Upgrading to the Next-Gen GPUs Might Require You to Get New HDMI 2.2 Cables
It seems like next year, your preferred (or perhaps least favorite) HDMI connection cable could undergo a significant upgrade. According to the HDMI Forum, they're planning to make a significant announcement during CES on January 6th. If the leaks are accurate, they're set to announce an upgrade from HDMI 2.1a to HDMI 2.2. If you're planning to utilize the maximum resolution and refresh rates with any upcoming Nvidia 50-series GPUs, you might need a completely new cable.
Before the HDMI Forum's formal announcement, VideoCardz reported that the new cable standard would necessitate a new cable. The German-language Computer Base, translating with machines, quoted the HDMI Licensing Administration stating there's a "next generation HDMI technology and higher bandwidth," implying it will be "facilitated by a new HDMI cable." The HDMI Licensing Administration, the appointed agent for licensing 2.2, will represent group representatives during CES.
The information provided is rather scant. It doesn't hint at whether the male port will change from its present form and it doesn't offer any sense of backward compatibility with HDMI 2.1. At the very least, you'll likely need the new cable to reap all the benefits of the new standard. The forum stated in its pre-CES announcement that it would enable "a wide range of higher resolutions and refresh rates."
Since its introduction in 2017, HDMI 2.1a has had a 48Gbps bitrate. The new standard is also expected to support up to 120 Hz in VRR and a 10240 by 4320 resolution with display stream compression. VideoCardz speculated that it could potentially allow higher resolutions and refresh rates without compression.
The new standard might even surpass DisplayPort 2.1 rates. A DP 2.1 cable should be capable of more than 240 Hz at 4K with 10-bit color depth. Higher refresh rates at lower color depths are possible, depending on your willingness to sacrifice impressive graphics for diminishing returns on framerates the eye can't perceive.
Currently, some 8K TVs made by manufacturers like Samsung support 7680 by 4320 resolution, but there are few examples of media that support 8K. All existing models essentially serve as more expensive 4K TVs. Sony's PlayStation brand has virtually abandoned advertising the console that supports 8K on its PS5 and PS5 Pro boxes.
A growing number of 4K monitors now support refresh rates higher than 240 Hz, but they represent the expensive minority of monitors available on the market today. Higher bitrates are desirable, but the reason HDMI 2.1 has persisted without change for seven years becomes evident. It marks an intriguing shift for the long-rumored AMD Radeon RX 8000 series and the Nvidia Geforce RTX 50-series GPUs. These GPUs are slated to debut at CES this year, with announcements planned for Jan. 6.
The current 40-series Nvidia GPUs only support DisplayPort 1.4a, although AMD's latest GPUs reach up to DisplayPort 2.0. Intel's Battlemage ARC B580 cards, released by Team Blue this month, support DisplayPort 2.1 and HDMI 2.1. While it doesn't guarantee high framerates at 4K without significant sacrifices on the $250 cards, it's worth noting.
There are more monitors, like LG's new UltraGear OLED, offering 480 Hz refresh rates at QHD resolution for $1,000. This monitor supports DisplayPort 2.1 and HDMI 2.1 and "guarantees compatibility with the latest consoles and gaming PCs." If you aim to achieve those ludicrous refresh rates, you would want to utilize the DP 2.1.
In light of the anticipated HDMI 2.2 upgrade, users might need to invest in a new cable to fully leverage the improved resolution and refresh rates with upcoming Nvidia 50-series GPUs. The HDMI Licensing Administration mentioned a "next generation HDMI technology and higher bandwidth," suggesting the need for a new HDMI cable to facilitate this upgrade.
