HDMI cables are a common practice in the industry of home entertainment. Almost any device in your house may have a port that connects to these cables. There are just a few companies that do not use this technology. However, since it is one of the most common artifacts needed when you must reproduce sound and picture on a larger screen, it is used in every household. 

People often ignore its existence and its usability. That is why they may have problems when trying to connect their devices. Some of the issues they may experience are blurry pictures, lack of sound, or images that skip a few frames. These problems can be annoying but may not mean your devices are defective. More times than ever, the cable is the problem.

Can Cheap HDMI Cable Cause Problems?

Since it has become standard in the industry to have an HDMI port in your devices, some of them come with an HDMI cable already included. These cables have higher quality. There could be times when you do not own one, and you need to buy one. 

In this case, you may ask yourself what kind to buy. In your retail store, you may have different price ranges for it. Thus, you may wonder if the cheap option you are planning to buy is a good option.

Can it cause problems to my devices?

The short answer is no. Cheap HDMI cables do not damage your devices. Since the HDMI industry has a standard they must set, most of them fulfill all the requirements to go into the market. You can buy a 7 dollars cable at a retail store, or you could buy a 70 dollars one in the same store. However, there may still be defective cables. It all depends on the place where you buy them.

You should go to places like Best Buy or Target if you want to buy decent quality cables for a lower price. Avoid going to sketchy stores. There may be someone who sells cords that do not work. They make these without fulfilling the market standard. If the person you plan to buy a cable does not work in a proper business, be careful.

To detect that a cable has a lesser quality, you may need to check them. The most common way is to compare them to other cords. If the HDMI cable you are trying to buy is more rigid than others. It may have a lot of plastic to make up for the volume that the missing wires make. 

Pirate cords usually use the least number of wires to get the signal working. But this signal is not sufficient and usually stops working after a few uses. Another check you can make is the package. Is it a well-made sealed box, or is it just plastic covering the product? Does the product come packaged at all, or do they hand you only the cable? If the HDMI cable comes with an instructive, it is more than probable that it is a genuine product. 

Be sure to check the information on the box matches the manual. Another double-check you could make if you buy a product outside a retail store is by comparing how different wires work.

If you buy your product only, try looking for reviews. Check the reviews of the product and the seller. Sometimes people use websites like Amazon or eBay to sell pirate products. Do not buy a product that has less than four stars. 

If you are buying your product on Amazon, see if Amazon is the person that handles the shipping. If it is so, then your product is probably authentic.

Pirate products are a common thing in the market. Nevertheless, if you follow the tips outlined for you, you will not have any troubles. Usually, all the cables must follow a market standard before being sold. If your product is well packaged and sold in reliable stores, you may not have a problem.

Is it better to buy a cheaper cable then?

Although all the cables may follow a market standard, it does not mean that it is the best option for you. Ask yourself if you need to use it regularly. When you need one to move around, you may want to buy a more expensive option. It happens because the constant usage may abrade the cable. 

The pins inside may bend or break if they have cheaper materials. On the contrary, if you want to have your devices connected all the time, you should consider a more affordable option. Its materials are resistant enough for prolonged use.

Do not fall for licensing tricks. Any HDMI cable will work for all your products. Sometimes, companies will sell you more expensive ones branded as unique for the product you need. For example, you may go to Best Buy and encounter a cable licensed by Nintendo. They may sell you this cable for a higher price. Nevertheless, you may find a cheaper product with higher materials that is not attached to a brand.

Another thing to keep in mind is the resolution of the image you want to have. If you have a High-Definition TV or a 4K one, you may want to buy HDMI cords specially made for them. Most cables in the market do not fully work with these screens. 

These TVs need special ones and are usually more expensive. If you connect a standard cable with your TV, the resolution may not be High-Definition. It is another thing to keep in mind when you buy a new HDMI cable.

However, most of the time, people have standard-definition TVs. Therefore, you may consider buying a cheap cable. If you are still doubtful, we recommend purchasing a 20 dollars cable. These cables have decent quality materials and will work great for you. And beware of piracy.