An Ethernet cable can't lower your ping — the floor is set by the physical distance to the server. What a good cable does is stop interference and packet retransmission over the last few metres, so your connection stays steady. This guide covers Cat.7 vs Cat.8, which shielding to pick, how to measure length, and what shielded cable can realistically do at home.
Can Cat.8 really lower ping?
It can't lower the floor, but it can cut the jitter.
Most home broadband in Taiwan is under 1Gbps, which Cat.5e already saturates — bandwidth was never the bottleneck. What Cat.8 gives you is headroom and more complete shielding: a higher signal-to-noise ratio and a lower packet error rate, so long sessions don't swing between good and bad.
If your ping already sits steady at 10ms, a new cable won't make it 5ms. It's when ping keeps jumping from 15ms to 60ms that the cable is worth replacing.
How Cat.7 and Cat.8 specs differ
They differ in bandwidth grade and certification; the construction is the same class.
| Item | Cat.7 S/FTP | Cat.8 S/FTP |
|---|---|---|
| Max data rate | 10Gbps | 40Gbps |
| Max bandwidth | 600MHz | 2000MHz |
| Conductor | 26AWG pure copper | 26AWG pure copper |
| Shielding | Foil per pair + overall braid (two layers) | Foil per pair + overall braid (two layers) |
| Connector | Gold-plated shielded copper shell | Gold-plated shielded copper shell |
| Plug insertion cycles | 3,000+ | 3,000+ |
| Test certification | Not stated on the product page | FLUKE tested; ANSI/TIA-568.2-D Cat 8, ISO/IEC 11801 Class I |
For home gaming, both are far beyond what you need. The price difference buys bandwidth headroom and stricter testing.
S/FTP vs U/FTP: which one for the desk?
They differ in shielding layers, and in thickness.
Under a desk you'll usually find a power supply, RGB strips, a wireless access point and a few chargers, all of them radiating electromagnetic noise. Double shielding holds up better against that. U/FTP's strength is its size.
| Item | Cat.8 S/FTP round cable | Cat.8 U/FTP flat cable |
|---|---|---|
| Shielding | Foil per pair + overall braid (two layers) | Overall foil (one layer) |
| Cable diameter | 6.5mm | 3.05 × 9.25mm |
| Interference resistance | Stronger | Standard |
| Bending & storage | Large bend radius | Fits under doors and carpets |
| Best for | Exposed, fixed runs | Under doors, along skirting boards, under carpets |
If the cable runs in the open and stays put, choose the S/FTP round cable. If it has to pass under a door or a carpet, choose the U/FTP flat cable.
How to measure length so you don't buy wrong
- Measure along the actual route, then add 0.5 to 1 metre of slack. Don't eyeball a straight line — going around table legs and along walls eats up length
- Don't fall for "buy it longer to be safe". Extra cable coiled up under the desk is an antenna, and it's easy to kick, which loosens the connector
- Cat.8 comes in eight lengths: 1M, 2M, 3M, 5M, 8M, 10M, 15M and 20M. Measuring first is cheaper than buying wrong and replacing it
What to look for in the connector
- Insertion cycles. The plugs are rated for 3,000+ insertions and the latch for 1,000+ bends — this is the number to check if you plug and unplug daily
- Gold-plated shielded copper shell. Beyond resisting oxidation, it carries the shielding all the way into the connector instead of breaking it in the last 2cm
- Dust caps included. Put them on when the cable isn't in use so the contacts don't collect dust or oxidise
