If you have already purchased one of the best TV antennas, you may have realized you’ll need a coaxial cable. Luckily, they’re about as simple as it gets And unless you wish to get super technical, the most difficult part of the selection process for you will be choosing what length to purchase. Here, we’ll guide you through some popular cables, what they’re capable of, and how they feel to use.
The best coaxial cables in 2024
- Buy the Monoprice RG6 for an overall solid coaxial cable for antennas.
- Buy the Cimple Co RG11 if you need a lengthy cable for outdoor antennas.
- Buy the Philips SWX9444B for a high-quality, incredibly durable coaxial cable made explicitly for indoor antennas.
- Buy the G-Plug RG6 for a highly rated weather-sealed coaxial cable.
- Buy the GE RG6 as a quality budget option.
Monoprice RG6
Most reliable coaxial cable for antennas
| Pros | Cons |
| Easy to get the size you need | Finicky connectors |
| Excellent signal quality | |
| CL2 safety rating | |
| Affordable pricing |
The Monoprice RG6 offers a classic design with easy connections. It has 75 Ohms, an F-type connector, and a relatively standard thickness; everything you’d expect in a coaxial cable for your TV and antenna. The cable is protected by a quad shield, giving it an excellent signal quality, and is rated to be CL2, meaning it is safe to use with in-wall installations. While the Monoprice RG6 comes in a wide variety of sizes from 1.5 feet all the way up to 100 feet, we find the 6 foot variation to be the most appropriate size. Smaller sizes suffer from more difficulty with the somewhat finicky connections and larger sizes, while still okay, can best be handled by other products.
| Key specifications | |
| Type | RG6 |
| Length | Best: 6 foot, Range: 1.5 – 100 feet |
| Shielding | Quad shield |
Cimple Co RG11
Best for outdoor antennas
| Pros | Cons |
| Thick build of wire | Stiff (typical of RG11 antennas) |
| Silver ends | |
| UL and ETL listed for safety |
If you’re wanting a cable to string outdoors for your outdoor antenna or satellite dish, the Cimple Co RG11 is a great place to start. It uses an RG11 wire, which is somewhat thicker than RG6 and is known to hold up signal better over longer distances and when the wire is put outdoors. Note that the Cimple Co RG11 is weather-resisting, UV resisting, and uses silver tips. Getting back to the wire’s thickness, which is made up to 0.4 inches in diameter due to the Cimple Co RG11’s triple shielding, you’ll want to know that the wire is somewhat stiff. This is a feature of RG11 wires, but it can be nonetheless infuriating. We’re recommending you get at least the 50 foot variation of the Cimple Co RG11, but they go up to 200 feet. Don’t hesitate to give yourself some extra room.
| Key specifications | |
| Type | RG11 |
| Length | Best: 50 foot, Range: 3 – 200 feet |
| Shielding | Tri shield |
Philips SWX9444B
Best quality
| Pros | Cons |
| Highly durable | One size only |
| Features customer support and lifetime limited warranty | |
| Made safe | |
| Works well |
The Philips SWX9444B is perfect for indoor TV antennas. It features a durable construction with strong connections to the heads. It uses an interference-resistant quad shield design that is UL listed and fire retardant. One somewhat interesting thing to note about this coaxial cable is that Philips will actually give you customer support for it and provides a lifetime limited warranty. It’s just a cable, and an inexpensive one at that, but this is a nice thing to note. Unfortunately, you’ll need to be in a pretty specific use case to utilize this cable effectively, as there is only one variation, which is six foot long.
| Key specifications | |
| Type | RG6 |
| Length | 6 foot |
| Shielding | Quad shield |
G-Plug RG6
Best weather-sealed coaxial cable
| Pros | Cons |
| Rubber O-ring | Slightly costlier than other RG6 cables |
| Highly rated | |
| Reliable connection | |
| Great service |
If you fear that weather will be an issue due to constant rain and/or humidity, the Nickle-plated brass and double O-ring style of the G-Plug will keep moisture out, making it perfect for your outdoor antenna. Should there be any problems, the G-Plug’s guarantees should take care of them. For example, you can return an undamaged G-Plug back to the company for any reason within 30 days to get a full refund, and the company offers a 12-month warranty, giving you a full replacement should anything go wrong. These two promises — along with the excellent quality of the coaxial cable — has kept customers happy, making this one of the best rated coaxial cables for antennas.
| Key specifications | |
| Type | RG6 |
| Length | 3 – 100 feet |
| Shielding | Standard high-density |
GE RG6
Best budget coaxial cable for antennas
| Pros | Cons |
| Great price at any length | Only dual shield |
| Simple, screw-in and use design | Indoor use only |
| Not suitable for in-wall installation |
For a much simpler coaxial cable strictly for your indoor TV antenna, check out GE’s RG6 cable. It’s simple and suitable for out of the wall indoor connections, but the price is quite low. Even the 50 foot version of the GE RG6 is on the low end of the price spectrum (but you should still try to get the smallest compatible wire available). Otherwise, this is a highly affordable coaxial cable for your indoor antenna that you can just screw in to install and start watching right away. Customers praise this coaxial cable for its high value.
| Key specifications | |
| Type | RG6 |
| Length | Range: 6 – 50 foot |
| Shielding | Dual shield |
How we chose these coaxial cables
The best coaxial cables for antennas were chosen based on their performance in keeping out interference, having decent variation in lengths, and (for some) their performance outdoors. For nearly all situations, you’ll want a coaxial cable that is 75 ohms of resistance and uses F-type connectors. Here are some other things to keep in mind when making your own selection:
- Cable type — The two main specifications of cable type for the best coaxial cables for antennas are RG6 and RG11. RG6 cables are typically the best but RG11 cables have their place, as they do well in outdoor settings and can carry a reliable signal better over longer lengths. You should note, however, that with this thickness comes a certain level of stiffness that can make winding around tight corners difficult. As a result, you may need a longer wire than anticipated if you go with an RG11 wire. If you’re using an indoor antenna just stick with an RG6.
- Cable length — You’ve probably heard similar guidance when picking out HDMI cables; go for the shortest wire possible to get the best reception. Just remember that the wiring can be quite stiff, meaning you’re likely to need more cable than anticipated. Again, this is especially the case should you go for an RG11 cable.
- Shielding — Coaxial cables come with different types of shielding, with each one largely classified as a dual, tri, or quad shield. This is less about protecting the wire (though it could technically do so) and more about reducing interference. While a quad shield is going to be the best, you can probably get away with less on a shorter cable.
- Safety — If you want to use your coaxial cable in the wall or outdoors, you should look for safety ratings. Look for a CL2 or CL3 rating for in-wall usage. Similarly, some coaxial cable are UL or ETL listed, meaning they pass a high enough level of safety standards to be certified.
This article is managed and created separately from the Digital Trends Editorial team.
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