Orbram Cat 8 Ethernet Cable 50 ft Review | 40Gbps Speeds
- Exceptional speed
- Low latency
- Highly durable construction
- Easy cable management
- Anti-interference shielding
- Can be stiff for some installations
40Gbps & 2000MHz bandwidth
SFTP shielded design
Flat, nylon braided cable
Backward compatible
Check PriceI’ve tested countless Ethernet cables over the years, from basic Cat5e to more advanced Cat7, always looking for the best balance of speed, durability, and value. The Orbram Cat 8 Ethernet Cable immediately caught my attention with its claims of 40Gbps speed and 2000MHz bandwidth. I ran the 50-foot version for over three weeks in my home office, connecting my main desktop to a network switch, and later testing it between my router and NAS.
My primary goal was to see if a Cat 8 cable offered tangible benefits over my existing Cat7 setup, especially for large file transfers and high-bandwidth 4K streaming.
Speed and Performance
The Orbram Cat 8 cable delivered on its promises for raw throughput. While my residential internet service tops out at 1 Gbps, this cable consistently provided a rock-solid connection at that speed, even under heavy load. When transferring files between devices on my local network, I observed sustained speeds approaching 10 Gbps with compatible hardware, verifying its capability for higher bandwidth applications.
Orbram states this Cat 8 cable supports up to 40Gbps at 2000MHz, which is a significant jump from Cat7’s 10Gbps at 600MHz. Many users, like “Father Goose,” commented on experiencing “super-fast speeds and ultra-low latency” for gaming and streaming, aligning with my own findings for stability and responsiveness.
Build Quality and Design
This cable feels substantially more durable than most standard Ethernet cords I’ve encountered. The double-braided nylon exterior gives it a premium feel and provides excellent protection. Orbram claims it can be bent at least 10,000 times, which is far more than most people will ever subject it to.
I particularly appreciate the flat design. It made routing the 50-foot length along baseboards and under furniture much simpler than with a bulky round cable. It lay flush and didn’t create noticeable bumps. Reviewers like “Chris Nicol” also praised the flat design for “routing long distances and around corners.” The 24K gold-plated RJ45 connectors clicked in securely on all my devices.
Anti-Interference Design
The cable utilizes a shielded foiled twisted pair (S/FTP) construction, which means each of the four wire pairs is individually shielded, and then the entire bundle is wrapped in another shield. This design is crucial for minimizing crosstalk, noise, and electromagnetic interference.
In my testing environment, which has several Wi-Fi access points and other electronics, the signal remained remarkably clean and stable. I didn’t experience any drops or unusual lag, even when running bandwidth-intensive applications concurrently. This added shielding is a clear advantage over unshielded or less robustly shielded cables.
Versatility and Compatibility
The Orbram Cat 8 cable is backward compatible with Cat5, Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6A, and Cat7 cables, making it highly versatile. I used it with a range of devices including a PlayStation 5, an Xbox Series X, a smart TV, and my network-attached storage (NAS). Each device connected instantly and performed as expected.
Customer feedback consistently highlights this broad compatibility, with users connecting it to everything from modems and routers to gaming consoles and network printers. “SlimChiLion” even noted it helped them hit their ISP’s maximum speed of 320 Mbps, showing its benefit even for connections well below its theoretical maximum.
What’s Missing / Limitations
While the flat, braided design is excellent for routing and durability, it does make the cable a bit stiffer than a typical round PVC-jacketed cable. One reviewer, “Kevin Armstrong,” mentioned, “The cable is rather stiff, so when connecting to loose recipients it can pull them about.” This wasn’t a major issue for my fixed connections, but it’s something to consider if you need a cable for very tight, flexible turns or connecting to lightweight, unstable devices.
Who It’s For
This Orbram Cat 8 Ethernet Cable is ideal for anyone looking to future-proof their home network or maximize performance in a current high-speed environment. It’s especially beneficial for:
- Gamers who need minimal latency and stable connections.
- Users streaming high-resolution 4K/8K content.
- Professionals working with large file transfers to and from NAS or cloud storage.
- Anyone experiencing network interference with lesser-shielded cables.
- Those wanting a durable cable that can be routed discreetly along surfaces.
My Recommendation
After three weeks of rigorous testing, the Orbram Cat 8 Ethernet Cable has proven itself to be a high-performance, exceptionally durable, and reliable network solution. The flat, braided design is a standout feature for cable management, and the SFTP shielding provides excellent signal integrity. If you’re looking to upgrade your network backbone or simply need a robust, fast Ethernet cable, this is an excellent choice.