For competitive gamers and streaming enthusiasts in Australia, a reliable wired connection can mean the difference between victory and defeat. While WiFi technology has improved dramatically, ethernet cables still offer unmatched stability, lower latency, and consistent performance. This guide explores the best ethernet cables for gaming available in Australia and helps you make an informed choice for your setup.
Why Ethernet Matters for Gaming
Online gaming requires consistent, low-latency connections that WiFi simply cannot guarantee. Even with the latest WiFi 6 and WiFi 7 routers, wireless signals are susceptible to interference from walls, other devices, and neighbouring networks. This interference manifests as ping spikes, packet loss, and the dreaded lag that can ruin a competitive match.
Ethernet cables provide a dedicated, interference-free pathway for your data. The physical connection eliminates the variables that plague wireless connections, resulting in lower and more consistent ping times. For games where milliseconds matter, like first-person shooters, fighting games, and competitive multiplayer titles, this consistency is invaluable.
Beyond raw performance, wired connections offer better bandwidth headroom for simultaneous activities. You can download game updates while playing online without the performance degradation that wireless connections often experience. This is particularly relevant for Australian households on NBN connections, where maximising available bandwidth matters.
The psychological benefit is also worth noting. Knowing your connection is as reliable as possible removes one variable from your performance equation, allowing you to focus entirely on gameplay rather than worrying about network issues.
Understanding Gaming Network Requirements
Before selecting a cable, it helps to understand what gaming actually requires from a network perspective. Most online games use surprisingly little bandwidth, typically between 1-3 Mbps for gameplay data. However, games require this data to arrive quickly and consistently, which is where latency and jitter become critical factors.
Latency, measured in milliseconds (ms) as ping, represents the round-trip time for data to travel from your device to the game server and back. Lower is always better, with under 20ms considered excellent, 20-50ms good, 50-100ms acceptable, and anything over 100ms potentially problematic for competitive play.
Jitter refers to the variation in latency over time. A connection averaging 30ms ping with spikes to 100ms will feel worse than a consistent 40ms connection. Ethernet cables help minimise jitter by eliminating the variable nature of wireless transmission.
While Cat5e cables technically support gigabit speeds adequate for gaming, higher-category cables like Cat6 and Cat6a offer better shielding and crosstalk reduction. These characteristics can marginally improve jitter performance, though the difference in typical home environments is minimal compared to the more significant improvement of simply switching from wireless to wired.
Recommended Cable Categories for Gaming
For gaming purposes, Cat6 cables offer the optimal balance of performance and value. They provide ample bandwidth headroom, excellent shielding characteristics, and are priced competitively in the Australian market. Cat6 cables support 10 Gbps speeds up to 55 metres and 1 Gbps speeds at the full 100-metre distance specified in networking standards.
Cat6a cables are worth considering if your gaming setup is located far from your router or if you run cables near significant sources of electromagnetic interference, such as power cables or electrical panels. The enhanced shielding in Cat6a cables provides better protection against external interference that could theoretically impact latency consistency.
Cat7 and Cat8 cables offer additional bandwidth and shielding but provide no meaningful gaming benefit over Cat6 or Cat6a for typical home setups. Your internet connection speed is the bottleneck, not your ethernet cable category. Spending extra on Cat8 cables for gaming is generally not cost-effective unless you have specific high-bandwidth local network requirements.
Flat ethernet cables have become popular for gaming setups due to their aesthetic appeal and ease of routing under carpets or along skirting boards. Performance-wise, quality flat Cat6 cables perform identically to round cables for gaming purposes. Just ensure you purchase from reputable brands to avoid poorly manufactured cables that may not meet category specifications.
Cable Length and Routing Considerations
When setting up your gaming station, measure the actual cable run carefully. Account for routing around doorways, along walls, and any elevation changes. Adding 20-30% extra length provides flexibility for repositioning your setup and avoids the cable being pulled taut, which can damage connectors over time.
For gaming, shorter cables are marginally better as they introduce slightly less latency, but the difference is truly negligible at gaming distances. A 10-metre cable adds approximately 0.00005 milliseconds of latency compared to a 1-metre cable, which is completely imperceptible. Choose your cable length based on practical routing needs rather than attempting to minimise latency through cable length.
Avoid running ethernet cables directly parallel to power cables for extended distances, as this can introduce interference. Crossing power cables at right angles is fine. If you must run cables alongside power cables, Cat6 shielded (STP) or Cat6a cables provide better protection against this interference.
For permanent installations, consider running cables through walls or conduit for a cleaner setup. This also protects cables from damage and eliminates trip hazards. If your gaming room is far from your router, installing a wall plate with ethernet keystone jacks creates a professional finish and makes future cable changes easier.
Features to Look for in Gaming Ethernet Cables
Quality RJ45 connectors are essential for a reliable gaming connection. Look for cables with gold-plated contacts, which resist corrosion and maintain consistent connectivity over time. Snagless boot designs protect the connector clip from damage when routing cables through tight spaces or disconnecting cables frequently.
Cable jacket material affects durability and flexibility. PVC jackets are common and adequate for most indoor installations. For cables that will be moved frequently, such as those connecting a gaming laptop, look for cables with more flexible jacket materials. Braided or cloth-wrapped cables offer additional durability and a premium appearance for visible installations.
Strain relief at the connector is important for cables that will be unplugged and reconnected regularly. Gaming setups often involve moving equipment for LAN parties or rearranging your room. Quality strain relief prevents the cable from separating from the connector due to repeated flexing.
While cable colour might seem purely aesthetic, choosing a colour that complements your gaming setup or blends with your room can make a significant difference in the overall appearance. Many gaming-focused cables are available in colours like red, blue, and white to match popular gaming aesthetic preferences.
Our Gaming Cable Recommendations
For most Australian gamers, we recommend Cat6 flat cables in lengths appropriate to your setup. These provide excellent performance, easy routing options, and good value. Our product section features several highly-rated options available through Amazon Australia with fast delivery and easy returns.
For competitive gamers who want the absolute best, Cat6a shielded cables provide marginal improvements in interference rejection and future-proofing for faster home network equipment. The premium is modest for shorter cable lengths and may be worth the investment for serious players.
Budget-conscious gamers should focus on quality Cat6 cables from recognised brands rather than generic unbranded options. The price difference is often just a few dollars, but the reliability difference can be significant. Poor quality cables may work initially but can develop issues over time, leading to frustrating intermittent problems during gameplay.
Ready to upgrade your gaming connection? Use our interactive cable finder quiz to get personalised recommendations based on your specific setup requirements and budget preferences.
Installation Tips for the Best Gaming Experience
Once you have selected your cable, proper installation ensures you get the performance you paid for. Test your cable before final installation by connecting it and running a speed test and ping test to a local server. This confirms the cable is functioning correctly before you route it through walls or secure it in place.
When routing cables, avoid sharp bends that can damage the internal wires. The minimum bend radius for Cat6 cables is four times the cable diameter. Flat cables can be bent more sharply but should still avoid 90-degree angles that might stress the conductors.
Keep cables organised and labelled if you have multiple ethernet runs. Cable management not only looks better but makes troubleshooting easier if issues arise in the future. Velcro cable ties are preferable to zip ties as they can be adjusted without cutting the tie.
Finally, ensure your router and gaming device are configured to prioritise your wired connection over WiFi. Some devices will continue using WiFi even when ethernet is connected. Disabling WiFi on your gaming device when ethernet is connected ensures all traffic uses the wired path for optimal performance.