In terms of shifting quality, the individual cassettes within a price category hardly differ. The functional differences between the cassettes of the mid-priced and top groupsets are more apparent in their sensitivity to dirt under adverse conditions and in their finish. The difference in terms of shifting performance is small when clean. Only experienced riders will notice the differences in practice. The price spectrum is determined more by the choice of materials and the amount of work involved in production. Shimano's XTR, for example, has six high-grade titanium cogs on a carbon spider of no less quality. The Sram X-Dome cassettes of the XX1, XX and X01, for example, are milled from a steel block in hours of production. Between the simpler groupsets (Deore/X7) and the top groupsets (XX1/XTR), the price can quickly increase five to sevenfold. Durability is at a high level everywhere, although the steel sprockets milled from a single block last a little longer according to our own measurements.
Conclusion on Shimano and Sram cassettes:
For ten-speed drivetrains, the cassettes in the respective price ranges are functionally on a par. However, Shimano clearly wins the price/performance rating. For eleven-speed groupsets, Sram offers a wider range with 10-42 teeth and a very lightweight solution. But the Americans are also exorbitantly expensive, and the 10-42 cassette is only suitable for single cranks. The Shimano XTR 11-speed (11-40 teeth), on the other hand, can also be combined with 2x and 3x cranks.
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