Yeah, I agree it's hard to get lock security on the cheap, but I suppose an armored cable should provide some additional security over a regular cable, unless the critical vulnerability is elsewhere, say at the lock body, crimp, or elsewhere. I also wonder how the armor can articulate enough to provide the flexibility of a cable without exposing cable at the joints/hinges? There's always psychological deterrence, too, so if hou've got that and the next bike just cable, well, you may look like a less attractive target.