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Your next TV might claim HDMI 2.2, but read the fine print before you pay up

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Why This Matters

HDMI 2.2 is set to significantly boost bandwidth to up to 96Gbps by 2027, enabling higher resolutions and refresh rates for future TVs, monitors, and gaming devices. This new standard introduces advanced features like FRL2, aiming to improve compatibility and performance across devices. As the industry prepares for this upgrade, consumers and manufacturers should be aware of potential variations in device capabilities and the importance of fine print when purchasing HDMI-enabled gear.

Key Takeaways

Hadlee Simons / Android Authority

TL;DR HDMI 2.2 is coming in 2027 with up to 96Gbps bandwidth, doubling the throughput of HDMI 2.1 for future TVs, monitors, and gaming gear.

Chipmakers are already testing HDMI 2.2 hardware, with FRL2 silicon samples and certification work now underway.

Not every HDMI 2.2 device will offer full speeds, as manufacturers can choose between 64Gbps, 80Gbps, and 96Gbps implementations.

HDMI 2.1 has been out for years, but many high-end TVs don’t support it on all ports. Now the industry is already gearing up for the next generation, with HDMI 2.2 devices expected to start rolling in in 2027.

The new standard was first revealed at CES 2025 and released later that year, promising a big bandwidth jump. HDMI 2.1 maxes out at 48 Gbps, but HDMI 2.2 can go up to 96 Gbps, doubling the data throughput for future TVs, monitors, gaming hardware, and home theater gear.

According to Rob Tobias, CEO and president of HDMI Licensing Administrator, chip makers are already preparing FRL2 silicon samples, with certification and testing currently underway, FlatpanelsHD reports. That timeline is similar to HDMI 2.1, which was announced in 2017 but didn’t show up in LG’s OLED TVs until two years later.

The new HDMI 2.1 had to move away from the older TMDS signaling method and to Fixed Rate Link (FRL). Building on that, HDMI 2.2 is adding FRL2, which could make adoption easier and hopefully stave off some of the compatibility headaches that came up in the early days of HDMI 2.1.

What you do get is HDMI 2.2, which allows for uncompressed 4K at 240Hz, uncompressed 8K at 60Hz, and even 4K at 480Hz with chroma subsampling. With Display Stream Compression enabled, the spec takes it even further and supports things like 8K 240Hz and 1440p refresh rates over 1,000Hz. Testing is underway for some 4K 240Hz TVs, according to the HDMI organization.

For home theater users, higher frame rates could be a boon on more than one front. HDMI 2.2 also brings LIP (Latency Indication Protocol), a feature aimed at bettering the audio and video sync between TVs, soundbars, and AV receivers — something that many setups still struggle with today.

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