HDMI 2.2 might be launching in just some weeks, in keeping with a brand new leak, with the brand new customary set to carry enhancements in bandwidth that enable for larger resolutions and refresh charges. That might imply next-generation graphics playing cards and gaming displays may have the ability to push past the present restrict of 4K at 240Hz, with out the necessity to resort to picture compression.
With shows such because the LG Ultragear 32GS95UE solely simply arriving and bringing 4K at 240Hz gaming with them, HDMI 2.2 isn’t more likely to usher in a brand new technology of even quicker greatest gaming monitor contenders simply but. Nevertheless, if this rumor is true, it received’t be too lengthy earlier than all of us begin coveting even quicker or higher-resolution shows.
The reveal of this attainable announcement comes from Italian tech website, Digital Day, which claims it has seen a press launch from the HDMI discussion board saying the brand new customary. The announcement says that “[t]he new specification, that includes next-gen HDMI know-how and elevated bandwidth, will assist a variety of upper resolutions and refresh charges, supported by a brand new HDMI cable [machine translated].”
It additionally goes on to say the announcement of HDMI v2.2 shall be made on the CES 2025 tech commerce present in Las Vegas, in simply three weeks.
Regardless of the declare of getting seen a full press launch of the announcement, the positioning doesn’t go on to share any additional particulars of the usual, although. As such, we don’t know the brand new most bandwidth and resultant most decision and refresh fee mixtures you’ll have the ability to obtain over these cables.
The present HDMI 2.1 specification helps resolutions as much as 10,240 x 4,320 (10K) at 120Hz when Show Stream Compression (DSC) is engaged, however is proscribed to 7,680 x 4,320 (8K) at 60Hz with out compression. In the meantime, for extra acquainted 4K resolutions, HDMI 2.1 can hit 240Hz with DSC and 4K at 120Hz with out DSC, due to the usual’s 48Gbit/s complete bandwidth.
As such, we might speculate that the brand new customary may enhance bandwidth by 50% to 72Gbit/s, which might enable for 4K at 240Hz with out DSC or 4K at 360Hz with DSC. Or, maybe the brand new customary might totally double the bandwidth, which might unlock 480Hz 4K gaming, or the flexibility to play at 8K at 120Hz.
What we do know from this launch is that it mentions the usage of a brand new cable. This tallies with earlier HDMI customary updates, with HDMI 2.1 requiring a correctly rated cable to achieve its most speeds. This might additionally imply the brand new speeds are solely accessible on shorter lengths of cable than the present 15m (50ft) restrict for HDMI 2.1.
As for a way this compares to DisplayPort, the newest DisplayPort customary is 2.1, which has a most bandwidth of 80Gbit/s. This in idea permits for 4K refresh charges of over 300Hz however in apply we’ve solely but seen 4K at 240Hz shows.
Furthermore, many shows that hit this refresh fee and determination mixture don’t truly but use DisplayPort 2.1. One such instance is the LG 32GS95UE, which makes use of DSC over DisplayPort to get its full 4K at 240Hz mixture. Paradoxically, although, its HDMI ports are 2.1, so it may possibly ship this mix with out compression. Who stated show requirements had been complicated…
What’s extra, no Nvidia playing cards but assist DisplayPort 2.1, with the RTX 40 vary as an alternative sticking to DisplayPort 2.0. Solely AMD’s Radeon RX 7000 playing cards assist DisplayPort 2.1, although we anticipate each the upcoming RTX 5000 sequence and RX 8000 sequence GPUs to assist DisplayPort 2.1 after they’re additionally introduced at CES.
So, HDMI 2.2 isn’t going to turn out to be an instantaneous must-have by any stretch, even when it does present a step-change in graphics throughput. Not solely are the decision and body fee mixtures it may possibly ship far past what many players care about, however it’s additionally more likely to be nicely into subsequent yr, if not past, that new merchandise based mostly on the usual shall be broadly accessible.
For extra on what we will anticipate from CES 2025, take a look at our Nvidia RTX 5090 and AMD RX 8800 XT guides, as each of those GPUs are anticipated to launch on the present.
