Everyone who has ever used Wi-Fi or any other type of wireless connection knows how this type of networking can be unreliable. For that reason, many people have turned to an Ethernet connection that guarantees great speeds and stable connection.
Of course, to create a great home or office LAN network, you have to acquire quality hardware that, other than the switches and routers, also includes the best Ethernet cables, which can be a real issue, if you are not that familiar with them.
For that reason, this guide will take you through a couple of steps, in order to explain the important aspects of the Ethernet cables and help you to be satisfied with your purchase.
Top Picks
Last update on 2023-10-01 // The links above are affiliate // Images from Amazon
How to Choose the Best Ethernet Cable
Although LAN cables are simple products by their definition and build, they still have a couple of characteristics that separate them among each other and play an important part in the proper decisioning process and include the following:
Frequency/Speed
The cable’s supported frequency/speed is something that should be chosen, depending on the nature of your network usage and characteristics of the connected devices. In other words, if your hardware and internet connection allows only for 1Gbps speeds, you won’t get many benefits if you purchase the cables with 600MHz of bandwidth that support speeds of up to 10Gbps, but you will surely spot the difference in the price.
On the other hand, if you want to soon upgrade your network hardware, or just want to build a future-proof network, go for higher frequencies It is a more expensive option but will pay off in the long run.
Have in mind that 100MHz and 250MHz cables usually allow for maximum speeds of up to 1Gbps, while 500MHz, 600MHz and 1000MHz cables allow for 10Gbps speeds.
Length
Great quality and performance are very important for every product, including Ethernet cables, but what is their point if the cable is too short. Therefore, carefully measure and choose the LAN cables in accordance with your needs.
Durability
Good durability of the LAN cable means you will be able to use it for a longer period. In other words, the more durable and sturdier the cable, the more money will be saved in the long run.
8 Best Ethernet Cables
Cable Matters 160021 Cat6 Snagless Ethernet Patch Cable
A Great-Quality Ethernet Cable with an Excellent Diversity
If you are looking for a multiple LAN connection cables that will provide a good performance and offer a variety of sizes (0.3m, 1m, 1.5m, 2m, 3m, 3.5m, 4m), Cable Matters 160021 Cat6 Snagless Ethernet Patch Cable, with its bundle of five cables, might be the right deal for you.
It is both flexible and durable and it complies with Cat6 standards. Also, its packages come with cables in five different colors (black, blue, white, red, and green), which can be pretty handy, especially if you own multiple network devices, such as printers, network media players, PoE devices and similar.
Cable Matters cables offer a bandwidth of up to 550MHz and allow for speeds of up to 10Gbps, which is a guarantee for a fast performance. This, together with its great build quality (it comes with gold-plated contacts and flexible PVC shielding), makes it one of the best Ethernet cable options on the market.
- Excellent value for the money
- Available in 6 sizes
- Great performance
- Not the ideal quality control
Smolink Cat8 Cable
An Affordable, High-Performing Ethernet Cable
Smolink Cat8 cable is a well-built, high-performing Ethernet cable, with excellent durability and great versatility that positions it in the sheer top among the best Ethernet cables. This is a premium-looking product, built out of the finest materials that include gold-plated RJ45 connectors, full copper inside, and the 26AWG shielding – the key reasons for its excellent performance.
Smolink Cat8 cable is available in a variety of lengths (1.8m, 3m, 4.5m, 6m, 7.5m, 9m, 10.5m, 15m, 22.5m, and 30m) and it offers great compatibility that allows its use with a whole bunch of devices, including PCs, routers, consoles, TVs and many other. This Ethernet cable supports 40Gbps data transfer speeds and has a bandwidth of 2000MHz. Also, it is weatherproof and has everything that a high-profile Ethernet cable should.
Therefore, if you are after one of the best Ethernet cables in the class, Smolink Cat8 cable is a sure thing.
- Available in a variety of lengths
- Weatherproof characteristics
- Gold Plated RJ45 Connectors
- 26 AWG shielding
- Fast performance
- Reasonable price
- A bit stiff
CableGeeker Cat 7 Shielded Ethernet Cable
An Ethernet Cable Built for Gamers
Quality performance and Cat7 speeds, followed by the reliability and the length of only 1.5m are some of the crucial aspects of the CableGeeker Cat 7 Shielded Ethernet Cable. More importantly, these characteristics make it a perfect fit for small area networks that include multiple bandwidth-hungry devices, such as PS4 or Xbox consoles, gaming routers, Smart TVs, etc.
It is available in bundles of six cables that come either in all-black color or combination of red, blue, green, yellow, black and white. With a solid construction that involves 32AWG conductor gauge, gold plated contacts and copper wiring, this LAN cable package is an ideal choice for even the most demanding users, including those prone to cable “torturing”.
Flat and durable, with 600MHz of bandwidth and support for 10Gbps speeds, CableGeeker Cat 7 Shielded Ethernet Cable is altogether a great multipurpose cable and definitely one of the best Ethernet cables for gaming available on the market.
- Affordable price
- Great performance
- Good looking
- Available in various colors
- Cables a bit shorter than declared
AmazonBasics RJ45 Cat-6 Ethernet Patch Internet Cable
An Affordable LAN Option for Those Looking for Functionality before Performance
Finding a LAN cable that is functional, with a satisfying performance that doesn’t cost too much, is the most important aspect for many users. Amazon has realized that and produced Basics RJ45 Cat-6 Ethernet Patch Internet Cable that complies with every one of those requirements.
It comes in various lengths (1m, 1.5m, 3m, 4m, 7m and 15m) and bundles of one, five, 10 or 25 cables. Also, it offers a modest 259MHz bandwidth with only 1Gbps speed, but that is sufficient for most users anyway.
In other words, if you need a cheap connection LAN cable and you are not bothered by its limited performance that is nowhere near the best Ethernet cables, AmazonBasics RJ45 Cat-6 Ethernet Patch Internet Cable might be exactly what you have been looking for.
- Exceptional performance
- Stable connection
- Quality built
- Available in various sizes
- Minor issues with quality control
Matein Flat Cat8 Cable
An Excellent Cat 8 Ethernet Cable
Matein Flat Cat8 Cable is a three-meter-long LAN cable that brings super-fast performance and great durability at an affordable price.
This is a high-quality product, built out of wear-resistant PVC material and suitable for providing a LAN connection to a whole bunch of devices, including laptops, PCs, consoles, switches, and so on.
Matein Flat Cat8 Cable supports 40Gbps data transfer speeds and bandwidth of up to 2000Mhz; it is reliable and delivers everything you may need from the best Ethernet cable. In other words, it presents one hell of a deal.
- Fair price
- Durable
- Solid performance
- Reliable
- None
Dacrown Cat8 Ethernet Cable
One of the Best Out There
If you are looking for a high-performing Ethernet cable that will bring you great durability and ease of use, whether in your home or office, Dacrown Cat8 Ethernet Cable is the thing for you.
With this cord, you are getting the blazing 40Gbps data transfer speeds and excellent durability that comes as the result of its built, which incorporates copper core, aluminum shielding, woven mesh shield enhanced with PVC shell, as well as gold-plated RJ45 connectors.
Dacrown Cat8 Ethernet Cable cable works at a 2GHz frequency and provides both waterproof characteristics and UV protection. It is a perfect fit for the upcoming 25GBASE-T and 40GBASE-T networks and brings everything needed from the best Ethernet cable.
There is the flexibility, fast performance, great durability, and on top of that, maybe a bit higher, but still a pretty fair price for a damn good cable.
- Heavy-duty design
- Weatherproof
- Fast performance
- Flexible
- None
Jadaol Cat 7 Ethernet Cable
If you are searching for the Ethernet cable that can give you nothing less than super-fast Cat7 speeds, great durability and overall top-class build quality, Jadaol Cat 7 Ethernet Cable is the ideal solution for you.
Backwards compatible with Cat5, Cat5e, Cat6 and Cat6A standards and with 600MHz of bandwidth, this flat cable is a great option for home networks and connecting Ethernet switches, routers, modems and other network equipment.
Jadaol Cat 7 Ethernet Cable comes with a lifetime warranty and unfortunately only in white color and 7.5m length. Nevertheless, it offers a great build quality, which, among other things, involves copper wires, premium shielding and gold-plated contacts.
In other words, it has everything that the best Cat 7 Ethernet cable should.
- Solid performance
- Nice shielding
- Affordable
- The cable can become loose with continuous moving, plugging/unplugging, etc.
Ultra Clarity Cables CAT6 Ethernet Cable
One of the Best Cat6 Cables Available
A great mixture of excellent performance, durability and affordability is very hard to find, but luckily, it exists, and Ultra Clarity Cables CAT6 Ethernet Cable is the clear evidence of that.
This amazing Cat6 cable offers amazing build quality that includes 24AWG stranded bare copper conductors, gold-plated contacts and 5.8mm UL standard PVC shielding. More importantly, every cable has passed the rigorous testing, which makes them an ideal option for the more demanding users, who are asking for constant stability and reliability of their network.
Ultra Clarity Cables CAT6 Ethernet Cable supports for a nice 500MHz of bandwidth, which allows for 10Gbps speeds and comes in seven different lengths (1m, 2m, 3m, 3.5m, 4.5m, 6m, 7.5m), which makes it suitable for various uses. The package itself includes two cables of the same size, one in black and one in blue color and, more importantly, it comes at a fair price.
Altogether, if you are searching for the best Ethernet cable with a Cat 6 standard, it would be a smart idea to pay closer attention to this piece of equipment – you surely won’t be disappointed.
- Good price
- Nice connection
- Questionable durability
- Quality control isn’t at its best
Conclusion
Hopefully, this guide has helped you find the best Ethernet cable for your home or office network. If it managed that, its purpose is fulfilled.
Miodrag. MonoPrice cables should be at the top of this list. Those Cable Geeker are a knock off, too thin to be Cat7. Be careful of anything Amazon, buy direct from MonoPrice.
Wrong! CAT 8 patch cables are the fastest. Optical cables would be faster (speed of light) is the fastest. Poor research here.