Watch Out For These Misleading Computer Cables

Watch Out For These Misleading Computer Cables


Misleading cables are nothing new, but new ones are popping up all the time. The folks at Gamers Nexus detail three cables that aren’t really what they seem.

The three cables include:

  • HDMI to VGA Cables: these cables, on their own, will usually not do anything. You would need something to convert the signal from analogue to digital (or vice-versa), which the cable itself cannot do.
  • “Fake” Dual-Link DVI Cables: Dual-link DVI is real, but some cables may actually have dual-link headers without actually supporting the dual-link standard. Real dual-link cables will be thicker and a bit more expensive, so make sure you’re buying the right thing.
  • SATA II and SATA III (6 GB/s) cables: With the exception of a clip that secures the cable, there is no difference between SATA II and SATA III cables. The only thing that matters is whether your hard drive and motherboard are both SATA III compatible — you can use an old SATA II cable between the two and still get SATA III speeds. The rest is just branding.

They go a little overboard with the rhetoric in the video, considering there are exceptions to some rules. The HDMI to VGA cable, for example, is usable if you have a converter box along with it, an active DisplayPort adaptor, or you have one of the few video cards that supports digital VGA. But the cable alone will do nothing for most folks.

So, this is less about “fake cables”, as the video suggests, and more about lack of understanding on the part of most consumers. The only thing you “should never buy” on this list is a fake dual-link DVI cable — the other two are fine to buy as long as you know what they are and aren’t capable of. Hit the link to read more at their Reddit thread.

PSA: Don’t buy these. [Reddit]


The Cheapest NBN 50 Plans

Here are the cheapest plans available for Australia’s most popular NBN speed tier.

At Lifehacker, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. We have affiliate and advertising partnerships, which means we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. BTW – prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of posting.

Comments


11 responses to “Watch Out For These Misleading Computer Cables”

Leave a Reply