The arrival of Blu-ray 3D and slow emergence of 4K video has sparked a need for a new generation of cables capable of handling the increased data loads. One cable company, Accell, has crafted their version of the “do all” cable that looks as good as it works.
The Accell ProUltra Elite High Speed HDMI Cable looks more like something out of a science fiction flick than you’d pick up from your neighborhood electronics store. It has a metal shell that resembles a mini car engine and fits snugly into hardware. The contacts are 24k gold. And the cable portion is housed in an unmistakable UltraFlex Braided Sleeve.
One problem I have faced with similar high-end “thick” HDMI cables is the inability for the cable to bend sharply near the connector. This stiffness can be especially problematic if your hardware is close to a wall and you need that cable to make a 90-degree turn without putting unwanted stress on the connector.
ProUltra Elite’s sleeve helps alleviate most, but not all of this issue. The sleeve lives up to its “UltraFlex” trademark and bends remarkably well for something so thick and seemingly perfect. It’s still tough to pull the really tight turns that smaller and cheaper cables can more successully pull off. Of all the high-end HDMI cables I’ve used, ProUltra Elite turns the best.
Performance-wise the ProUltra Elite handled everything I threw at it without any issues or degradation in signal quality. That included Blu-ray 2D, Blu-ray 3D, Dish Network, Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii on the video end, as well as 5.1 and 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio on the audio side. My gear is not capable of 4K video so I was unable to test at that resolution.
My previous HDMI cable, as in the ProUltra Elite has now permanently replaced it, experienced a few hiccups during early parts of Tron: Legacy on Blu-ray 3D. I was able to trace the issue back to the HDMI cable or the receiver as it occurred identically whether watching via a standalone Blu-ray 3D player or the Playstation 3. Needless to say I was delighted to find the issues nonexistent after switching out the cable.
Additional tech specs for the ProUltra Elite High Speed HDMI Cable include data transfer rates up to 10.2 GBPS, built-in Ethernet and audio-return channels, Deep Color and x.v.Color support, triple metal shielding to eliminate interference from other electronic sources, and purity copper conductors.
Accell’s cables don’t come cheap but they won’t break the bank either. If you recently upgraded to Blu-ray 3D, don’t want to worry about the connector on your cheaper HDMI cable breaking, or want flexibility without compromising on durability, the ProUltra Elite High Speed HDMI Cable is most certainly worth plugging in.
– Dan Bradley
Shop for the Accell ProUltra Elite High Speed HDMI Cable in different lengths for a discounted price at Amazon.com.
