Editor's Note: Thank you for taking the time to visit this review. A recent Linus Tech Tips video made note of a line in this review that mentioned "an overall visual quality increase from a regular HDMI cable to a 4K UHD cable." The phrasing of this line is inaccurate and we thank LTT for bringing it to our attention. As the editor, it was my responsibility to catch that and I did not. For that, I apologize and am committed to doing better in the future.
In workshopping this article, and reiterated in another conversation I had with the author this evening, the phrasing "4K UHD Cable" should have read "4K UHD Optical Fiber Cable" and included additional context to better present what was being referred to. Specifically, the "visual quality increase" is regarding the 60Hz transmission rate. While it is not present on Vivify's product page for the Arquus, the Kickstarter, in fact, strongly asserts an increase to the clarity of details in motion with a pair of side-by-side videos.
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Interestingly, its comparison also notes an increase from 30FPS to 60FPS in UNCHARTED 4: A Thief's End for the Sony PlayStation. In his testing, the author tested the Arquus with this title against a normal HDMI cable and reported seeing an improvement.
At this point, we feel it best that we re-review this product and dig specifically into this claim. That review will be forthcoming and will be linked here when complete and published as a standalone article.
Thank you again for taking the time to read this review and we look to presenting you with that second look soon.
HDMI cables are a necessity of modern life to get the clear, high frame rate picture you’re looking for. It’s something we all need but that gets tucked tidily away and out of sight. But what if you could use these cables to add some extra flair to your battlestation or living room? That’s what Vivify is out to accomplish with the Arquus RGB, the world’s first RGB HDMI cable. Read on for our review!
Specifications
- Name: VIVIFY ARQUUS W73
- Price: $149.99 USD (9ft) $199.99 USD (15ft)
- Bandwidth: 18Gbps
- Length: 9ft (2.7m) / 15ft (4.5m)
- Support: 4K UHD 60Hz, ARC, HDCP 2.2, HDR 10, RGB 8-bits, YCbCr 4:4:4, RGB 12-bits, YCBCr 4:2:2, 7.1ch, Dolby TrueHD / DTS-HD MA
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HDMI cables are not new, by any means, but VIVIFY wanted to do better. Their cables are made to be durable, to offer better quality, and to give we RGB fanatics something new to play with. The W73 is a 4K UHD cable made with fiber-optics instead of the traditional copper wiring. This makes the cable a bit faster and lighter to be held. It also allows you to achieve full 4K60 resolution with 4:4:4 sub-sampling.
Gamers can appreciate the increase in bandwidth and how it allows for the high resolutions and refresh rates empowered by modern hardware. The Arquus W73 was designed with e-sports in mind, so those 240Hz monitors will be no problem.
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Solid components aside, a cable is essentially a cable when they’re of the same bandwidth, so RGB is the real thing that sets the Arquus apart. Whether you have it plugged into a PC, a console, or into a DVD-player, it will shine brightly and easily become a talking point when people come to visit. It comes standard with seven basic colors and a color cycle mode if you don’t want to be limited to one color. You do have to make sure that you follow the names on each end of the cable though. They wanted to make it simpler to know which end was set up to go to which device. The source end plugs into your PC, console, or other compatible devices, while the display end goes into the monitor or television set. The RGB cable will light up when you turn the systems on and will work just fine, however, there is a mini-USB that is attached to the source end for you to plug into that device. Once it is plugged in your RGB light strip will glow even brighter with the extra power you are giving it.
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Someone like me would want this in any of their setups for all of the above reasons. The speed of the data transfer between the device and the display, the RGB lighting in a visible space to make your setup shine, and the overall visual quality increase from a regular HDMI cable to a 4K UHD cable. Along with this, you can plug the W73 into your Xbox One, PlayStation 4, into a laptop, into a DVD or Blu-Ray player, and your gaming PC. You can even use it as a lighting strip behind your desk.
Modifying the RGB color settings is as simple as it is to plug the cable into your systems and pressing a single button to change colors. The VIVIFY symbol not only lights up with whatever RGB color you have it set to, but it also has a touch sensor built-in. If you tap it once, then it will change the color, and you can go through all seven colors and even the color cycle mode. If you prefer to not have the RGB lighting on at all, then all you do is push and hold the logo and it will shut off the LED strip.
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In conclusion, the VIVIFY ARQUUS W73 is the 4K UHD cable that you wouldn’t have thought you needed, and maybe you still don’t, but it has worked very well with my systems. Now, while this cable may give you better speeds, lighter weight for carrying, and RGB lighting, the price point is going to be too high for budget gamers. RGB lighting comes at a premium, but for the gamer who needs it all, the Arquus from Vivify is a bright option.
Want a chance to win one of your own? There are two easy steps. First, Vivify on Instagram or Facebook and take a screenshot. Then, email that screenshot and a picture of your setup to [email protected] and we’ll choose a winner on 12/2/19! Good luck!
The product described in this review was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes.
