buy it.
The Problem With Cheap HDMI 2.1 Cables
There are a few issues you can run into when using a non-certified HDMI 2.1 cable, though they can be quite frustrating. For example, while playing 4K games on a PS5 or XBOX Series X console, you may encounter a black screen every now and then, and you may also encounter image distortion issues in various areas of the screen. Sometimes you may see a clear message stating that the TV is having trouble handshaking and connecting to the source, which is usually due to the cable being too weak to pass the full range signal.
You will notice that the best HDMI 2.1 cables are short, because long cables cause the signal strength to degrade before it reaches the TV screen, which also causes some problems. Therefore, it is always better to have a cable length of 3 meters maximum to get 4K resolution and a refresh rate of 120Hz. As for the resolution lower than 4K, it is possible to use a cable of 6 meters in length, but if you encounter problems with it, the reason may be the excessive length of the cable, so you will have no other choice but to try another cable of shorter length.
Sometimes, you may find that your TV comes with an HDMI cable in the box, and it is important to try it before buying another cable, because it may be very suitable for all your uses. It should also be noted that it is important not to rush towards cables with gold connectors, thinking that they are the best in quality and features, in fact they do not offer anything unique from other cables with silver connectors except for their shiny color.
Think first whether you will need an HDMI 2.1 cable.
The HDMI 2.1 cable is designed to be able to meet the demands of modern consoles and connect them to advanced TVs and receivers. The only obvious difference between HDMI 2.1 and HDMI 2.0b is that the former has the ability to transmit data rates of 48Gbit while the latter is limited to only 18Gbit, which means that the HDMI 2.1 cable is ready for 8K displays at 60Hz or 4K displays at 120Hz.
Fortunately, newer consoles already come with an HDMI 2.1 cable, so you don’t need to replace this cable with anything else. Older NVIDIA and AMD cards only require an HDMI 2.0b cable. Only modern gaming consoles and NVIDIA 30 Series cards support HDMI 2.1, while not many displays support or have this port yet. So if you’re planning to buy an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable in the future, just remember to make sure it’s HDMI Certified.