Braided HDMI Cable: An Ultimate Guide to It

When looking for HDMI cables, it is common for you to hear the term braided or non-braided cables, which may confuse some.

Therefore, the article below will discuss braided HDMI cables to help you determine if they’re the right choice for you.

What are the Braided HDMI Cables?

A braided HDMI cable is an ordinary one with a braided sheath consisting of several strands of shielding material carefully woven together.

Every strand has numerous wires inside with separate insulating features.

The braiding increases the cable’s strength and offers adequate protection to prevent wear and tear since the nylon strands are woven together, creating a tough bond.

The structural framework of Nylon is also much better than other materials when effectively utilized in the process.

What is a Non-Braided HDMI Cable?

In the case of a non-braided cable, it has a smooth and pliable feel despite the absence of any braiding or weaving that creates a stiff surface surrounding the wires.

Non-braided cables may also be lighter and thinner than their braided counterparts, making them ideal for any transporting requirements between gaming equipment.

Nonetheless, such features come at a price since non-braided cables are less durable, meaning your cables will be more prone to wear and tear issues like cracks.

Caption: Non-Braided HDMI Cable

Materials Used in Braided HDMI Cables

The following are some of the materials commonly used in braided cables:

Nylon

Nylon is the main material for making braided cables.

Nylon is popular because of its durability, lightweight design, and flexibility. Therefore, anyone looking for braided cables should consider nylon ones.

Polyethylene terephthalate or PET

Anyone using Ethernet cables in sensitive areas prone to fluctuating temperatures can benefit from PET braided cables.

Aside from being heat resistant, the material is solid and pretty flexible. Nonetheless, PET braided material is not widely used.

Polyester

Polyester is another highly used material for braided cables, coming in at number two. The material is highly flexible and can handle the heat.

Polyphenylene Sulfide Monofilament or PPS

PPS is ideal for very high temperatures. As a result, you will likely find it in factories and other major working stations. It is also possible to braid the material into a sleeve.

Nomex

Nomex is popular for its thermal stability and lightweight design.

You can use Nomex cables near chemicals and all sorts of abrasions. Although you can directly use Nomex cables, you can still have the material braided as a sleeve.

There are various other materials you can tailor to serve your needs better. However, the most common choices are polyester and nylon braided ethernet cables.

Benefits of Using a Braided HDMI Cable

The following are some of the benefits associated with using braided ethernet cables.

Durability

Braided cables are durable primarily because they are made using solid materials like polyester and Nylon. Also, these materials have other additional benefits, such as heat resistance and chemical tolerance.

Stability

Stability is another critical component of braided cables since it helps prevent unnecessary stretching.

In addition, stability allows users to enjoy tension-free long working hours and a steady internet connection.

Outside EMI Protection

Braided ethernet cables have twisted pairs of wires that can transmit electromagnetic radiation.

Therefore, if your cable lacks protective features or is of poor quality, it is vulnerable to external EMI if a source is nearby.

The other thing is that although a standard Ethernet cable can eliminate electromagnetic fields from outside, the braided ones can provide extra protection if you have a substantial EMI emitter.

The elimination of EMI and additional layers of protection will also provide you with a stable connection.

Premium Looks

Braided cables are popular for their premium look. They are eye-catching and have wonderful patterns.

Non-Braided vs. Braided HDMI Cable： Which to use

Braided cables offer ideal features, but one of the major drawbacks is that braided cables tend to have a stiff surface when manipulating electrical devices, which may result in their inability to connect different cords easily.

Also, they are expensive.

Non-braided cables tend to be more affordable and flexible.

Their flexible nature means an easier connection to electrical devices with fewer tangles and knots. Users can run the cables anywhere.

So, which one to use depends on your needs.

Application of Non-Braided HDMI Cables

The outer covering is the only difference between a braided and a non-braided cable.

HDMI cables are designed to facilitate the flow of quality signals with minimum attenuation or cross-talk while maintaining proper flexibility.

Analog signals require high-quality wiring since their fine details are important because they carry much of the detail.

HDMI cables transmit digital signals; therefore, the signal quality is okay, provided it gets to the other end without interruption from bitwise errors.

The tiny details of the signal are unimportant, so you don’t have to waste money on the signal quality.

Provided a cable is of good quality and rated for your needs, premium cables could prove to be a waste of money.

Application of braided HDMI cables

Protecting your cable from friction against objects and frequent movement by laying it behind appliances will properly function regardless of its exterior material.

However, if you plan to subject your cable to frequent friction and flexing, it’s best to have a braided exterior to increase your cable’s lifespan.

If your intended setup is for a monitor, it’s best to have braided cables because of the frequent tilting and turning of the screen.

However, if your HDMI cable is for your TV, you don’t have to choose a braided cable since it maintains its position and is rarely disturbed.

Another consideration is if your cable is exposed to UV light, which could degrade the cable’s outer protection.

Also, if your cables are visible, you could opt for braided cables because they are more appealing.

6 Best Braided HDMI Cables That You Can Buy

If you want to purchase an HDMI cable for TV viewing, here are a few recommended braided cables that you should consider.

BlueRigger 4K HDMI cable

If you’re looking for a good cable that functions well and has a sturdy build, you should consider the BlueRigger Cable. Its blue accents give it a cool look, and the nylon sheath enhances the cable’s life. It can take about 5000 bends.

PowerBear 4K HDMI cable

For anyone looking to upgrade to a 4K screen or a fully-capable sound bar, the PowerBear cable should be a good fit.

It has 2.0 cable support of up to 18Gbps and can accommodate 4K of about 60Hz.

Also, it features ARC and Dolby Vision which are particularly helpful for those with a sound bar that supports ARC.

AmazonBasics PREMIUM-CERTIFIED braided HDMI cable

Despite having a simple appearance, the AmazonBasics cable can handle all your needs. Its specs are similar to those mentioned above, like 18Gbps speeds, support features for 4K for as much 60Hz, and Audio Return Channel.

The last feature helps transmit both (audio) signals and audio from a video device.

That eventually brings about a neat TV setup. It has an HDMI 2.0b version and is available in various lengths.

Atevon 4K HDMI cable

Users with an extended screen can benefit from using Atevon cables.

They are available in lengths of up to 6ft, thus providing enough wiggle room to create your setup by your needs.

They are ideal for gaming consoles and monitors.

Zeskit ultra HD HDMI cable

If you want to upgrade your current TV to an 8k TV, the Zeskit HDMI Cable is a must-have.

It’s among the only HDMI cables available today that is version 2.1. Its specs are 48Gbps, support eARC, and have an adaptable refresh rate.

Monoprice HDMI active cable

It is the perfect cable if you are not looking to route the wiring over walls or through boards. It has a CL3 safety standard, so the cables are suitable for inside-wall use.

Also, the cables won’t emit toxic gasses in case of a flame.

Conclusion

Even though the specs of these cables are well articulated in the information above, you still have to be careful when purchasing to get something that matches your needs.

For all your braided HDMI cable needs, visit Cloom Tech.