That $40 'premium' HDMI cable from the electronics shop was a complete ripoff

I bought a $40 gold-plated HDMI cable at Best Buy last month because the sales guy said it would give me better picture quality for my 4K TV. After some digging online, I found out digital cables either work or they don't - there's no quality boost from expensive ones. Has anyone else fallen for this markup trick or did you already know better?

3 comments

3 Comments

wilson.olivia14d ago

The gold plating does have a purpose though. It stops corrosion at the connection points which matters more after a couple years of plugging and unplugging things. A $5 cable that oxidizes in six months ends up being the real ripoff.

pat_murray5314d ago

Is the corrosion really that bad on a $5 cable though... I've had cheap ones last years without any issues, just stored them normally. Gold plating feels more like a marketing thing than a real fix for most people's setups. Unless you're living in a humid basement, I doubt it makes much difference.

fiona_kim9714d ago

Actually gold plating does help but not really for stopping corrosion the way people think. The real advantage is that gold doesn't oxidize at all which keeps the contact resistance low over time. Regular copper or tin connectors can develop a thin layer of oxide that messes with signal quality even if you can't see it. That said for a $5 cable the plating is probably so thin it wears off after a few plug cycles anyway so the point is kinda moot for most people unless you're leaving it plugged in permanently.