Gaming Cables for PS5, Xbox Series X and PC

Everything a console or gaming PC needs to run at full speed: Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1 cables for 4K at 120 Hz, VRR and eARC on PS5 and Xbox Series X; VESA certified DisplayPort 1.4 for high-refresh monitors; Cat8 and Cat6A patch cables for a wired connection that never drops mid-match; and 100 W USB-C cables for controllers, decks and laptops.

Pick by what you play on

Console to 4K 120 Hz TV: Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1, 48 Gbps, in the shortest length that reaches. PC to a gaming monitor: DisplayPort 1.4 first; it carries adaptive sync most reliably and many monitors only give their full refresh rate on the DP input. Wired network: Cat6A for a room-to-router run, Cat8 for the desk-to-switch link. Our guides cover the details: the right HDMI cable for PS5 and Xbox, DisplayPort vs HDMI and Cat6 vs Cat7 vs Cat8.

Start here: our guides to best Ethernet cable for gaming and best HDMI cable for a 4K TV.

Common questions

Do I need an HDMI 2.1 cable for PS5? For 4K at 120 Hz or VRR, yes: an Ultra High Speed certified (48 Gbps) cable. If your TV is 4K at 60 Hz, a Premium High Speed (18 Gbps) cable carries everything it can show.

Does a Cat8 cable lower ping? Any wired connection beats Wi-Fi for latency; Cat8 does not lower ping further than Cat6A. Choose Cat8 for short runs at the desk and Cat6A for longer in-wall runs.

What to buy for what you play on

Setup Cable Why
PS5 or Xbox Series X to a 4K 120 Hz TV Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1, 48 Gbps The only tier certified for 4K 120 Hz, VRR and 8K
Console to a 4K 60 Hz TV Premium High Speed HDMI 2.0, 18 Gbps Carries everything a 60 Hz set can display
Gaming PC to a high-refresh monitor VESA certified DisplayPort 1.4 Many monitors reach their full refresh rate only on DP
Router to console, same room Cat6 or Cat6A patch cable Wired removes the jitter Wi-Fi adds; category is not the limit
Router to a room, through a wall Cat6A solid, riser or plenum rated Headroom for 10G on a run you will not redo
Desk switch to PC, a metre or two Cat8 slim Shielded, and thin enough to disappear behind the desk
Controller, handheld or laptop charging 100 W USB-C Full power delivery, and data if the port supports it

More common questions

Does a more expensive HDMI cable give a better picture? No. HDMI is digital — the picture either arrives intact or it visibly fails. What you pay for is certification to a bandwidth tier and construction that holds that bandwidth over length. Beyond the correct tier, more money buys nothing you can see.

Is Wi-Fi 6 or 6E as good as a wired connection? For raw throughput it can be. For consistency it is not: wireless shares airtime with every other device and its latency varies from moment to moment. Competitive play is where that variance is felt, which is why wired is still the advice.

Do I need 8K cables now? Only if you have an 8K display. An Ultra High Speed cable is worth buying for 4K 120 Hz on its own merits; the 8K label is the same certification, not an extra one.

Further reading: Slim vs Standard Ethernet Cable: Is 28 AWG Worth It? · Shielded vs Unshielded Ethernet Cable Explained