Can a Bad HDMI Cable Cause Lag? [Explained]

High-Definition Multimedia Interface cables also known as HDMI cable is becoming more popular nowadays. HDMI cable is mandatory to run the HD signal. If you want to enjoy high-definition video in your home, there is no alternative to the HDMI cable.

Suppose, you’ve connected your monitor to the source device via HDMI cable and while watching your favorite show, you’re facing lag. As the HDMI cable is the main interface to run the signal, the question may come to your mind – can a bad HDMI cable cause lag?

As the signal is transmitted through the HDMI cable, it is possible that a bad HDMI cable cause lag. However, it also depends on the quality and grade of an HDMI cable. To know whether a bad HDMI cable cause lag or not, let’s read this article thoroughly.

What Are the Possible Causes of Lag?

As you already know that the HDMI cable connects the source device and the output device and transmits the signal from that source device to the output device. If you are facing lag with your output device, then there could be 4 possible reasons for that.

1. Bad output HDMI port of the Source Device

As the HDMI port transmits the digital signal, the way of transmitting the signal should be free of obstacles. If the HDMI port on the output device is broken, rusty, or damaged, then it will interrupt transmitting the signal properly through the port to the HDMI cable which may cause lag on your output device.

2. Bad HDMI cable

If the HDMI cable is damaged, broken, or bad in quality then obviously you may face lag with your output device as it can’t transmit the signal fluently.

3. Bad input HDMI port of the Output Device.

If the source device sends a high-definition signal and the HDMI can transmit the signal fluently, there is still a chance of getting lag on your output device if the HDMI port of that device is damaged.

How Can a Bad HDMI Cable Cause Lag?

As the HDMI cable is the one and only medium for transmitting a signal, you may encounter lag if the signal can’t pass fluently.

But do you know which HDMI cables are bad? Or how do you know whether your HDMI cable has gone bad or not? Let’s learn below.

If you are using a cheap HDMI cable, then you may face lag. Because, as cheap HDMI cables aren’t durable, they can go bad anytime and cause lag on your output device.

Though no special technology has been found in expensive HDMI cables, the outer cover of these cables is thicker than cheap HDMI cables which increase the longevity of these cables.

How Do I Fix the Lag caused by the HDMI Cable?

You can face lag on your screen due to WiFi issues, the monitor’s refresh rate, frame rate, and the HDMI cable. Once you are sure that you are facing lag due to your HDMI cable, you can apply the fixes below:

Fix 1: Unplug and Re-plug the HDMI Cable

The presence of static electricity inside the HDMI cable can cause lag on your output device. In this case,

• Unplug the HDMI cable from both devices.
• Then, unplug the power cord of both devices.
• Wait 10 seconds and connect the HDMI cable to both devices.
• Replug the power cable of both devices.

Fix 2: Replace the HDMI Cable

If the HDMI cable is damaged permanently, then you may face lag on the output device. If this case, you need to replace the HDMI cable.

You can try a high-quality, high-speed HDMI cable this time. Ensure that your TV or monitor supports 4K video and the HDMI cable is able to transmit a 4K signal fluently.

Fix 3: Check for the HDMI Compatibility

You must check the compatibility of the HDMI cable with your output device. There are multiple standards available for an HDMI cable such as 1.0, 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 2.0, and 2.1. If your monitor supports HDMI 1.4 and you are using HDMI 2.1 then the video output will be sloppy.

Again, if your monitor is compatible with HDMI 2.1 and you are using 1.3, then you obviously get lag from your monitor.

Fix 4: Avoid HDMI Splitter

You can encounter lag while watching video on your monitor if you are using an HDMI splitter to connect multiple devices. The transmitting speed of an HDMI cable isn’t the same as the transmitting speed of an HDMI splitter.

You must avoid the HDMI splitter especially if you are watching high-resolution 4K video or playing HD games.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the common symptoms of bad HDMI cables?

Here are the common symptoms of a bad HDMI cable:

1. Stuttering picture.
2. Blurry or fuzzy video.
3. Intermittent picture and sound.
4. No pictures and sounds.
5. The Picture color is weird.

What Should I do to Fix Lag on My Computer?

Here are the solutions to fix HDMI lag on your output device:

1. Disable Picture Enhancing or other similar features.
2. Use Separate speakers.
3. Reduce the resolution.
4. Disable Power Saving mode.
5. Disable Motion Smoothing.
6. Disable HDMI-CEC.
7. Enable Gaming Mode.
8. Try other HDMI Inputs.

Can a Faulty HDMI Cable Affect Fps?

No, a faulty HDMI cable doesn’t affect FPS. Frames per Second as known as FPS refers to the speed of a video that a monitor can show on the display. HDMI just transfers high-quality video and audio signals. So, it has no connection to the FPS.

Does the Length of An HDMI Cable Affect Performance?

Many believe that the length of an HDMI cable affects performance and many think this is a misconception. But in reality, the length of an HDMI cable affects the performance. As the signal runs through the cable, if the cable is long, the signal fluctuates due to traveling a long distance which affects the audio and video quality.

Does an Expensive HDMI Cable Make a Difference?

There are no differences between the function of an expensive HDMI cable and a cheap HDMI cable. However, there are huge differences at the end of both cables. This is the reason why there is a noticeable difference in the quality of video or audio using expensive HDMI cables than cheap ones. The expensive HDMI cables are long-lasting too because of the coating of the cables.

Conclusion

We hope, you’ve got the answer to your question from this article. The question was – whether a bad HDMI cable causes lag or not and the answer is yes, a bad HDMI cable can be the culprit. All the factors causing lag due to a bad HDMI cable are explained in this article. But if you still have any confusion regarding this topic, then don’t hesitate to ask in our comment section below. Thanks for reading.