The Best Ethernet Cables of 2024

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: 10/02/2024

We’ve updated our pick for the best Ethernet cable for gaming.

What to Look For in an Ethernet Cable in 2024

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.

For example, if you need something lightweight and flexible that’ll remain in an office, 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 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.

Lastly, gold-plated cables are technically better than cables that use cheaper materials. While you won’t get faster performance from the cable with gold, you will experience better durability since it’s highly conductive and won’t corrode over time.

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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.

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.

Category and performance are essential factors when selecting an Ethernet cable for gaming. As the name suggests, the Cable Matters Cat6A 10Gbps Shielded Ethernet Cable offers Cat6a performance. It supports a bandwidth of up to 550MHz, which allows for much faster data transfer speeds than the more widely used Cat5e without being overkill.

This is a crucial aspect when gaming as it minimizes latency and, hopefully, enhances your performance. Additionally, with support for speeds of up to 10Gbps, you’re future-proofed against potentially faster internet connections, while backward compatibility is maintained with older standards.

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) and crosstalk are also reduced thanks to the cable’s Shielded Screened Twisted Pair (SSTP) and Shielded Foiled Twisted Pair (SFTP) shielding. This essentially reduces lag and keeps your connection stable and is particularly beneficial in places crowded with potential signal-hindering electronics.

Furthermore, the cable’s gold-plated connectors provide excellent transmission and are much more resistant to corrosion over time. Durability is also enhanced by the strain-relief boots, ensuring the cable doesn’t bend sharply at the connector. Furthermore, the bare copper conductors add to the cable’s overall performance and reliability.

The only potential drawback is the 26 AWG wire gauge. It’s thinner than 24 AWG cables, which may have a slight impact on durability and resistance to wear and tear. This impact will be minimal in typical use cases and certainly won’t affect the majority of gaming setups at home. However, for those needing the utmost durability, it may have implications.

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.

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.

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.