Ethernet cables provide a strong and stable network connection, so there’s no worrying about lag or getting disconnected when working or gaming because of a weak Wi-Fi signal. The best Ethernet cables offer fast speeds, anti-corrosive gold-plated RJ45 connectors, and durable designs with UV and water resistance to withstand the elements.
Our team has tested networking products like the best mesh Wi-Fi systems and wireless routers all year and decided to go back to the basics and test out the best Ethernet cables with laptops and gaming PCs – to see how they compare. We’ve selected various types of cables at different lengths and budgets to help you decide the best for your network and setup.
Our picks for best Ethernet cables
Tesmax / Pocket-lint
Tesmax Cat 8 Ethernet Cable 6FT
1. Best overall Ethernet cable
The do-all option
$9 $19 Save $10
Tesmax Cat-8 Ethernet cable offers fast speeds and has excellent shielding against interference and crosstalk.
- Fastest Cat-8 speeds
- Gold-plated connectors
- Excellent shielding
- Pricey
- Overkill for many users
The Tesmax Cat-8 Ethernet cable supports the fastest speeds of up to 40Gbps, making it perfect for business, gaming, and other high-performance environments where speed is key. Both RJ45 connectors are gold-plated for better conductivity and corrosion resistance, and the cable itself is well shielded from the elements with a PVC jacket, an aluminium braided shield, and foil to prevent interference.
At 6ft, this cable is long enough to reach most rooms or offices and short enough to carry around in a laptop bag. Its top-of-the-range performance is ideal for commercial use like data centres and server rooms. The Tesmax Cat-8 Ethernet Cable is worth it if you have the compatible hardware to use its capabilities or want a degree of future-proofing. However, it can be overkill for some home users who’ll never use it to its full potential because of their slower internet speeds.
UGREEN / Pocket-lint
UGREEN Cat 8 Ethernet Cable
2. Best premium Ethernet cable
Speed and strength
The Ugreen Cat-8 cable supports the fastest 40Gbps speeds and includes a tough braided jacket.
- Tough braided jacket
- Versatile length
- Gold-plated connector
Professionals looking for the best speed and durability can try the Ugreen Cat-8 cable. It supports up to 2,000Mhz of bandwidth and the fastest data transmission speeds of 40Gbps for a lag-free experience and fast download times. Like other Cat-8 cables, it’s heavily shielded to prevent cross-talk and interference, making it ideal for home or commercial applications.
The Ugreen Cat-8 cable goes beyond standard cables with its braided design that offers greater durability and includes high-quality gold-plated RJ45 connectors, which should last for years without any issues. Its 20ft length is ideal for homes or small to medium offices, but it’s too long to be reasonably portable in a laptop bag.
Monoprice / Pocket-lint
Monoprice Cat6 Ethernet Patch Cable
3. Best value Ethernet cable
Short and sweet
The Monoprice Flexboot Cat-6 patch cables come in a 12-pack and are available in various colours.
- Excellent value
- Various colour options available
- Colour-coded cables can make troubleshooting easier
- Not the most durable
- Too short for some uses
IT administrators, support staff or anyone looking for amazing value can try the 12-pack of Monoprice’s Flexboot Cat-6 patch cables. Each cable in the pack is just 3ft long, making them perfect for connecting office computers to wall boxes or for a support person to carry on-site to test equipment. They’re also available in various colours, including yellow, red, and yellow, to match your decor or gaming setup.
Cat-6 costs less than Cat-8 cables while offering decent Gigabit (1Gbps) speeds, which should be fine for most home or small office users despite its lack of shielding. The 12 cables in the Monoprice pack should be fine to connect your office computers to wall boxes, but that’s about all they can do with their short length.
GearIT / Pocket-lint
GearIT Cat6 Outdoor Ethernet Cable
4. Best Durability Ethernet cable
All-weather communication
The GearIT Ethernet cable is waterproof and UV resistant to withstand the elements.
- Waterproof
- UV-resistant
- Good shielding
- Too long for home use
- Might not be fast enough for larger businesses
Builders and technicians looking for a durable, all-condition option can try the GearIT Ethernet cable. It’s waterproof, UV resistant, and direct burial-rated, making it perfect for outdoor use where it will be exposed to harsh elements like rain, snow, and heat. At 200ft, it’s not for home use and is better suited for factories, warehouses and larger spaces.
Another advantage of the GearIT Ethernet cable is that it offers excellent value with decent Cat-6 Gigabit speeds, which should be enough for most regular users without the high-cost factor of Cat- 8. If this cable is too long, 25 to 150-foot options are also available for smaller buildings and sites.
DbillionDa / Pocket-lint
DbillionDa Cat8 Ethernet Cable
5. Best Ethernet cable for business
No-compromise speeds
The DbillionDa Cat-8 Ethernet cable offers the fastest speeds for businesses and is long enough for factories and warehouses.
- Weatherproof
- Long length for larger offices
- Fastest speeds
- Pricey for home use
- Too long for smaller homes and apartments
Businesses looking for the fastest speeds can try DbillionDa’s Cat-8 Ethernet cable. Its 150ft length is perfect for moderately sized buildings or factories, and there are also shorter and longer lengths ranging between 1.5 and 100ft available to cover everything from home to office use.
The main reasons for getting this cable are its blistering 40Gbps speed and outstanding durability with UV and weather resistance. It also has ample shielding to prevent interference and ensure smooth data traffic. Like all Ethernet cables, it’s compatible with most devices, including gaming consoles, but its length and price aren’t feasible for personal use.
Jadaol / Pocket-lint
Jadaol Cat 6 Ethernet
6. Best convenience Ethernet cable
Flat and flexible
$19 $27 Save $8
The Jadaol Cat-6 cable has a flat, snag-free design, making it easy to run on floors and up walls.
- Flat shape is easier to install
- Less likely to get damaged
- Includes mounting clips
- Not as much shielding as round cables
- Long for home use
Flat Ethernet cables like the Jadaol Cat-6 are popular because they are easy to install and run under carpets or along walls. They are also more flexible than their round counterparts and have a snag-free design that bends around corners without getting damaged. Jadaol’s Cat-6 Ethernet cable comes in black or white and is ideal for indoor or outdoor use thanks to its water and UV resistance.
This cable’s 100ft length is versatile enough for most homes or small to medium businesses and includes 35 cable clips, so mounting is a cinch. If this is too long or short for your requirements, alternatives range from 1 to 200ft for most applications. Flat cables offer unmatched convenience, but they lack the shielding of round cables and aren’t the best for long distances.
DanYee / Pocket-lint
DanYee Cat 8 Ethernet Cable
7. Best design Ethernet cable
Style and speed
The Danyee Cat-8 cable has an easy-to-install flat design with a tough braided jacket available in four colours.
- Four colour options
- Convenient flat design
- Braided
- Limited shielding
- Might be too fancy for some uses
The Danyee Cat-8 proves that even Ethernet cables can be luxurious with premium built-quality and the fastest speeds. It’s a snag-free flat cable with attractive Black, White, Blue, and Gold nylon braiding and gold-plated connectors to complete the plush look. A velcro cable management strap is included, so you won’t have to worry about your cables getting tangled, and it keeps your setup looking clean and organised too.
This cable isn’t just about looks, and offers top-tier performance with the fastest 40Gbps speeds and up to 2,000MHz bandwidth. It’s also available from 1.6 to 100ft, making it ideal for most homes and offices, and comes at a very reasonable price considering the quality on offer.
Amazon Basics / Pocket-lint
Amazon Basics RJ45 Cat-6 Ethernet Cable
8. Best budget Ethernet cable
Keeping it simple
$3 $3.5 Save $0.5
The Amazon Basics RJ45 Ethernet patch cable gets the job done for the lowest price possible and is small enough to fit in your pocket.
- Affordable
- Portable
- Gets the job done
- Questionable durability
- Too short for some uses
The Amazon Basics RJ45 Ethernet patch cable is ideal for support technicians or on-the-go workers needing a short, low-cost cable that gets the job done. At just 3ft, it can fit in your pocket and the smallest bags and still offers decent 1Gbps Cat-6 speeds, which should be enough for most regular users.
As a no-frills cable, it’s more about function than form, with a standard PVC coating and plastic connector that aren’t the most durable, but acceptable for the price. They’re also available in 5 to 50ft lengths if you need something longer for your home or office.
The bottom line: Which Ethernet cable is best?
The Tesmax Cat-8 is the best Ethernet cable overall. It offers the fastest speeds and has ample shielding from interference. If you’re looking for something more upmarket, the Ugreen cable is just as fast but has a braided jacket instead of PVC for better durability. The Monoprice Cat-6 offers the most value because it has 12 cables in a pack for a low price.
Tesmax / Pocket-lint
Tesmax Cat 8 Ethernet Cable 6FT
Editor’s Choice
$9 $19 Save $10
How did we choose the best Ethernet cables?
We’ve spent the last few months testing Ethernet cables with gaming laptops, Surface PCs, and other hardware to see what they offer. We then graded them based on their speed, construction and value.
When it comes to speed, it’s no surprise that Cat-8 cables come out on top, but there’s more to it, and Cat-6 is still ideal for most homes and businesses that haven’t upgraded to the fastest speeds yet. We included a mix of both since they offer the best price-to-performance ratios.
Construction is another critical factor because flat and round cables have different uses, strengths and weaknesses. Ethernet cables also have varying shielding and either PVC or braided jackets. All the cables on this list offer great quality for the price, and we tried to include as many options as possible to appeal to all users.
We can’t evaluate products without considering their value. While the price differences between Ethernet cables may seem insignificant, they can add up when you factor in the quantity you’ll need for big projects. We added cables at as many price points and lengths as possible, so there are options for home users connecting directly to their routers or companies looking for the fastest speeds for massive sites.
Which category of Ethernet cables is best?
Cat-8 is the latest and fastest, with a maximum frequency of 2,000MHz and up to 40Gbps. It also has the best shielding against interference but is the most expensive. Most users still prefer the reliable Cat-6 with Gigabit (1Gbps) speeds at 250MHz for homes and offices rather than the faster and pricier Cat-7, which has few performance benefits.
What is Ethernet cable bandwidth?
Network speed is how fast data can move from source to destination, while bandwidth is the amount of data that travels per second. You can think of the data transfer speed as cars and bandwidth as the road. Higher bandwidths allow more data to flow at any moment, and narrower bandwidth slows it down.
What is the fastest Ethernet cable?
Cat-8 is the fastest Ethernet cable with speeds of up to 40Gbps.
What Ethernet cable is best?
The Tesmax Cat-8 Ethernet Cable is best because it offers the fastest speeds and has adequate shielding to prevent interference.
