{"id":35068,"date":"2013-09-04T21:38:36","date_gmt":"2013-09-04T16:08:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/?p=35068"},"modified":"2026-10-16T19:32:07","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T14:02:07","slug":"hdmi-2-available","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2013\/09\/hdmi-2-available\/","title":{"rendered":"HDMI 2.1 vs HDMI 2.0 (and HDMI 2.2): Which Cable Do You Need? (2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In September 2013 the HDMI Forum released HDMI 2.0, raising bandwidth to 18Gbps so TVs could show <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2012\/12\/better-than-hd-4k-ultra-hd\/\">4K<\/a> at 60 frames per second. Since then HDMI 2.1 more than doubled that, and HDMI 2.2 was announced in 2025. If you&#8217;re buying a TV, console or monitor, here&#8217;s <strong>HDMI 2.1 vs HDMI 2.0<\/strong> in plain terms.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-35069\" src=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/hdmi-2.jpg\" alt=\"HDMI 2.1 vs HDMI 2.0 cable\" width=\"398\" height=\"204\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/hdmi-2.jpg 398w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/hdmi-2-300x153.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 398px) 100vw, 398px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Quick answer:<\/strong> HDMI 2.0 (18Gbps) handles 4K at 60Hz. HDMI 2.1 (up to 48Gbps) adds 4K at 120Hz, 8K, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Auto Low Latency Mode and full eARC audio, which matter for PS5, Xbox Series X and gaming PCs. For HDMI 2.1 features, use a certified <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/go\/ultra-high-speed-hdmi-cable\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"sponsored nofollow noopener\">Ultra High Speed HDMI cable<\/a>; for HDMI 2.0, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/go\/premium-high-speed-hdmi-cable\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"sponsored nofollow noopener\">Premium High Speed cable<\/a> is enough.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6aea401da1714\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6aea401da1714\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2013\/09\/hdmi-2-available\/#HDMI_21_vs_HDMI_20_at_a_glance\" >HDMI 2.1 vs HDMI 2.0 at a glance<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2013\/09\/hdmi-2-available\/#What_about_HDMI_22\" >What about HDMI 2.2?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2013\/09\/hdmi-2-available\/#Which_cable_should_you_buy\" >Which cable should you buy?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2013\/09\/hdmi-2-available\/#Check_your_devices\" >Check your devices<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2013\/09\/hdmi-2-available\/#FAQ\" >FAQ<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2013\/09\/hdmi-2-available\/#Do_I_need_HDMI_21_for_a_4K_TV\" >Do I need HDMI 2.1 for a 4K TV?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2013\/09\/hdmi-2-available\/#Are_HDMI_cables_backward_compatible\" >Are HDMI cables backward compatible?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2013\/09\/hdmi-2-available\/#Will_an_HDMI_21_cable_improve_my_picture\" >Will an HDMI 2.1 cable improve my picture?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"HDMI_21_vs_HDMI_20_at_a_glance\"><\/span>HDMI 2.1 vs HDMI 2.0 at a glance<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Bandwidth:<\/strong> 18Gbps (2.0) vs up to 48Gbps (2.1).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Resolution and refresh:<\/strong> 4K60 (2.0) vs 4K120, 8K60 and beyond with compression (2.1).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Gaming:<\/strong> VRR, ALLM and Quick Frame Transport are HDMI 2.1 features.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Audio:<\/strong> ARC on 2.0; eARC (lossless Dolby Atmos and DTS:X) with 2.1.<\/li>\n<li><strong>HDR:<\/strong> 2.0a added static HDR; 2.1 supports dynamic HDR.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_about_HDMI_22\"><\/span>What about HDMI 2.2?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Announced at CES 2025, HDMI 2.2 raises bandwidth to 96Gbps for higher resolutions and refresh rates, with new Ultra96 cables. Devices are only starting to appear, so most people don&#8217;t need it yet. Details are on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hdmi.org\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">HDMI.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Which_cable_should_you_buy\"><\/span>Which cable should you buy?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Premium High Speed:<\/strong> certified for 18Gbps (HDMI 2.0, 4K60).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ultra High Speed:<\/strong> certified for 48Gbps (HDMI 2.1, 4K120 and 8K).<\/li>\n<li>Look for the official certification label with a QR code on the box.<\/li>\n<li>Expensive &#8220;gold&#8221; cables don&#8217;t improve picture quality if the certification is the same.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Check_your_devices\"><\/span>Check your devices<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A TV may label only one or two ports as HDMI 2.1 or 4K120. Plug your console into that port and turn on the TV&#8217;s enhanced HDMI setting. &#8220;HDMI 2.1&#8221; on a spec sheet doesn&#8217;t guarantee every feature, so check for 4K120, VRR and eARC by name.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_I_need_HDMI_21_for_a_4K_TV\"><\/span>Do I need HDMI 2.1 for a 4K TV?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Not for movies and streaming at 4K60. You need it for 4K120 gaming and some sound bar setups.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_HDMI_cables_backward_compatible\"><\/span>Are HDMI cables backward compatible?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Yes. Newer cables work with older devices at the older device&#8217;s maximum.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Will_an_HDMI_21_cable_improve_my_picture\"><\/span>Will an HDMI 2.1 cable improve my picture?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Only if both devices support HDMI 2.1 features. Otherwise it behaves like a good HDMI 2.0 cable.<\/p>\n<p>Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, QuickOnlineTips earns from qualifying purchases.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In September 2013 the HDMI Forum released HDMI 2.0, raising bandwidth to 18Gbps so TVs could show 4K at 60&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":35069,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[23,15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35068","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-computers","category-gadgets"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35068","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35068"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35068\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67478,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35068\/revisions\/67478"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35069"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35068"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35068"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35068"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}