Best Ethernet Cables Compared in 2026

These five cables are compared on category, connectors, shielding, length and price. Categories range from Cat6 to Cat8, with lengths spanning 0.15m to 1.52m, and shielding types vary from unshielded UTP through to S/FTP constructions. Connector styles also differ, including straight and right-angle RJ45 options, so buyers should check which configuration suits their routing needs before choosing a cable. Match these details to the route.

5 selected productsListing snapshot 23 October 2026Selection Editorial

Affiliate disclosure. We may earn a commission if you buy through PCHub. This does not change the price you pay. Listed prices can change, so check the retailer page before ordering.

PC Hardware Compare editorial teamProduct information editor

Winner

Tripp Lite N204-001-BL-DN Down-Angle Cat6 Gigabit Molded UTP Ethernet

The Tripp Lite N204-001-BL-DN at £11.11 is the lowest priced option here and a practical starting point, rather than a pick for every setup.

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Product	Brand	Price	Retailers	Listed product details	Rated power
Tripp Lite N204-001-BL-DN Down-Angle Cat6 Gigabit Molded UTP Ethernet	Tripp Lite	£11.11	PCHub	Tripp Lite N204-001-BL-DN Down-Angle Cat6 Gigabit Molded UTP Ethernet Cable (RJ45 Right-Angle Down M to RJ45 M). Blue. 1 ft. (0.31 m)	Not listed
Tripp Lite N204-005-BL-RA Right-Angle Cat6 Gigabit Molded UTP Ethernet	Eaton	£12.38	PCHub	Tripp Lite N204-005-BL-RA Right-Angle Cat6 Gigabit Molded UTP Ethernet Cable (RJ45 Right-Angle M to RJ45 M). Blue. 5 ft. (1.52 m)	Not listed
StarTech.com 50cm White CAT8 Ethernet Cable. Snagless RJ45. 25G/40G. 2	StarTech.com	£13.19	PCHub	StarTech.com 50cm White CAT8 Ethernet Cable. Snagless RJ45. 25G/40G. 2000MHz. 100W PoE++. S/FTP. 26AWG Pure Bare Copper Wire. LSZH. Shielded Network Patch Cord w/Strain Reliefs. Individually Tested	100W
Lanview LightFlex CAT6 U/UTP 0.15M. White. TPE. Halogenfree Unshielded	Lanview	£18.58	PCHub	Lanview LightFlex CAT6 U/UTP 0.15M. White. TPE. Halogenfree Unshielded Network Cable. Halogenfree. 4x2xAWG 32 CU networking cable U/UTP (UTP)	Not listed
Intellinet Network Patch Cable. Cat7 Cable/Cat6A Plugs. 0.5m. White. C	Intellinet	£19.43	PCHub	Intellinet Network Patch Cable. Cat7 Cable/Cat6A Plugs. 0.5m. White. Copper. S/FTP. LSOH / LSZH. PVC. RJ45. Gold Plated Contacts. Snagless. Booted. Lifetime Warranty	Not listed

1. Tripp Lite N204-001-BL-DN Down-Angle Cat6 Gigabit Molded UTP Ethernet

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Price shown £11.11

A Cat6 Gigabit moulded UTP cable with a right-angle down RJ45 connector at one end, in blue at 1 ft length.

The Tripp Lite N204-001-BL-DN is a Cat6 Gigabit moulded UTP cable measuring 1 ft or 0.31 m, finished in blue.

It uses an RJ45 right-angle down male connector at one end and a standard RJ45 male connector at the other.

Benchmark

Geekbench does not benchmark the primary function of Tripp Lite N204-001-BL-DN Down-Angle Cat6 Gigabit Molded UTP Ethernet. Its scores measure the processor or graphics device in the test computer, not this product.

Browse Geekbench Community Results

Cable certification and signal testing

Compare insertion loss, return loss, crosstalk and link certification at the rated frequency and length. Cable category claims alone are not test results.

A comparable third-party result for Tripp Lite N204-001-BL-DN Down-Angle Cat6 Gigabit Molded UTP Ethernet is not included here. See cable certification test method explains the relevant test or benchmark method.

At £11.11 this is the cheapest cable in the roundup.

Product specifications
Specification	Information
Brand	Tripp Lite
Price	£11.11
Listed product details	Tripp Lite N204-001-BL-DN Down-Angle Cat6 Gigabit Molded UTP Ethernet Cable (RJ45 Right-Angle Down M to RJ45 M). Blue. 1 ft. (0.31 m)

Compatible hardware

Check against Wi-Fi routersMatch connector type, cable category and length to the router port and link speed.
Check against Network switchesCheck cable medium, connector and category support the switch port speed.
Check against Network adaptersMatch the cable connector and medium to the adapter port or transceiver.

What we like

Lowest price in the roundup
Right-angle down connector for tight spaces
Moulded UTP construction

What we don't like

Shorter than the other Tripp Lite cable at 0.31 m versus 1.52 m
Unshielded UTP construction

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2. Tripp Lite N204-005-BL-RA Right-Angle Cat6 Gigabit Molded UTP Ethernet

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Price shown £12.38

A Cat6 Gigabit moulded UTP cable with a right-angle RJ45 connector at one end, in blue at 5 ft length.

The Tripp Lite N204-005-BL-RA is a Cat6 Gigabit moulded UTP cable measuring 5 ft or 1.52 m, the longest cable in this roundup.

It uses an RJ45 right-angle male connector at one end and a standard RJ45 male connector at the other, finished in blue.

Benchmark

Geekbench does not benchmark the primary function of Tripp Lite N204-005-BL-RA Right-Angle Cat6 Gigabit Molded UTP Ethernet. Its scores measure the processor or graphics device in the test computer, not this product.

Browse Geekbench Community Results

Cable certification and signal testing

Compare insertion loss, return loss, crosstalk and link certification at the rated frequency and length. Cable category claims alone are not test results.

A comparable third-party result for Tripp Lite N204-005-BL-RA Right-Angle Cat6 Gigabit Molded UTP Ethernet is not included here. See cable certification test method explains the relevant test or benchmark method.

At £12.38 this is priced close to the cheapest cable in the roundup.

Product specifications
Specification	Information
Brand	Eaton
Price	£12.38
Listed product details	Tripp Lite N204-005-BL-RA Right-Angle Cat6 Gigabit Molded UTP Ethernet Cable (RJ45 Right-Angle M to RJ45 M). Blue. 5 ft. (1.52 m)

Compatible hardware

Check against Wi-Fi routersMatch connector type, cable category and length to the router port and link speed.
Check against Network switchesCheck cable medium, connector and category support the switch port speed.
Check against Network adaptersMatch the cable connector and medium to the adapter port or transceiver.

What we like

Longest length in the roundup
Right-angle connector for tight spaces
Moulded UTP construction

What we don't like

Unshielded UTP construction
No shielding compared to the S/FTP cables here

Check price at PCHub

3. StarTech.com 50cm White CAT8 Ethernet Cable. Snagless RJ45. 25G/40G. 2

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Price shown £13.19

A Cat8 cable with a 25G/40G and 2000MHz listing, S/FTP shielding and 100W PoE++ support, in white at 50cm length.

The StarTech.com Cat8 50cm cable is listed with 25G/40G and 2000MHz specifications, using S/FTP shielding and 26AWG pure bare copper conductors.

It supports 100W PoE++ according to the listing, with a snagless white RJ45 design and LSZH jacket material.

Benchmark

Geekbench does not benchmark the primary function of StarTech.com 50cm White CAT8 Ethernet Cable. Snagless RJ45. 25G/40G. 2. Its scores measure the processor or graphics device in the test computer, not this product.

Browse Geekbench Community Results

Cable certification and signal testing

Compare insertion loss, return loss, crosstalk and link certification at the rated frequency and length. Cable category claims alone are not test results.

A comparable third-party result for StarTech.com 50cm White CAT8 Ethernet Cable. Snagless RJ45. 25G/40G. 2 is not included here. See cable certification test method explains the relevant test or benchmark method.

At £13.19 this sits near the lower end of the roundup on price.

Product specifications
Specification	Information
Brand	StarTech.com
Price	£13.19
Rated power	100W
Listed product details	StarTech.com 50cm White CAT8 Ethernet Cable. Snagless RJ45. 25G/40G. 2000MHz. 100W PoE++. S/FTP. 26AWG Pure Bare Copper Wire. LSZH. Shielded Network Patch Cord w/Strain Reliefs. Individually Tested

Compatible hardware

Check against Wi-Fi routersMatch connector type, cable category and length to the router port and link speed.
Check against Network switchesCheck cable medium, connector and category support the switch port speed.
Check against Network adaptersMatch the cable connector and medium to the adapter port or transceiver.

What we like

Only Cat8 cable in the roundup
S/FTP shielding with pure bare copper conductors
100W PoE++ listed

What we don't like

Shortest cable length in the roundup
Shorter than the 1.52 m Tripp Lite cable

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4. Lanview LightFlex CAT6 U/UTP 0.15M. White. TPE. Halogenfree Unshielded

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Price shown £18.58

A Cat6 U/UTP cable with unshielded construction and AWG32 copper conductors, in white TPE at 0.15m length.

The Lanview LightFlex Cat6 U/UTP cable measures 0.15m and uses a halogen-free TPE jacket with 4x2x AWG32 copper conductors.

It is built to an unshielded U/UTP construction, the shortest cable listed in this roundup.

Benchmark

Geekbench does not benchmark the primary function of Lanview LightFlex CAT6 U/UTP 0.15M. White. TPE. Halogenfree Unshielded. Its scores measure the processor or graphics device in the test computer, not this product.

Browse Geekbench Community Results

Cable certification and signal testing

Compare insertion loss, return loss, crosstalk and link certification at the rated frequency and length. Cable category claims alone are not test results.

A comparable third-party result for Lanview LightFlex CAT6 U/UTP 0.15M. White. TPE. Halogenfree Unshielded is not included here. See cable certification test method explains the relevant test or benchmark method.

At £18.58 this is priced above both Tripp Lite cables but below the Intellinet unit.

Product specifications
Specification	Information
Brand	Lanview
Price	£18.58
Listed product details	Lanview LightFlex CAT6 U/UTP 0.15M. White. TPE. Halogenfree Unshielded Network Cable. Halogenfree. 4x2xAWG 32 CU networking cable U/UTP (UTP)

Compatible hardware

Check against Wi-Fi routersMatch connector type, cable category and length to the router port and link speed.
Check against Network switchesCheck cable medium, connector and category support the switch port speed.
Check against Network adaptersMatch the cable connector and medium to the adapter port or transceiver.

What we like

Halogen-free TPE jacket material
Compact 0.15m length
AWG32 copper conductors specified

What we don't like

Shortest length in the roundup
Unshielded U/UTP construction

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5. Intellinet Network Patch Cable. Cat7 Cable/Cat6A Plugs. 0.5m. White. C

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Price shown £19.43

A Cat7 cable fitted with Cat6A plugs, S/FTP shielded, with gold plated RJ45 contacts and a lifetime warranty.

The Intellinet Network Patch Cable combines Cat7 cable construction with Cat6A plugs, measuring 0.5m in white with copper conductors.

It uses S/FTP shielding with LSOH, LSZH and PVC materials listed, gold plated RJ45 contacts, a snagless booted design and a lifetime warranty.

Benchmark

Geekbench does not benchmark the primary function of Intellinet Network Patch Cable. Cat7 Cable/Cat6A Plugs. 0.5m. White. C. Its scores measure the processor or graphics device in the test computer, not this product.

Browse Geekbench Community Results

Cable certification and signal testing

Compare insertion loss, return loss, crosstalk and link certification at the rated frequency and length. Cable category claims alone are not test results.

A comparable third-party result for Intellinet Network Patch Cable. Cat7 Cable/Cat6A Plugs. 0.5m. White. C is not included here. See cable certification test method explains the relevant test or benchmark method.

At £19.43 this is the most expensive cable in the roundup.

Product specifications
Specification	Information
Brand	Intellinet
Price	£19.43
Listed product details	Intellinet Network Patch Cable. Cat7 Cable/Cat6A Plugs. 0.5m. White. Copper. S/FTP. LSOH / LSZH. PVC. RJ45. Gold Plated Contacts. Snagless. Booted. Lifetime Warranty

Compatible hardware

Check against Wi-Fi routersMatch connector type, cable category and length to the router port and link speed.
Check against Network switchesCheck cable medium, connector and category support the switch port speed.
Check against Network adaptersMatch the cable connector and medium to the adapter port or transceiver.

What we like

Lifetime warranty stated
S/FTP shielding with gold plated contacts
Snagless booted connector design

What we don't like

Highest price in the roundup
Mixed Cat7 cable and Cat6A plug specification may need checking against requirements

Check price at PCHub

Prices shown reflect the available listing details and can change. Check stock, delivery, compatibility and full product specifications with PCHub before ordering.