HDMI 2.2 is here — 4K at 480Hz and up to 12K resolution with 120Hz refresh rates coming in 2025

An HDMI 2.1 connection
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Get ready for a new wave of TVs, gaming monitors and more with higher resolutions and frame rates, as HDMI 2.2 has been announced at CES 2025. The new specification comes with 96Gbps bandwidth — double what you get with HDMI 2.1. It will be available in a new Ultra96 HDMI Cable.

HDMI Forum pulled the curtain back on HDMI 2.2, which will be widely available later in 2025, along with the new cable. Not only is there 96Gbps bandwidth, but it also features next-gen HDMI Fixed Rate Link tech to provide “optimal audio and video.” More impressively, it enables 4K resolution with up to 480 frames per second (fps), and up to 12K at 120 fps.

As you can imagine, the possibilities of HDMI 2.2 will offer next-gen TVs like Hisense's “consumer ready” 136-inch MicroLED TV a major boost in visuals. With higher resolutions and refresh rates thanks to that higher 96Gbps bandwidth, there will be plenty of higher quality options in gaming as well. In fact, you can expect 4K resolution with 240Hz refresh rates at 10-bit and 12-bit, and beyond, become the norm.

HDMI 2.2 Press Conference with Chandlee Harrell, president of the HDMI Forum

President of the HDMI Forum Chandlee Harrell (Image credit: Future)

Interestingly, HDMI Forum also notes that the faster bandwidth will “improve demanding data-intensive, immersive and virtual applications such as AR/VR/MR, spatial reality and light field displays.” With Android XR on the way, we could see this technology take advantage of Samsung’s Project Moohan headset and more.

This is a big step over the past HDMI 2.1b, which sports resolution support of up to 10K resolution and up to 48bps bandwidth, and an even bigger gap between HDMI 2.0’s 6Gbps. With DisplayPort 2.1 offering 80Gbps, we’re sure to see HDMI 2.2 slowly become more of a standard in TVs and monitors.

Better yet, with Nvidia’s RTX 50-series GPUs looming, we may be getting closer to truly native higher-resolution gameplay. I mean, 4K resolution at 480 frames per second? Yes, please.

Ultra96 HDMI Cable

Ultra96 HDMI Cable prototype (Image credit: Future)

Sound is getting a performance bump, too. With Latency Indication Protocol (LIP), you can expect improved audio and video synchronization, meaning system configurations that include soundbars and more will match up far easier.

"The HDMI Forum's continuing mission is to develop specifications to meet the HDMI eco-systems growing demand for high-performance capabilities and features," said Chandlee Harrell, president of the HDMI Forum. "This new specification supports the fast-evolving landscape for amazing new technologies and products entering the markets now and in the future."

During the conference, Harrell stated that 14 billion HDMI-enabled devices shipped in 2024 alone. As stated, 4K at 144Hz have now become commonplace, with next-gen TVs already supporting 4K at 240Hz. And, 100-, 98- and 85-inch displays have seen a fast growth. Now, seeing 12K come into the fold, we'll see how long it takes for higher resolutions to become the norm.

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Darragh Murphy
Computing Editor

Darragh is Tom’s Guide’s Computing Editor and is fascinated by all things bizarre in tech. His work can be seen in Laptop Mag, Mashable, Android Police, Shortlist Dubai, Proton, theBit.nz, ReviewsFire and more. When he's not checking out the latest devices and all things computing, he can be found going for dreaded long runs, watching terrible shark movies and trying to find time to game