The version is not printed on the cable, so buy by what it is rated to carry

HDMI connectors have not changed shape, which means a 2009 lead and a current one look identical in a drawer. What matters is the certification. High Speed covers 1080p and 4K at 30 Hz. Premium High Speed is the rating to look for if you are driving 4K at 60 Hz, which is what a modern laptop and monitor will negotiate by default. Ultra High Speed covers 8K and 4K at 120 Hz. An under-rated cable does not degrade gracefully — it sparkles, blanks intermittently, or drops to a lower resolution without telling anyone — and it is the first thing to swap when a meeting room display is behaving oddly.

Distance changes the answer

Passive copper HDMI is dependable to around 5 m at 4K. Beyond that, signal integrity becomes the limiting factor rather than the connector. For longer runs — a ceiling projector, a display at the far end of a room, a signage screen — an active optical cable carries the signal over fibre and holds full bandwidth over 10, 15 or 20 m where a passive lead of the same length will not. Optical leads are directional, so check which end goes to the source before pulling one through a wall.

Flat, locking and installation leads

Flat cables sit under carpet tiles and trunking where a round cable will not. Locking connectors are worth specifying anywhere a lead being knocked out is an incident rather than an inconvenience — wall plates, ceiling mounts, signage and anything in a public space. For a permanent install, choose the fixing before the length.

Brands

Microconnect, Cables Direct, Manhattan and VivoLink, alongside HDMI leads from the major display and dock manufacturers.

Trade pricing and business accounts are available for UK organisations, and bulk orders are welcome — request a quote.