{"id":453645,"date":"2022-05-27T14:00:34","date_gmt":"2022-05-27T11:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/do-i-need-gold-plating-on-my-cables\/"},"modified":"2022-05-27T14:00:34","modified_gmt":"2022-05-27T11:00:34","slug":"do-i-need-gold-plating-on-my-cables","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/do-i-need-gold-plating-on-my-cables\/","title":{"rendered":"#Do I Need Gold Plating on My Cables?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a35847e6876d\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a35847e6876d\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/do-i-need-gold-plating-on-my-cables\/#%E2%80%9CDo_I_Need_Gold_Plating_on_My_Cables%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Do I Need Gold Plating on My Cables?&#8221;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/do-i-need-gold-plating-on-my-cables\/#Why_Is_Gold_Used_in_Cable_Connectors\" >Why Is Gold Used in Cable Connectors?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/do-i-need-gold-plating-on-my-cables\/#Gold_Connectors_Wont_%E2%80%9CImprove%E2%80%9D_Your_HDMI_Signal\" >Gold Connectors Won\u2019t \u201cImprove\u201d Your HDMI Signal<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/do-i-need-gold-plating-on-my-cables\/#Analog_Signals_Are_a_Different_Beast\" >Analog Signals Are a Different Beast<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/do-i-need-gold-plating-on-my-cables\/#Gold_Connectors_May_Mean_Higher_Quality_Cables\" >Gold Connectors May Mean Higher Quality Cables<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/do-i-need-gold-plating-on-my-cables\/#Gold_Isnt_Essential\" >Gold Isn\u2019t Essential<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CDo_I_Need_Gold_Plating_on_My_Cables%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;Do I Need Gold Plating on My Cables?&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage size-full wp-image-804552\" data-pagespeed-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/various-cable-connectors-gold-plating.jpg?width=398&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1 400w, https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/various-cable-connectors-gold-plating.jpg?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, 400w, 1200w\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/various-cable-connectors-gold-plating.jpg?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Closeup of several cable connectors, most with gold plating.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/group-audiovideo-cables-on-white-background-113585746\">Olga Popova\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Gold-plated connectors on stereo jacks, HDMI cables, and Ethernet connectors might look nice, but do they serve any purpose? Or can you save some money on your next cable purchase?<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Is_Gold_Used_in_Cable_Connectors\"><\/span>Why Is Gold Used in Cable Connectors?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The reason gold is used to plate connectors is due to its slow rate of corrosion. Copper is the \u201cgold standard\u201d in terms of conductivity, but copper tarnishes quickly when exposed to the elements. For this reason, bare copper connectors would be impractical. Gold tarnishes at a much slower pace, even though it is less conductive than copper.<\/p>\n<p>A tarnished connector is more likely to cause issues than an untarnished one, particularly when it comes to analog signals. Gold is used to protect the copper and ensure that the surface of the connector is capable of transmitting or receiving a \u201cclean\u201d signal.<\/p>\n<p>When copper oxidizes and begins to tarnish, its resistance increases. Gold is used in all manner of cables for this reason, from stereo jacks and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lifesavvy.com\/reviews\/the-best-rca-cables-for-your-audio-needs\/\">audio interconnects<\/a>, to Ethernet cables for networking and HDMI cables which transmit a digital signal. If an HDMI connector lacks gold plating, it is probably coated in nickel instead.<\/p>\n<p>On top of all of this, manufacturers are aware that gold has a certain <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>eal due to its physical attributes and status. A gold-plated cable connector is more marketable than a nickel-plated one, whether or not there are any visible benefits.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Gold_Connectors_Wont_%E2%80%9CImprove%E2%80%9D_Your_HDMI_Signal\"><\/span>Gold Connectors Won\u2019t \u201cImprove\u201d Your HDMI Signal<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>One of the main products to adopt gold connectors over the past decade or so is HDMI cables, which transmit a digital signal. The main benefit here is the same as any other cable type: gold is less likely to corrode. Unfortunately, there is a persistent belief that gold-plated cables will somehow improve the quality of the signal.<\/p>\n<p>The problem here is that you\u2019re only likely to notice a degradation in signal quality if your HDMI cable is failing. There are telltale signs of a failing HDMI cable, like seeing stars or white dots on the screen. This is why you should never spend a lot of money on an HDMI cable: they either work, or they don\u2019t.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019re better off spending your money on a modestly-priced cable that meets the HDMI 2.1 specifications, which supports higher bandwidths of up to 48Gb\/sec. These cables will allow you to transmit HDR 4K video at up to 120 frames per second, maxing out the capabilities of the Xbox <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/watch-movies-tv-seriess\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Watch Movies &amp; TV Series\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Series<\/a> X and PlayStation 5.<\/p>\n<p>If you have existing cables that don\u2019t have gold-plated connectors, replacing them with ones that do will yield no benefit. If you have problems carrying high resolution (4K) content, HDR video, or high frame rates then it\u2019s possible your cable is old and doesn\u2019t meet the required specification.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Analog_Signals_Are_a_Different_Beast\"><\/span>Analog Signals Are a Different Beast<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>While HDMI cables are used to transmit a digital signal, audio cables carry an analog one. Digital signals are made up of 1s and 0s, while analog signals use a waveform which is then interpreted by the device on the receiving end.<\/p>\n<p>Compare a stereo amplifier receiving an analog signal from a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lifesavvy.com\/reviews\/the-best-cd-radio-players-for-your-speaker-setup\/\">CD player<\/a> to a TV plugged into an HDMI device like a <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/game\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"7\" title=\"Game\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">game<\/a>s console. Small variations in the analog waveform may be misinterpreted by the receiver, resulting in lower sound quality.\u00a0An oxidized connector can increase the likelihood of subtle variations in the waveform.<\/p>\n<p>With an HDMI cable, there is no waveform to \u201cmisinterpret\u201d \u2014 the signal either makes it intact or it does not. That\u2019s not to say an HDMI cable can\u2019t be faulty, as previously noted. But two cables that are in working order should carry the same \u201cquality\u201d signal whether they cost $9 or $99.<\/p>\n<p>Most connections we use are now digital, which aren\u2019t susceptible to the same decrease in quality as the analog connections of old.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Gold_Connectors_May_Mean_Higher_Quality_Cables\"><\/span>Gold Connectors May Mean Higher Quality Cables<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There is one other reason to go for a gold-plated connector even though it will likely have little benefit, and that\u2019s overall build quality. While it\u2019s not a \u201cgolden\u201d rule, cables that feature a gold-plated connector may be of higher quality in <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/general\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"General\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">general<\/a>. They\u2019re likely to be more expensive and aimed at a different demographic.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019re unlikely to find a more <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/4596\/the-most-durable-lightning-cables-for-your-charging-needs\/\">rugged and durable cable<\/a> that lacks gold-plating. So if you\u2019re looking for something that will last long term, for <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">travel<\/a>, or simply because you\u2019ve had a run of bad cables fail on you, you might end up getting a gold-plated connector by default.<\/p>\n<p>HDMI cables are no different from other types of cables, like the ones you use to charge your phone or connect your headphones to your amplifier. Spending a little more on a cable with a tougher coating and more durable connector will pay off in the long term. This is especially true of a cable you\u2019re going to be connecting and disconnecting a lot.<\/p>\n<div class=\"product-box  \">\nBest HDMI Cable for Gaming\/PS5<\/p>\n<div class=\"product-img \">\n<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\" role=\"presentation\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/48Gbps-Compatible-Netflix-Playstation-Samsung\/dp\/B07S1CGQ9Z?tag=hotoge-20\" onclick=\"fbq('track', 'Buy Button'); if (fb_t_convert){fb_t_convert();}\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/m.media-amazon.com\/images\/I\/41zobGJgi4L._SL160_.jpg\" height=\"147px\" alt=\"\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><br \/>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Unfortunately, there\u2019s a tendency for audiovisual retailers to oversell cable quality, likely since AV equipment is expensive to begin with. Buyers may feel like they need to spend a few hundred dollars on a cable to \u201cget the most\u201d out of a TV that costs a few thousand, but that\u2019s simply not the case. Check out How-To Geek\u2019s best HDMI cable roundup to see how affordable our top-rated cable recommendations are.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Gold_Isnt_Essential\"><\/span>Gold Isn\u2019t Essential<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Since most cable purchases are now for purely digital connections like HDMI and USB, gold-plated connectors simply aren\u2019t that important. What\u2019s more important is not falling victim to marketing and paying over the odds for a cable that provides no tangible benefit over a cheaper version.<\/p>\n<p>There are some other things to look out for when buying a cable, like avoiding a USB-C cable that may damage your devices\u00a0and steering clear of \u201cfake\u201d HDMI 2.1 cables.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n setTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s) } (window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n   fbq('init', '335401813750447');\n   fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/802757\/do-i-need-gold-plating-on-my-cables\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Do I Need Gold Plating on My Cables?&#8221; Olga Popova\/Shutterstock.com Gold-plated connectors on stereo jacks, HDMI cables, and Ethernet connectors might look nice, but do they serve any purpose? Or can you save some money on your next cable purchase? Why Is Gold Used in Cable Connectors? The reason gold is used to plate connectors&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":453646,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/various-cable-connectors-gold-plating.jpg?height=200p&trim=2,2,2,2","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-453645","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/453645","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=453645"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/453645\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/453646"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=453645"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=453645"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=453645"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}