Are Expensive Cables Worth It?

Go to your local electronics store and you might find the cable you need for around $25.  Go on eBay, and you can probably find the same cable for $1 or less.  This substantial difference in price probably makes you wonder if there is a difference in what the cable will do.

For the most part, the answer is no.  A cable functions like a tube that allows data to be transmitted but a more expensive cable will (usually) not provide a better experience.  Unless there is something wrong with the cable, the data entered on one end will be reproduced on the other end.  In most cases, you will want to avoid both the cheapest cables (these are usually extremely poor quality products made in China), and the most expensive ones (these might contain some extra shielding or other features, but are unlikely to be worth the cost).

Furthermore, lifespan is not usually an issue.  You can replace a $2 twelve times before you have approached the cost of the $25 cable.  If you are not going at the cheapest end of the spectrum, you will find that any reduced lifespan is minimal and does not come close to making up for the additional cost of the expensive cable.

In general, you should go with a cable toward the cheaper end, but not necessarily the cheapest one you can find.  Here are a few exceptions:

1) Active HDMI Cables - Generally, a properly-functioning HDMI cable will not make your video quality any better.  However, an "active" cable contains a chip that will help boost the signal to provide a better signal over long distances or through thinner cables.  If you need a long HDMI run or a thin cable to go around a corner, then spending extra for an active cable is a good choice.

2) USB Charging Cables - Computer USB cables also function as tubes that simply transmit data.  However, USB charging cables may not charge at the same rate.  You may find that a cheaper cable charges much slower than a more expensive cable.  (You may also find cheaper cables that work at the same rate as their more expensive counterparts, so cheap does not necessarily mean slow.)  If you are replacing a charging cable, you do not need to go for the most expensive option, but selecting one toward the expensive end of the spectrum may make sense.

3) Ethernet - CAT 5 and CAT 5e cables are certainly fast enough right now, but as average internet speeds appear set to increase at some point in the near future, using these cables may result in slower than necessary speeds.  If you are replacing your ethernet cables, it is probably time to upgrade them to CAT 6 or CAT 6a.  There is only a small difference in price, but you will have the ability to obtain faster speeds once they become available.  That said, there is no reason to go to the expensive end of the CAT 6 price range.

4) Audio Cables - Audio cables are one of the few analog cables still in use today.  Although the difference would be small, cable quality could have an effect on the quality of the sound produced.  If you work with audio or video or you have a good ear for music quality, this is one area where you might want to go with a higher-quality cable.