Angular contact ball bearings primarily handle substantial unidirectional axial loads. The greater the contact angle, the higher the load-carrying capacity. Cage materials include steel plate, brass, or engineering plastics, formed via stamping or turning depending on bearing type or operating conditions. Other variants include combined angular contact ball bearings, double-row angular contact ball bearings, and four-point contact ball bearings.

Angular contact ball bearings can simultaneously handle radial and axial loads. They operate effectively at high rotational speeds. A larger contact angle enhances axial load capacity. High-precision and high-speed bearings typically employ a 15-degree contact angle. Under axial force, the contact angle increases. Single-row angular contact ball bearings can only bear axial loads in one direction; radial loads will induce additional axial forces.

They can only restrict axial displacement of the shaft or housing in one direction. When installed in a paired double-row configuration, the outer rings of the pair face each other—wide faces to wide faces, narrow faces to narrow faces. This arrangement prevents additional axial forces and allows axial displacement restriction in both directions within the axial clearance range.

Angular contact ball bearings can simultaneously handle radial and axial loads—combined loads—because their inner and outer raceways allow relative displacement along the horizontal axis. (Single-row angular contact ball bearings can only handle axial loads in one direction, so they are typically installed in pairs.) Cage materials include brass and synthetic resin, selected based on bearing type and operating conditions.