Building a custom PC is an exciting adventure because it ensures improved performance, new features, and personalized aesthetics. However, it’s almost impossible to make a custom PC without the right cables.
As a result, tapping into these necessary cables is one of the top ways to profit from the custom PC building market. That’s why this article offers five must-have cable trends that will turn in profits in 2024.
Table of Contents
Why is building a custom PC trending in 2024?
Five must-have cables for building custom PCs
Wrapping up
Why is building a custom PC trending in 2024?
The most significant contribution to the growth of the custom PC market is the steady rise in the PC market more broadly. As of 2023, the global market for PCs was valued at USD 187.5 billion, and experts predict that the market is projected to reach USD 289.11 billion by 2028, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.1%.
Furthermore, professional gamers, animators, and video editors need specific and customizable hardware to create and deliver projects quickly—and that’s why they often turn to building custom PCs.
Five must-have cables for building custom PCs
Power supply cables
Power supply cables are like the nerves of a PC, providing the juice the PSU needs to run the entire setup. They often have enough wattage to keep everything humming smoothly.
Plus, the power supply cable can easily transfer electrical power to the PSU, which then dishes out the current to other components in the PC setup. More importantly, the demand for power supply cables is high as available data shows an average of 8100 online searches per month.
Moreover, power cables come in various types, materials, and sizes. But regardless of type, they all fulfill one purpose: moving electricity from an outlet to the computer’s power supply unit. However, PC builders must use power cables that match their PSU’s voltage and amperage ratings to avoid electrical damage.
SATA cables
SATA cables are the go-to buddy for linking storage drives like hard disks or SSDs to custom PC motherboards. Forget about the old-school IDE connections because most motherboards now come with a handful of SATA slots.
After gracing the world with their debut in 2001, SATA cables quickly became the faster solution for data transfer, easily dethroning their slower predecessor, PATA. Look at the amazing speeds possible with different SATA interfaces in the table below.
| SATA interface | Interface GB/s | Bandwidth |
| SATA I | 1.5 Gb/s | 150 MB/s |
| SATA II | 3 Gb/s | 300 MB/s |
| SATA III | 6 Gb/s | 600 MB/s |
Another cool thing about SATA cables is how manufacturers design them to maximize airflow inside PCs, helping consumers save space in their builds and even boost performance.
Consumers putting together a budget-friendly PC for tasks like video editing or gaming will need at least one SATA drive. The buzz around these cables is real, with Google reporting as high as 74,000 average online searches consistently through September and October 2023.
USB cables
USB cables are one of the most indispensable ones out there. These little champs can do it all—they handle data and power, making them the go-to cables for connecting devices like keyboards, mice, USB flash drives, and smartphones.
And the best part? Consumers can find them everywhere! Most custom PC builds have at least two built-in USB ports on the front side panel. USB cables have come a long way, and that’s why multiple versions exist today—check out the table below to see all the recent and future USB versions.
| USB version | Description |
| USB 1.0 | The slowest USB version. It can only transmit at 1.5 MB/s. |
| USB 2.0 | This version offers up to 60 MB/s data transfer speeds. It’s also compatible with older USB versions. |
| USB 3.0 | It offers transfer speeds up to 625 MB/s. Plus, it’s also compatible with older USB versions. |
| USB 3.1 | It can transfer data at 1.25 GB/s. USB 3.1 is also the most common type for now. |
| USB 3.2 | It increases data transfer speeds to 2.5 GB/s. However, such speeds are only possible when using USB-C connections. |
| USB 4.0 | This version offers 5GB/s transfer speeds when using USB-C connections. |
But that’s not all. USBs also come in various shapes. Mini- and Micro-USBs used to be standard, but type Cs are taking over the industry. No matter the type, USB cables are trending as available data reveals an average of 110,000 online searches for them monthly.
Ethernet cables
An ethernet cable gives a PC a stable and faster internet connection with minimal disruptions. It is, therefore, no surprise that roughly 450,000 consumers show interest in this cable trend.
One cool thing about ethernet cables is that they’re not easily bothered by interference from other devices. Since they work through physical connections, they’re less likely to get disrupted by microwaves, cordless phones, or even other Wi-Fi routers.
Plus, they offer the best security. How? Well, ethernet connections are encrypted by default, meaning users’ data are less likely to encounter intercepts from unauthorized users.
HDMI cables
Consumers looking for the highest quality video and audio signal must buy HDMI cables. They can carry high-definition video signals, up to 4K resolutions at 120Hz, and have uncompressed audio signals.
So, HDMI cables are a no-brainer for gamers. The best part is HDMI cables are widely supported coupled with their plug-and-play designs. The main HDMI connectors include the standard Type A, HDMI 2.0, and Micro HDMI.
However, different HDMI cable types offer various transmissions, depending on the frame rate and video signal consumers want to transmit. On this note, there are four HDMI types retailers can offer: standard, high speed, premium high speed, and ultra-high speed.
- Standard HDMI cables can transmit 1080p videos at 60Hz.
- High-speed HDMI cables can transmit 1080p videos at 120Hz or 4K at 30Hz.
- Premium high-speed HDMI cables can transmit 4K videos at 60Hz or 8K at 30Hz.
- Ultra high-speed HDMI cables can transmit 8K video at 60Hz or 4K at 120Hz.
These cables are so widely accepted that they get 550000 searches monthly. And they’ve maintained this search volume throughout 2023.
Wrapping up
Custom PC building is the perfect answer for consumers with specific performance requirements. Gamers and high-end users (editors and animators) are the top consumers for them, and they can’t complete their setups without at least some of the cables mentioned above.
Also, not every PC setup comes with all the necessary cables—meaning some users may need extra to get exactly what they want. Businesses can leverage this demand by catering to this audience with power supply, SATA, USB cables, Ethernet, and HDMI cables.
