Is there a meaningful performance or reliability difference between flat and round Ethernet cables, particularly when comparing Cat 8 models? Some flat cables cost much less, so I'm wondering whether they're suitable for home networking or if round cables are worth the extra money.
4 Answers
For most home setups, a good-quality round Cat 6 or Cat 6a cable is the sensible choice. Cat 8 is usually unnecessary and often marketed beyond what a typical home network can use. Round cables generally maintain better shielding, durability, and signal integrity, especially over longer runs or near sources of electrical interference.
The cable shape itself isn’t the only factor, but flat designs often have less room for proper separation and shielding of the twisted pairs. That can reduce their margin against interference and make them less suitable for demanding or longer runs. For ordinary gigabit networking, though, a reputable flat cable of suitable length may be fine.
Flat cables can work perfectly well for short, low-interference runs, such as going under a door or along a baseboard. Their main advantage is convenience and easier routing, not higher performance. If the cable will be exposed to bending, compression, interference, or a longer distance, round is the safer option.
Unless you have a specific need for very high bandwidth over a short, controlled run, Cat 8 is probably not worth the price. Cat 6 is enough for most homes, while Cat 6a is a good choice for longer runs or future-proofing. If you genuinely need data-center-class speeds and distance, fiber is often a more appropriate solution than expensive copper Cat 8.
A flat braided cable can also be handy for portable use because it is less likely to become a tangled mess, but I’d still choose a standard round cable for a permanent installation.