What are some items that really aren't worth paying the expensive version for?
I saw this post and wanted to ask the opposite. What are some items that really aren't worth paying the expensive version for? Preferably more extreme or unexpected examples.
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HDMI, yes. Not so much for USB cables.
USB cables are (commonly) subject to more stress; they're often moved, plugged, unplugged, and can often have lifespans far longer than the devices they're using to connect. There are other, non-spec-related factors that impact durability, such as nylon wrapping, more robust connectors, and so on. Durability isn't as much a factor for HDMI, ethernet, or optical cables, but for USB, sometimes durability is worth extra money, if only to reduce e-waste.
That isn't as true with HDMI as it used to be. Now that we are pushing 4k120hz across the cables, the signal integrity matters more than it did when HDMI was commonly used for 1080p60.
This is even moreso the case if you have longer HDMI runs.
But you're still not going to get appreciably different performance or longevity from a $50 USB-C cable than from a $10 USB-C cable.
And I recognize that it's not exactly the same thing, but as a decent rule of thumb, if the company is willing to actually build the thing in spec, they're probably doing a good enough job that it's going to last a reasonable amount of time, so the spec is still useful for that purpose. To wit: I've never had an in-spec USB-C cable or connector fail.
I have, but your probably right in the general.
Most recently, I had a plug housing (aluminium) seperate from the guts when I tugged on it. It's not like it happens frequently; Apple lightning cables are far more fragile, but that's probably by design.