Are you looking to buy a new Ethernet cable for your home or office? There are two common types of Ethernet cables, Cat 7 and Cat 8. What’s the difference between these two types of Ethernet cables?
The answer is not as simple as it might seem. In this article, we will discuss how each type of Ethernet cable works and what it can be used for.
What is Cat Cable?
Cat cable is the term commonly used to describe cables that are used for data transmission. Cat is short for category, and each type of cable has specifications that make it suited for different applications with different speeds. Two popular types of Cat cables are 7 and 8.
Cat cables are low voltage, shielded twisted pair (SFP) copper cabling that supports Ethernet. They can be used in any environment where high bandwidth and low power consumption are needed.
Since they support fast speeds of up to 100 Mbps, they work well for connecting computers to the network. They can also support extremely high speeds of up to 1000 Mbps when used with gigabit switches and routers.
What is Cat 7 Cable?
Cat 7 Ethernet cables are made using shielded twisted pair (STP) for the cable, which protects the data on the cable from interference. Cat 7 Ethernet cables can carry more data at 10 Gbps than Cat 5e cables and will likely be able to handle future needs as well.
This type of Ethernet cable is high-speed, high-bandwidth, and has advanced capabilities. Cat 7 cables are ready for anything.
They can handle bandwidth-intensive applications like 4K video streaming and online gaming, as well as the demands of 10 Gigabit Ethernet networks that offer speeds 10x faster than traditional gigabit Ethernet.
For at-home use, Cat 7 is perfect for connecting your devices. You’ll want a Cat 7 cable if you use high-bandwidth services like gaming and HD movies and want the speed of a fast-wired connection.
What is Cat 8 Cable?
Cat 8 Ethernet cable is a network cable that can be used for 40 Gbps Ethernet. The media type on this cable comes shielded so that you can use it with today’s generation of high-speed networks.
It provides enough bandwidth for HD video streaming and 3D gaming applications.
Cat 8 is a newer and more advanced version of Cat 7. This Ethernet cable can provide better transmission speeds and tolerate higher frequencies due to the improved bandwidth.
Cat 8 cables are generally more expensive than Cat 7 cables, so keep this in mind when buying your next Ethernet cable for your home or office.
What is the Difference Between Cat 7 and Cat 8?
The biggest difference is the potential amount of speed and bandwidth they offer. Cat 8 offers double the speed and bandwidth as compared with Cat 7. Cat 7 cable supports a data transfer rate of up to 1 GHz and a maximum bandwidth of 10 Gbps. Cat 8 cable supports a data transfer rate of up to 2 GHz and a maximum bandwidth of 40 Gbps.
However, Cat 8 cable only supports a maximum length of 30 meters, while Cat 7 cable has a maximum length of 100 meters.
What’s Better Cat 7 or Cat 8?
Both have their benefits, but it depends on your needs. Cat 8 supports 25 Gbps speed but is limited to 30 meters. Cat 7 supports 10 Gbps speed but can extend to 100 meters.
Do Cat 7 Cables Make a Difference?
Cat 7 cables make a difference in your network infrastructure and should be considered by anyone wanting to provide the best network connections. With the wide use of computers in homes and offices, we want to ensure we have good quality equipment installed.
Cat 7 cable is the next evolutionary step in twisted-pair cable technology. It is designed to increase bandwidth and transmission speeds while making it more durable than previous technologies.
Can I Use a Cat 7 Ethernet Cable for PS4?
Using a Cat 7 cable with your PS4 is possible but not necessary. All currently available official PlayStation 4 cables are Cat 5e or Cat 6 and will provide the same quality of connection for online play, downloads, and streaming movies.
There are some advantages to using a Cat 7 cable for certain tasks:
- Cat 7 cabling is optimized for high-bandwidth applications and can ensure a future-proof connection.
- Cat 7 cabling offers better protection against electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI). High-frequency signals are more likely to degrade over long cable runs, and Cat 7 cable provides extra protection.
- Cat 7 cable is more resistant to cross-talk from other nearby cables. This makes it ideal for use in densely packed server racks where much networking equipment is installed too close to one another.
- If your network installation requires a large quantity of short Cat 7 patch cables, you might consider buying them instead of Cat 5 or Cat 6 ones.
Is it Worth Upgrading to Cat 8?
The introduction of Cat 8 cable is very good news for gamers. If you have a high-end gaming PC or console set up, you’ll want to ensure all your network cables are Cat 8 ready.
There are also claims that Cat 8 is better at combating EMI (electromagnetic interference), but this remains to be seen in real-world tests. Time will tell if Cat 8 lives up to its claims, but for now, speeds aren’t hindered by interference, so you only need to worry about whether your device can handle 40 Gbps of speed or not.
Conclusion
The type of Ethernet cable you buy for your home or office should depend on what it will be used for and the distance between devices. However, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as each person’s needs may vary.
This article has provided useful information about the two types of Ethernet cables. With this knowledge, you can make an informed decision on which type of cable is right for your network needs.
