The release of HDMI 2.2 is approaching rapidly. This new HDMI standard was introduced at CES 2025, bringing significant improvements compared to its predecessor, HDMI 2.1, including increased speeds and expanded 8K capabilities.
HDMI 2.2 is anticipated to launch in early 2025, though details about its release remain limited. Even though official information about its arrival in both hardware and cable formats is scarce, you might still wonder if upgrading is a good idea.
With that in mind, here’s everything you should know about the new specification compared to the old one and what you’ll need if you decide to upgrade.
To grasp the advancements of HDMI 2.2, it’s necessary to first examine the current specification, which is technically HDMI 2.1b—a minor enhancement over HDMI 2.1.
Released in 2023, HDMI 2.1b did not introduce many new features but instead enhanced existing ones, such as eARC connectivity for some top soundbars and excellent AV receivers. It also included improved gaming features like Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), along with Quick Media Switching and more.
A significant upgrade over the original HDMI 2.1 format was its support for higher video resolutions at faster refresh rates, particularly 4K/120Hz and 8K/60Hz. Several important HDR enhancements were also included, like Source-Based Tone Mapping and Dynamic HDR.
HDMI 2.1b also established new certification standards for Ultra High Speed HDMI cables, ensuring they comply with the highest benchmarks for displays and connected devices. Central to HDMI 2.1b was enhanced reliability, which was improved across audio, gaming, and picture quality.
The key upgrades coming with HDMI 2.2 were announced by the HDMI Forum back in January. The standout feature is that it provides double the bandwidth of HDMI 2.1 at 96Gbps, allowing the HDMI 2.2 specification to transmit uncompressed data more quickly and enabling greater bit depth at higher resolutions for much clearer images.
If you thought HDMI 2.1b had impressive capabilities regarding higher resolutions, HDMI 2.2 outshines it—particularly in terms of refresh rates. This includes support for 4K at 480Hz, 8K at 240Hz, and even 10K at 120Hz, all of which will necessitate the new Ultra96 cable for proper performance.
There is also a minor enhancement in audio synchronization called Latency Indication Protocol (LIP), which aims to alleviate sound delays between what is displayed on the screen and the audio from your speakers. This is a slight enhancement over the existing eARC specification, primarily focusing on dialogue clarity.
An exciting feature of HDMI 2.2 is its ability to deliver uncompressed 8K video output at 60Hz with 4:4:4 color sampling and 8-bit color depth. This is ideal for those using one of the best gaming PCs connected to a future version of the Samsung QN990F with HDMI 2.2 support; however, it may not appeal to every user.
This raises the question: is an upgrade necessary?
There are numerous factors to consider before diving into HDMI 2.2, with timing being the most crucial aspect. At the time of this writing, HDMI 2.2 cables, specifically the Ultra96 variety, are not yet available, and we won’t see any HDMI 2.2-compatible televisions until late 2025 or early 2026.
The HDMI Forum indicated that the new specification would be “released in H1 2025,” yet we are already approaching the end of April, and there is still no clear indication of when the official cables will be available, let alone when significant devices will receive the upgrade.
All major television manufacturers have revealed their lineups for 2025, and none have mentioned support for HDMI 2.2. It is likely that we won’t actually see this specification on televisions or even some of the best gaming monitors until 2026.
The positive aspect is that HDMI 2.2 will be backwards compatible. This means you can utilize an HDMI 2.2 cable with an HDMI 2.1 or an HDMI 2.0 input, and it will still work, though it won’t achieve those heightened speeds. The reverse is also true, allowing older HDMI cables to be used with an HDMI 2.2 input device, but again, the advantages of 96Gbps won’t be available.
HDMI 2.2 arrives during a notable period. Many of the top televisions this year are being released with faster refresh rates, such as the LG G5 OLED and Samsung S95F OLED. In terms of higher-resolution TVs, most manufacturers have ceased production of 8K models; however, Samsung continues to produce them and has introduced two 8K models this year, unfortunately lacking HDMI 2.2 support.
In my view, a significant reason to upgrade would be for enthusiasts of VR and MR. High-demand spatial reality and data-heavy tasks are central to what HDMI 2.2 is set to provide. Other industrial display applications, like medical imaging or machine vision, will also gain from this technology, although they fall outside our coverage.
For average consumers, it’s challenging to recommend jumping on board this early, especially since there’s no clear timeline and prices are still unknown. However, preparing in advance can be beneficial, and having some Ultra96 cables could be a way to future-proof your home entertainment system for the PS6 and the anticipated broader availability of 8K content.
With its support for 8K and even 10K video (rarity for consumers) as well as all key hi-res audio formats, HDMI 2.1b has you covered for home theater needs for the foreseeable future. Therefore, there isn’t an immediate necessity to upgrade your TV or audio devices for HDMI 2.2.
Instead, the HDMI Forum is promoting the new specification for commercial uses and advanced consumer technologies such as AR and VR devices. HDMI 2.2 upgrades the bandwidth transmission rate again, doubling it from 48 Gbps to 96 Gbps to better support “demanding data-intensive, immersive and virtual applications,” as stated by the Forum.
In addition to AR/VR and mixed-reality applications, the enhanced bandwidth of HDMI 2.2 aims to advance commercial technologies like medical imaging, and possibly the next generation of movie, game, and television production. Another potential use is machine vision, which involves hardware and software that allow robots, self-driving cars, and similar machines to navigate their surroundings.
The most practical improvement for home theaters introduced with HDMI 2.2 is the Latency Indication Protocol (LIP), aimed at enhancing audio and video synchronization between your TV and A/V receiver or soundbar. This was also a feature promised with HDMI eARC, which has largely succeeded. Consequently, it’s difficult to envision many home theater brands eagerly adopting HDMI 2.2 in the near future; we’re still waiting for broader HDMI 2.1b acceptance nearly nine years later.
As with HDMI 2.1, experiencing the benefits of HDMI 2.2 will require a new high-bandwidth cable, which is expected to be available around the same time as the spec’s launch in the first half of 2025. When we will see real-world application is uncertain; however, if HDMI 2.1 is any guide, it could be quite a while before it reaches the market, and even longer before it appears on your devices.