The short answer
For a typical office desk drop that connects a computer or phone at 1 Gbps, Cat6 does the job and costs less. For Wi-Fi access points, long runs, high-power PoE devices and anything you expect to upgrade, Cat6A is worth the extra cost.
Speed and distance
Both cables carry 1 Gbps to the full 100 meters a structured cabling channel allows. The difference is 10 Gbps: Cat6A supports 10GBASE-T across the full 100 meters, while Cat6 only supports it on much shorter runs, typically 37 to 55 meters depending on the environment. If a run is long, Cat6 limits what you can do later.
Access points and multi-gig
Newer Wi-Fi 6, 6E and 7 access points often have 2.5 or 5 Gbps uplinks. Cat6A handles those speeds over long runs with room to spare, which is why many designs now call for Cat6A to every access point even when desk drops stay on Cat6.
Power over Ethernet and heat
High-power PoE (802.3bt) pushes more current through bundles of cable, which creates heat. Cat6A's heavier construction handles that heat better, which matters for PTZ cameras, multi-radio access points and other power-hungry devices.
The trade-offs
- Cat6A costs more per foot and takes longer to terminate.
- It is thicker and stiffer, so it needs more room in cable trays, conduit and patch panels.
- Jacks and patch panels have to be rated for Cat6A to get Cat6A performance.
How we usually spec it
For most commercial jobs we recommend Cat6 for standard workstation drops and Cat6A for access points, cameras on long runs, backbone copper and network rooms that will see upgrades. On a new build, running Cat6A everywhere is often the simplest way to avoid pulling new cable in five years.