3 Cheap HDMI Cables That Punch Above Their Price Bracket

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HDMI cables are an essential component of home entertainment and work setups. They connect streaming devices, gaming consoles, Blu-ray players, and more to smart TVs, as well as laptops and Chromebooks to external displays. The market is flooded with HDMI cable options, and because there are so many different use cases, you'll find cables that offer a variety of resolutions, refresh rates, lengths, and, of course, prices. HDMI cables can get incredibly expensive, with premium options running well into the hundreds of dollars for a single cable.

But we think that one of the HDMI cable myths you need to stop believing is that expensive models are mandatory for a quality viewing experience. In fact, many cheap HDMI cables are well-reviewed by users and offer far more value. The key factors to consider when shopping for the right HDMI cable for your setup are its supported resolution quality and refresh rates, as well as its durability to ensure it lasts a long time. With these factors in mind, we've tracked down some cheap but great HDMI cables. Each of them is available for less than $15 yet still offers capabilities you'll find in much more expensive options.

With so much content now being presented in high resolutions, it's important to ensure your HDMI cable can output 4K video. This option from Acer can transmit up to 8K resolution, going beyond 4K support. It's capable of transmitting 4K video at a refresh rate of 120 hertz, making it ideal for connecting the latest generation of gaming consoles and streaming devices. It meets the HDMI 2.1 standard of 48Gbps bandwidth but is backward-compatible with older HDMI ports. Acer makes it available in 3.3-foot, 6.6-foot, and 10-foot lengths, with the two shorter lengths costing just $13 on Amazon.

Those lengths, however, may not present enough options for some home theater or work setups. Most office setups won't need to run an HDMI cable more than a few feet from a laptop or desktop PC to an external monitor, but complex home theaters may require a longer connection. Customers have given it 4.8 stars out of 5 overall on Amazon reviews, with 96% of buyers giving the Acer HDMI cable a 5-star or 4-star review. If your components are less than 10 feet apart, the Acer HDMI cable is a good choice that comes with way more features than its price suggests.

The Ugreen HDMI cable is another budget option that delivers far more than its price suggests. It delivers support for 10K resolution video, as well as 4K video at a refresh rate of up to 240 hertz. Gamers should love such specs, as these resolutions and refresh rates will ensure that the immersive intentions of modern gaming consoles are properly transmitted to the TV. This cable also meets the HDMI 2.1 standard of 48Gbps bandwidth. This Ugreen cable is available in lengths ranging from 1.6 feet to 33 feet. The shortest option is the most affordable at $12, while the 33-foot cable goes for $43 on Amazon.

The Ugreen HDMI cable is also recommended by Amazon customers. More than 10,000 people have reviewed it, and 98% of them gave it three stars or higher. That leaves a very small percentage of users unhappy with this HDMI cable, and several of the positive reviewers even commend Ugreen as a brand overall. If there's anything to hold against this HDMI cable, it's that it might be overkill for some people's needs, as 10K resolution and a 240-hertz refresh rate aren't likely to be difference-makers for the casual home theater viewer.

Anker is known for its cables and charging devices, and with this Anker HDMI cable, you'll get both brand recognition and a full range of capabilities for a low price. Each of the 3-foot, 6-foot, and 10-foot lengths costs under $15 on Amazon, yet the cable can transmit up to 8K resolution video at 60 hertz and 4K video at up to 120 hertz. This is another cable that meets the HDMI 2.1 standard, but what sets it apart from many other cheap HDMI cables is the focus Anker puts on durability. It's designed to withstand up to 1,000 bends throughout its lifespan, which means it should hold up better to repeated disconnecting and reconnecting than some other budget options.

But there is a trade-off to the superior durability of the Anker HDMI cable. The reinforced build quality does make it stiffer, which can make it more difficult to fit into tight spaces and around sharp corners. This may not be the best cable for small viewing setups or cramped desktops. Still, only 3% of Amazon customers give it an unfavorable review, which means most customers like the cable. Among the favorable reviews of the Anker HDMI cable, its build quality, image quality, and plug-and-play convenience are mentioned repeatedly as standout features.

When selecting these HDMI cables, we prioritized affordability by setting a budget of $15 per cable. Each of the models is offered in multiple lengths, and we ensured several lengths per cable are available under our $15 ceiling. We also wanted to make sure we selected HDMI cables that offer more value than the $15 price limit suggests. To do so, we turned to accessories packed with features found in higher-priced HDMI cables, such as 8K video output, high refresh rates, impressive build quality, and HDMI 2.1 compatibility.

Because affordability is involved in selecting these HDMI cables, we also wanted to incorporate reputation to ensure quality. We started with recognizable brand names and leaned heavily on Amazon's customer feedback to narrow down which HDMI cables are likely to remain capable and fully functional over time. Real-world performance is important when determining reliability, so each of these HDMI cables was chosen because it had hundreds or thousands of reviews, mostly positive ones.