As a "not computer savy" bloke, I like to upgrade things the easy way, ie doesn't include coding, programming and the like.  So with that in mind, having upgraded my graphics card and power supply with a little help from a friend, I now plan on changing my monitor for one of these new fangled wide screen jobbies.  My current monitor is a 5:4 aspect ratio 19" with DVI to the G/card, but the choice of monitor is somewhat limited with DVI, but thankfully there is immense choice will HDMI sockets, which is Ok cos my card has HDMI.
Problem is which HDMI cable do I choose?  They seem to vary in price between a couple of quid  upto about £90!  I realise you get what you pay for, but to me that is a really big difference.  A mid way one is about £20.
What are your thoughts Gents (and Ladies)?

Win7 home SP1 8Gb Ram
Geforce GTX 950 2Gb memory
Train sim and flight sim player.

Cheap.

HDMI signals are digital, they either get there or they don't. Paying for expensive ones is a false economy in 99.99% of situations.

£5 job will be fine. It's all I use for 4K video.

Totally agree, go cheap. I've never spent more than $5 on an HDMI cable (I get mine from Amazon Basics) and one of my TV's is the 4K 65" monster. I've seen cables in the specialty stores with prices that make your eyes water. I think one of them I saw cost more than my Panasonic DVD/streaming device.

I read on some consumer website somewhere, (sometime), that there is no difference whatsoever in HDMI cables, regardless of price. Just confirming the above. 

Yes, ignore all the absolute tosh about expensive monster cables etc. flogged by tech stores for stupid money being so much better.   Just get a reasonably priced one of the length you need.   

Maybe avoid the absolute cheapest ebay bargains simply on the basis they may have cheaper quality connectors and/or be assembled with less care.

For what it's worth, I usually buy the locking type to stop them pulling out when I'm rooting about behind the monitor.

Thanks guys, much appreciated, clears that up then.

Just a few points about DVI.

There are three varieties of DVI (DVI-A, DVI-D and DVI-I [analogue, digital and both]). Almost all monitors these days are DVI-D or HDMI.

DVI-D is a subset of HDMI - basically HDMI without sound. You can connect HDMI and DVI-D devices together with nothing more than a dumb adapter. The net result that if you find a monitor with DVI-D you can use it with an HDMI graphics card (or vice-versa), with an HDMI to DVI lead alone or an HDMI or DVI lead, plus an adapter at the appropriate end.

Some DVI-D or DVI-I graphics cards can also be "dual-link", were the DVI output can use a "Y"- cable to independently drive two monitors.

Hi Trev,

Just to let you know that there are different versions of HDMI cables, but for your needs, any cable will probably work.

I found out about the different versions of cables the hard way when I bought one to connect my TV and home cinema/Blu Ray systems together.  That was several years ago though.

K

QuoteHDMI signals are digital, they either get there or they don't

A view i held in the early days of digatal audio, however with higher quality systems the diffrence does become apparant, no ides if its the error correction having to work harder or nasty things happening to the clock signal, but running 24 bidirectonal audio signals at 96khz  down a bit of cat 5 certainly shows up a cheap cable, it works but the sound isnt "right".And before anyone mentions your listing with your eyes we have tried out sevral blind tests both in the warehouse and on site and the difrence is noticable every time. Saying that, all my  hdmi cables are cpc cheapest offerings and they work fine.

Hence saying that in 99.99% of situations a cheap one is fine.

The 0.01% are those "running 24 bidirectonal audio signals at 96khz  down a bit of cat 5".

I have just bought a new monitor to replace one that died, internal PSU issue and replacement PSU board would have been about £50

Got a Samsung curved monitor C24F390 24-Inch from Amazon for £119 and it comes with HDMI cable - sadly I have Display Port and DVI out put so have a DP to HDMI cable arriving today.

Have a curved Samsung TV and like it so thought I would try their curved monitor. They do a nice QLED one for about £350 but wanted to see what the curve did or didn't do first.

Err... good.

I see marginally more point in curved monitors, they tend at least to be only viewed by 1 person who sits directly in front of them. Possibly the most pointless technology in a TV yet though. Closely rivaling 3D.

Quote from: njee20 on January 31, 2019, 11:17:21 AM
Err... good.

I see marginally more point in curved monitors, they tend at least to be only viewed by 1 person who sits directly in front of them. Possibly the most pointless technology in a TV yet though. Closely rivaling 3D.

Actually I have to say I love the TV picture and the curve becomes lost when watching but you do miss it when watching a flat TV - yes there is a prime spot, but the other half has never had issue with not having the prime spot 
The only reason I think 3D is pointless is having to wear glasses it isolates you from everyone, you might as well have a VR headset on...

The point or not of the curved monitor will be proved later today hopefully...

Well, over two month later I now have my new monitor (AOC G2460PF),  and it came with a HDMI, DP, VGA cables. So problem solved.  I've used DP.
It has certainly improved the look of "Train Sim" and "Flight Sim" no end, and this 'ere forum looks far better also, which is a bonus.

One small issue I have though since I got this new screen, which is annoying, but I can live with it, is after the 'puter has gone to sleep due to inactivity, when I re-awaken it, some of my desktop icons, not all, just a random few, have moved somewhere else on the desktop.  I put them back to where I want them, and next time it goes to sleep, the same thing happens.  I'm guessing this could be fixed in "Settings", but I'm unsure what to change.
Can anyone point me in the right direction please?