In one line – For most gamers, Cat8 Ethernet cables provide no substantial benefit over cheaper Cat5e or Cat6 cables. The extreme 40Gbps bandwidth of Cat8 is overkill for home networking uses including gaming. Invest in Cat8 only if you have specific needs like future-proofing for very high speed internet plans beyond 10Gbps.
As an investment analyst with over 10 years of experience evaluating technology costs and benefits, I have dug deeper into the Cat8 vs lower category cables debate for gaming. Here is a comprehensive guide on whether opting for pricier Cat8 cables makes sense for boosting your online gaming capabilities and enhancing connectivity.
Gaming Requires Low Latency, Not Extreme Speeds
Gaming performance and lag-free online multiplayer experiences depend more on achieving low latency rather than very high internet speeds. Latency refers to the delay between sending data packets from your gaming PC or console to the game server and receiving the response back. Lower latency translates to more responsive gameplay.
Cat8 Ethernet cables spec out at 40Gbps bandwidth which is up to 40 times faster than required for even 8K video streaming. But this does NOT lower latency by any significant degree compared to a Cat6 cable‘s 10Gbps bandwidth. Real world latency depends more on distance to gaming servers and network congestion.
Typical Home Internet Speeds Do Not Exceed 1Gbps
The average US home internet speed as per Speedtest Global Index August 2022 is just 183Mbps upload and 201Mbps download. Even fiber optic plans rarely exceed 1Gbps upstream and downstream speeds which can be easily handled by cheaper Cat5e cables. There is absolutely no need for a 40Gbps Cat8 cable to transmit these consumer internet speeds.
Multiplayer Servers Are Optimized for Minimum Latency
Well designed online multiplayer game servers for popular titles like Call of Duty, Overwatch, Fortnite etc. are already optimized to provide minimum latency to gamers through techniques like regional distribution, efficient routing, and capacity planning. Your local network cable category does not influence this aspect.
Upgrading Local Network Cable Will Not Improve Latency
A Cat8 cable can potentially improve latency over very long runs of over 55 yards when signal degradation occurs. But for typical gaming room spans of under 50 feet, it provides negligible real-world improvement in latency compared to Cat6 cables.
When Does Investing in Cat8 Cables Make Sense for Gaming?
Here are some gaming scenarios where it makes sense to invest in Cat8 cables rather than "good enough" Cat5e or Cat6 options:
You Plan to Upgrade to Multi-Gig Internet Plans Above 1Gbps
While most consumers are fine with 100Mbps to 1Gbps internet speeds, 8Gbps and 10Gbps fiber internet plans are rolling out in parts of US, Europe and South Korea. For instance, WebPass offers home plans up to 10Gbps in some metro areas.
To fully utilize these upcoming multi-gigabit plans for gaming and streaming, upgrading your local network to Cat8 cables is advisable.
You Need to Minimize Interference Due to Nearby Devices
If your gaming PC and routers/switches are located in crowded office areas with lots of electronic devices, the heavy shielding of Cat8 cables helps minimize electrical interference and noise pickup compared to unshielded Cat5e/6 cables. The shielding acts like a Faraday cage.
Investing in shielded Cat6a cables also provides good noise immunity without going all the way up to Cat8.
You Game and Stream 4K or 8K Video Simultaneously
Gamers who live stream their gameplay at very high 4K or 8K resolutions could benefit from Cat8‘s 40Gbps capacity compared to Cat6‘s 10Gbps. For professional esports streamers, uninterrupted super high bandwidth streaming is essential.
But for casual gaming, even 4K streams consume under 25Mbps – easily handled by Cat6.
You Have Fiber Internet But Use Copper Cables
One scenario where Cat8 edges out fiber optic cables is if you have a high speed multi-gigabit fiber internet plan but run copper cables for the last 100 feet to your gaming PC. Here, Cat8‘s ability to support up to 40Gbps matches the super high capacity of your internet pipe.
You Play Games Professionally and Need Every Edge
For pro or competitive esports gamers where cash prizes of millions are at stake, investing in Cat8 cables to shave off even 1 or 2 milliseconds of latency can provide a competitive edge. Since they play 8+ hours a day, the high cable cost gets justified.
You Frequently Transfer Gigabyte-Sized Game Files on Your Network
If you routinely copy large game install files between gaming rigs or external NAS storage on your local network, the 40Gbps speed of Cat8 cables will save some transfer time compared to waiting for multi-gigabyte files to transfer sequentially at just 1Gbps.
The Right Cat8 Cable Features for Optimized Gaming
While any Cat8 cable will provide the extreme 40Gbps capacity, pay attention to the following aspects for a cable optimized for gaming:
High flexibility – Avoid thick, rigid Cat8 cables. Look for slimmer 28AWG wire cables which bend easily in tight gaming setups.
Low profile connectors – Larger Cat8 connectors may not fit well in crowded router or PC ports. Opt for slimmer connectors.
Length – 5 to 15 feet is ideal for connecting gaming PC and peripherals. Avoid signal degradation with longer lengths.
Shielded – Choose shielded Cat8 cables with metal foil shielding to minimize interference in busy wireless environments.
Snagless connectors – Snagless RJ45 connectors prevent clips breaking from repeated unplugging of gaming peripherals.
durable jacket – A braided nylon sleeve prevents wear and tear of cables in high flex areas.
Cat8 Alternatives – Should You Consider Fiber Optic or Cat6a?
Using fiber optic gaming cables or upgraded Cat6a cables offer two alternatives with interesting tradeoffs:
Fiber Optic Cables for Gaming
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Cat6a Cables
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The Bottom Line – Who Should Upgrade to Cat8 Cables?
- Gamers who plan to upgrade to multi-gigabit fiber internet plans beyond 1Gbps in the future.
- Gamers whose PCs or consoles are located near sources of electrical interference.
- Professional esports gamers who need absolutely minimized latency.
- Gamers who regularly transfer large game files between networked drives.
For all other casual gaming uses, investing in Cat8 cables offers no substantial improvement over more reasonably priced Cat6 or Cat6a cables. As an investment analyst, I always advise looking at the cost versus benefit tradeoff. For gaming, Cat8 cables fail this assessment for most users.
Focus your budget on the graphics card, display, CPU and other components which impact gaming performance much more noticeably. As internet speeds and PC capabilities evolve in the coming years, you can then cost-effectively upgrade networking infrastructure if needed.
