Cat6 Vs Cat7 - Difference Between Ethernet Cables

3 months ago

You might have seen people installing Ethernet cables at home to eliminate the internet lagging issues they experienced due to their wireless internet router. The reason behind their doing this is that Ethernet cables are more effective in providing a strong internet connection than any device with wireless connectivity. There are a host of factors that contribute to internet lagging by the wireless devices; distance from the network, any hindrance like a brick wall, or anything else.

However, these Ethernet cables are free from any such issues. They are made of high-quality material that guarantees you a super-strong internet connection under every circumstance. They can be used with any piece of hardware and are extremely efficient in reducing latency and interference, thus increasing the speed of the internet connection.

There are many types of Ethernet cables; however, if you are indecisive about selecting between Cat6 and Cat7 cables to install in your homes or office setups, then this article will be of great help. In this article, we are going to compare these two and also illuminate the main differences between them so that it may become easy for you to choose the one.

Besides, when talking about Cat6 and Cat7 cables, the main difference between both of them is between the frequency and speed. As far as the speed is concerned, Cat6 cables are found to be containing a maximum length of 100m providing a maximum speed of almost 1.000Mbit/s, and Cat7 also comes in a maximum of 100m length but provides the speed of almost 10.000Mbit/s. However, the standard frequency provided by Cat6 cables is almost 250MHz and by Cat7 is about 600MHz. So it is obvious that Cat7 has greater speed and frequency than Cat6 and is better in both signal and data transferring speed as compared to it.

Difference between Cat6 and Cat7 Ethernet cables

Both Cat6 and Cat7 cables are best in their own place, but when compared with each other, occur huge amount of differences that, in one way or the other, make Cat7 cables better than Cat6. There are many factors that need to be discussed here to get a better understanding of the fact. Checkout this article by Digital Trends on how to choose a cable.

#1. Speed and Frequency

Cat6 cable provides you the maximum speed of 1.000Mbit/s and frequency of 250MHz, whereas, on the other hand, Cat7 cable efficiently provides the speed and frequency of 10.000Mbit/s and 600MHz, respectively. This indicates that Cat7 has a greater signal transfer speed than Cat6. So, when compared to cat6, it is better that you install Cat7 for your gaming purposes as it will let you a better gaming experience, especially if you are a type of gamer who loves to play heavy-duty shooting games that demand greater speed and strong internet connection. With this speed, you can lead your team and be at the top of your gaming opponents; after all, this is what every die-hard gamer wants.

#2. Twists per cm

Cat6 cable comes with a maximum of 100m cable with two or more twists per cm. These twists in the cable are responsible for the effective cancellation of electromagnetic interferences that are caused by external sources. At the same time, Cat7 cables offer greater shielding and are relatively stiff as compared to Cat6 cable. So, this indicates that Cat7 cables are better at reducing signal loss and in reducing external interference. This reduced interference can be of great help to any gamer involved in online gaming that demands greater focus and response. With speedy internet signals, your response rate in-game increases which means your chances for winning the game increase manifolds.

#3. Shielding

As far as the shielding is concerned, Cat6 cables are available in both Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) and also Shielded Twisted Pair (STP). While on the other hand, Cat& cables come in Screen Shielded Twisted Pair, which is better in reducing the crosstalk as compared to cat6 cable. Also, these cables greatly enhance the performance and also reduce noise.

These qualities serve as best support while you are absorbed in playing some high-profile online games which demand from you and additional focus and premium grade performance in being on top of the list.

All technical and non-technical differences

Both Cat6 and Cat7 cables greatly differ from each other, not only technically but also non-technically. These differences are what make these cables distinct and also suitable for various different purposes. As far as the technical differences are concerned, both the cables differ highly in their manufacturing, performance, speed, and frequency.

Although both of them are made of premium and high-quality material that adds to their long life and effective performance, the material still differentiates them widely. It makes them different in their performance; Cat6 cables are available in 1.5-2 twists per cm, but cat7 cable comes in 2 or more twists per cm. These turns indicate their effective reduction in signal loss, noise, interference, and packet loss. Also, Cat& cables are more effective in providing greater speed and frequency for the better completion of your tasks, be it playing the game or any other.

However, regarding the non-technical factors, these cables differ from each other in terms of price, durability but still similar in some respects.

#1. Price Difference

When compared at a price, Cat7 cables are more expensive than cat6 cables due to some additional high-quality features. The higher the category, the higher is the price.

If you are planning to set up the Ethernet connection at home, make sure you choose the best quality and high category Ethernet cable that lives there working for a longer period. For this, do not think much about a few pound difference in price. But if you think your budget is low, then we suggest you move towards buying some lower category cables as these are good too in their performance.

#2. Durability

In the case of durability, as Cat7 is more expensive than cat6 Ethernet cable, so is also made more durable and long-living. Although Cat6 cables are also durable enough to support your connection needs up to an extended period but, cat7 cables comparatively have greater life to meet all the requirements set by your for a network provider.

This long life and durability can be of much help when you want a reliable internet connection provider at home to do whatever you want to in a relatively lesser time. You don’t have to speed additional money each time on buying and setting up a completely new cable within some time so that you can have a speedy internet connection.

#3. Connectors

This is where these Ethernet cables are similar. Whenever you finalize to install the cable at home, whether Cat6 or Cat7, you don’t have to worry about the type of connectors that you would need for the better installation of both. The reason for this is that both the cables use the same types of connectors. However, the use of the type of connectors strictly depends upon the installation.

Most of the time, RJ45 or the keystone jack is used, but as Ca6 comes in both shielded and non-shielded versions, you would have to match up the connectors with the shielding types. And, on the other hand, Cat7 cables come only in shielded versions, which are capable of providing the higher frequencies, so it needs a complete shielded network. So, to get optimal performance from the cable, you need to shield the RJ45, keystone jack, and also the patch panels.

By doing this, you can get the premium performance from your cables, and this premium performance will definitely affect the quality of your internet usage in a very positive way.

Which one is good for gaming?

Both Cat6 and Cat7 cables are considered good for gaming. Each of them has its own specific features that are great in increasing the chances of getting a better online gaming experience.

Cat6 cables are popular for better handling the interference issues and are better protected against crosstalk and external noise that may affect your focus in the game. These interferences, crosstalk, and noises can make you nil in detecting precisely the movements of your opponents in-game. They can also hinder your effective detection of the blast, fire, or shooting that may help you in deciding for your next move. So, these cables can prove to be the best choice for you when you are thinking to install them as a perfect solution to all your internet related problems that hinder your effective performance in games.

Cat6 cable does this because of the presence of “spline,” which is a separator that is present within the cable and is responsible for dividing the individual copper wires within these twisted pairs. This separation reduces crosstalk between the cables up to much extent and thus improves the signal quality to a significant extent. Thus, these cables make the signals more stable and accurate in reaching up to you, which proves to be a great edge for you in your gaming. Also, cat6 cable can operate better at up to almost 100m with this extra shielding. This means the distance never affects the quality of signal strength for your online gaming.

Cat7 For Gaming ?

Cat7 cables are also a great option if you want to play your heavy-duty games without being interrupted during the game. These are great options if you want zero packet losses and deterioration in signal strength, which is actually wanted to boost up your gaming experience. These cables come with shielded connectors, which are great in effective reduction of EMI/RFI interference that provides the optimal signal transfer without any issue of loss of strength. This can be helpful for you if you do not want your gaming to be interrupted mid-way and be left behind in any gaming round.

Besides, when you plan to install Cat7 Ethernet cable for gaming, keep in mind that there is one difficulty that you are going to face, and that is, these cables don’t use the kind of header connections that you can find easily on most gaming PCs and consoles. So, these cables do not easily get fit into every gaming device that you have.

A quick and short comparison between Cat 6 and Cat 7 cables

Both Cat 6 and Cat 7 Ethernet cables are highly efficient in taking care of all your internet related needs. Whether you are planning to install them as a solution to your gaming problems or data transfer issues, both of them come with some great features to help.

Despite the fact both these cables greatly differ in terms of frequency, speed, manufacturing, price, and durability, there are still a lot of features that make them similar, like their forms, usage, connector types, and distance.

Although both of them are premium grade cables that are perfect for reducing packet loss, latency, signals loss, and interference, these differences make them well enough to fit in as a solution for one issue or the other. This effective elimination of all the network-related issues makes these cables a premium choice for any gamer as well as an office worker who needs super fast speed for data transfer.

Connecting The Dots

None of the cables is worst in any scenario, but still, the choice of the cable depends upon personal preference. If you have a good amount to spend in solving your networking issues, we suggest you go for cat 7 cable as it is a bit high priced than Cat 6 cable. The plus point of buying the Cat 7 cable is it is more durable than cat 6 and lives a longer life to meet the requirements.

While turning the picture, when you think of buying Cat 7 cable, it also has a flaw that it comes with specialized header connections that do not easily fit into any gaming console or PC. These specialized connectors can make an issue for you as they might be a perfect match for the gaming device that you use. So, make sure to check the header type before finalizing your decision to buy it.

Cat 6 doesn’t come with this issue; it gets easily fits in all gaming devices and is efficient in solving your internet lagging and interruption issues. The only thing lacking in Cat 6 cable when compared to Cat 7 cable is that it provides lesser speed and frequency, which may also be an issue for you when you are installing a new cable solely to clear out the speed and frequency issues that interrupt your gaming and other works.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the maximum supported throughput of the Cat6 cable?

The maximum throughput of the Cat6 cable is about 1Gbps. This means Cat6 cable can support a maximum speed of 1 Gbps for the length of up to 100m. Besides, it also supports 10Gbps for lengths of up to 55 m.

What is the difference between cat6 and cat7 cable?

The greatest difference between cat6 and cat7 cables lies in the speed and frequency. Cat6 cable provides you the maximum speed of 1.000Mbit/s and frequency of 250MHz, whereas, on the other hand, Cat7 cable efficiently provides the speed and frequency of 10.000Mbit/s and 600MHz, respectively. There are some other differences also, like price difference, quality of material, and durability.

What is Cat7 cable?

Cat7 cable is an abridged form of category seven cable that is mostly used for cabling the infrastructure of Gigabit Ethernet. It provides optimal performance of up to 600MHz and is a perfect solution for all internet related problem in your smart homes.

What is Cat6 cable?

Cat6 cable is a standardized twisted pair of cables for Ethernet and various other physical layers of the network. This cable is backward compatible with both Cat3 and cat5/5e Ethernet cables. It provides optimal performance of up to 250MHz.

Ryan

Ryan is a 27-Years-Old Tech Blogger from California. He is also a Professional Technical Analyst, Specially Gadgets and Computer Stuff. Ryan loves Gaming and is currently working as a full time Blogger.