HDMI Cable Guide
Every HDMI cable has the same plug, but they are not all the same inside. This guide explains which HDMI cable your TV, console or streaming box needs, how long an HDMI cable can be, and the adapters, splitters and switches for connecting laptops, older screens and several devices.
Which HDMI cable do I need?
HDMI cables are rated by speed. HDMI version numbers such as 2.0 and 2.1 describe the sockets on your equipment; an "HDMI 2.1 cable" usually means an Ultra High Speed cable.
| Cable rating | Carries | Choose it for |
|---|---|---|
| High Speed | Up to 10.2Gbps: 1080p, and 4K at up to 30Hz | HD TV boxes, Blu-ray players, older consoles and everyday use, such as our economy HDMI cables, 0.5m to 5m |
| Premium High Speed | Up to 18Gbps: 4K at 60Hz with HDR | 4K streaming boxes and sticks, 4K Blu-ray, Sky Q and other 4K TV boxes, such as our Premium High Speed cables |
| Ultra High Speed | Up to 48Gbps: 4K at 120Hz, 8K at 60Hz, VRR | PS5, Xbox Series X, gaming PCs and 8K TVs, such as our Ultra High Speed cables, 0.5m to 5m, and certified braided cables |
- A faster cable works with everything slower, so if you are not sure, choose the higher rating.
- For 4K at 120Hz, plug into an HDMI 2.1 socket on the TV; on many TVs only some of the sockets support it.
- Soundbars: use the TV socket marked ARC or eARC. ARC works with any High Speed cable; eARC needs a High Speed with Ethernet or Ultra High Speed cable.
Long HDMI cables
An HDMI signal weakens over distance, and the higher the resolution, the sooner it shows as flickering, sparkles or a blank screen. As a guide:
| Length | What to use |
|---|---|
| Up to 5m | Any good copper cable of the right rating, including Ultra High Speed for 4K at 120Hz |
| 5m to 15m | Copper cables work well for 1080p, such as our 10m and 15m High Speed cables and 15m OFC cable. For 4K at 60Hz, or 4K at 120Hz and 8K, choose a fibre optic cable such as our 10m and 15m HDMI 2.1 fibre cables |
| 15m to 30m | An active cable with a built-in booster, such as our 20m and 30m active cables, or for 4K and 8K, a fibre cable such as our 48Gbps optical cable, 10m to 30m |
| Over 30m | Fibre optic HDMI cables, such as our 4K HDR fibre cable, 25m to 100m, and armoured 8K fibre cable up to 75m, or an HDMI extender over network cable |
- Active and fibre cables work in one direction only: the end marked source or TX goes to the box or console, and the end marked display or RX to the TV.
- Running through walls or conduit: fibre cables with removable plugs, such as our HDMI 2.0 cable with detachable plugs, 20m to 50m, and HDMI 2.1 cable with a removable head, 5m to 50m, pull through small holes.
- HDMI over network cable: a pair of extender boxes sends HDMI over one Ethernet cable, such as our 50m 1080p, 70m 4K 60Hz and 120m 4K 30Hz extenders. Use CAT6 cable.
- To rescue an existing long run, an HDMI 2.0 repeater regenerates the signal partway along.
Fibre optic HDMI cablesHDMI over CAT extendersHDMI repeaters
Wall mounted TVs, short and tidy cables
- Wall mounted TV with the sockets facing the wall: an HDMI cable with swivel connectors, 1m to 5m, a right angled cable, or a 90 degree or 270 degree adapter on your existing cable. Check whether the socket faces up, down or sideways before choosing.
- Short cables for boxes next to the TV: 0.3m and 0.5m cables, and our super slim 4K cables, 0.5m to 5m, which bend easily behind a TV.
- Flat cables, such as our flat HDMI cables, 1m to 15m, run neatly under rugs and along skirting boards. White HDMI cables suit white walls.
- Extending a cable: an HDMI extension lead, 0.5m to 5m, or a female to female coupler to join two cables. Each join adds a little loss, so for long runs one cable of the right length is better.
Angled HDMI cablesHDMI angle adaptersFlat HDMI cablesHDMI extension cables
HDMI sizes: standard, mini and micro
| Plug | Found on | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Standard HDMI (type A) | TVs, monitors, projectors, consoles, TV boxes, laptops | An HDMI to HDMI cable |
| Mini HDMI (type C) | Cameras, camcorders, some tablets and graphics cards | An HDMI to mini HDMI cable, or a mini HDMI adapter on a standard cable |
| Micro HDMI (type D) | Action cameras, some cameras and tablets, Raspberry Pi 4 and 5 | A micro HDMI to HDMI cable, 1m to 5m, or a micro HDMI adapter |
Laptops, PCs and older screens
| Connection | What you need |
|---|---|
| Laptop or phone with USB C to an HDMI TV | A USB C to HDMI cable, 1m to 3m, or adapter, or one with charging. The USB C port must support video (DisplayPort Alt Mode or Thunderbolt). These work one way only, from USB C to HDMI, so they will not connect an HDMI device to a USB C only screen |
| Computer with a spare USB A port | A USB to HDMI adapter, which adds an extra screen using a driver |
| HDMI to a DVI monitor, or DVI to an HDMI TV | An HDMI to DVI-D cable, 1m to 5m, or an HDMI to DVI adapter. The picture is the same, but DVI carries no sound |
| HDMI to a VGA monitor or projector | An HDMI to VGA adapter with audio. It converts one way only; for an old VGA computer to an HDMI TV, use a VGA to HDMI converter |
Splitters, switches and audio
- A splitter shows one source on two or more screens at once, such as our 2 way 4K 60Hz splitter, 4 way 4K splitter and 8K splitter. For 4K from Sky Q or streaming apps, choose a splitter that supports HDCP 2.2. Each screen shows the same picture.
- Powered or passive: a powered splitter suits most setups. A passive splitter needs no power but only works with short cables of up to 2m.
- A switch connects several sources to one TV input, such as our 3 port 4K switch with remote, automatic 2 way switch and 8K 4 way switch. A matrix switch sends any of four sources to either of two screens.
- Getting the sound out: an HDMI audio extractor takes the sound from an HDMI signal to an optical or 3.5mm input on an older soundbar, amplifier or speakers.
Not sure which HDMI cable you need? Call us on 0207 100 4874 or contact us and we will help.
For every socket on your TV, see our guide which cable for my TV?