Gamers, it's time to get excited. HDMI 2.2, a whole new specification aimed at broadening the potential for unbridled gaming, is on the way. It’s being touted as a serious upgrade over HDMI 2.1, offering up to 96Gbps in bandwidth on resolutions as high as 16K.
For newer TV buyers, especially fans of hardcore gaming, HDMI 2.2 marks a turning point and is coming at an interesting time in the TV space. The new specification heralds some insane metrics, like gaming in 4K at 480Hz. Of course, no TV meets that criteria just yet and even some of the best monitors barely break that ceiling, but both LG and Samsung did announce new 165Hz TVs at CES 2025 — at the very same time HDMI 2.2 was announced.
We’re on the cusp of a future that could be home to some of the very best gaming TVs and the most advanced sets ever designed for the pastime, but that future might not be as close as some are hoping. Plus, there's still so much we just don't know about the specification, with its HDMI Latency Indication Protocol (LIP) being of keen interest for audio enthusiasts.
Let's dive into what HDMI 2.2 is bringing to the table and when we might expect it on TVs.
HDMI 2.2: Next-level 4K gaming TVs
To understand the vast changes on offer with HDMI 2.2, let's take a step back and look at what HDMI 2.1 can do. For starters, the HDMI 2.1 spec was introduced in 2017 as an update over HDMI 2.0, allotting up to 48Gbps bandwidth with support for both 8K and 4K resolutions. It also enabled devices withhigher frame rates, broader range in audio format support and dynamic HDR formats.
The HDMI 2.2 standard would see major improvements with the launch of HDMI 2.1b, allowing support for ALLM, Quick Media Switching (QMS), VRR, and even eARC connectivity, among other changes. Announced at CES 2025, the TCL QM6K Mini-LED TV plays host to the HDMI 2.1b spec, and could very well be among this year's best HDMI 2.1 TVs
But now, eight years following the launch of HDMI 2.1, its successor is setting the stage for some serious changes. The new specification aims to meet practically every need, offering support for 4K, 8K, 10K, 12K, and 16K resolutions at a bandwidth of 96Gbps. That's double what was available on HDMI 2.1 and about 16Gbps more than DisplayPort's 80Gbps, a spec typically relegated to monitors.
That higher bandwidth will be particularly important for gamers running any of the best VR headsets, or any such application falling under the XR category. It's also intended to improve commercial applications, like "large scale digital signage, medical imaging, and machine vision," as mentioned in the HDMI Forum press release.
HDMI 2.2 will also offer higher refresh rates at specific resolutions, like support for 4K at 480Hz, and 8K/240Hz support. Though, it's important to note that this higher resolution isn't easy to achieve for even some of the best gaming PCs and there's only a small handful of games available in 8K, including Gran Turismo 7, Fortnite, F1 24, Overwatch 2, World of Warcraft, No Man's Sky, Apex Legends, and The Callisto Protocol.
You'll also need to buy a whole new cable for the specification, which the HDMI Forum is calling the Ultra96 Cable. This will net you access to HDMI 2.2 features, main among them being its HDMI Fixed Rate Link technology. It's also set to give you slightly better audio thanks to a new Latency Indication Protocol (LIP), which aims to improve audio-video synchronization, especially for users running the best AV receivers and best soundbars.
When will HDMI 2.2 TVs go on sale?
Unfortunately, while the HDMI Forum claims the 2.2 spec is set to release in H1 2025, the reality is that it probably won't land on TVs and monitors until next year — if even then.
Tom's Guide has reached out to the HDMI Forum for clarification on its arrival as well as TV makers, like Samsung and LG, and will update this page with more information when it's available.
This long road of wait for HDMI 2.2 to land officially on devices is best spelled out in the launch and slow rollout of HDMI 2.1, which took as much as three years before it finally became more mainstream. Even today, some of the best TVs still often come with just two HDMI 2.1 ports and two extra HDMI 2.0 ports. It's actually a component in our reviews, and it just feels highly unlikely that 2025 sets will come with the upgraded specification.
The kicker is that TV manufacturers need to opt into the new spec and implement the technology into its displays, which takes money and time. The reality is that we may still have another few years before we can see the full extent of what HDMI 2.2 can truly do in the market. And who knows? Maybe it will finally make the best 8K TVs relevant.
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