HomeHDMI 2.1
HDMI 2.1 bandwidth
HDMI 2.1 (48 Gbps FRL) is rated 48 Gbps and carries 42.67 Gbps of video after FRL 16b/18b encoding. At 8-bit without compression it carries 1080p up to 596 Hz, 1440p up to 384 Hz, 3440x1440 up to 301 Hz and 4K up to 191 Hz. That is 2.96 times the 14.40 Gbps of HDMI 2.0.
HDMI 2.1 (48 Gbps FRL) carries DSC, so modes over its payload can still fit when both ends support it.
Highest refresh rate on HDMI 2.1 (48 Gbps FRL)
| Resolution | 8-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit with DSC (theoretical maximum at 8 bpp) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p (1920x1080) | 596 Hz | 505 Hz | 1000+ Hz |
| 1440p (2560x1440) | 384 Hz | 319 Hz | 852 Hz |
| 3440x1440 (3440x1440) | 301 Hz | 248 Hz | 709 Hz |
| 4K (3840x2160) | 191 Hz | 155 Hz | 488 Hz |
| 5K (5120x2880) | 112 Hz | 90 Hz | 305 Hz |
| 8K (7680x4320) | 51 Hz | 41 Hz | 148 Hz |
HDMI 2.1 (40 Gbps FRL)
HDMI 2.1 (40 Gbps FRL) is rated 40 Gbps and carries 35.56 Gbps of video after FRL 16b/18b encoding. At 8-bit without compression it carries 1080p up to 521 Hz, 1440p up to 330 Hz, 3440x1440 up to 257 Hz and 4K up to 161 Hz.
| Resolution | 8-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit with DSC (theoretical maximum at 8 bpp) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p (1920x1080) | 521 Hz | 437 Hz | 1000+ Hz |
| 1440p (2560x1440) | 330 Hz | 272 Hz | 760 Hz |
| 3440x1440 (3440x1440) | 257 Hz | 211 Hz | 624 Hz |
| 4K (3840x2160) | 161 Hz | 131 Hz | 422 Hz |
| 5K (5120x2880) | 94 Hz | 76 Hz | 261 Hz |
| 8K (7680x4320) | 43 Hz | 34 Hz | 124 Hz |
Popular modes on HDMI 2.1 (48 Gbps FRL)
| Mode | 8-bit | 10-bit |
|---|---|---|
| 4K 60Hz | Pass, 12.54 Gbps | Pass, 15.68 Gbps |
| 4K 120Hz | Pass, 25.82 Gbps | Pass, 32.27 Gbps |
| 4K 144Hz | Pass, 31.35 Gbps | Pass, 39.19 Gbps |
| 4K 160Hz | Pass, 35.10 Gbps | Needs DSC, about 1.1:1 |
| 4K 165Hz | Pass, 36.29 Gbps | Needs DSC, about 1.1:1 |
| 4K 240Hz | Needs DSC, about 1.3:1 | Needs DSC, about 1.7:1 |
| 1440p 144Hz | Pass, 14.08 Gbps | Pass, 17.60 Gbps |
| 1440p 165Hz | Pass, 16.30 Gbps | Pass, 20.37 Gbps |
| 1440p 240Hz | Pass, 24.62 Gbps | Pass, 30.77 Gbps |
| 1440p 360Hz | Pass, 39.37 Gbps | Needs DSC, about 1.2:1 |
| 1080p 360Hz | Pass, 22.38 Gbps | Pass, 27.97 Gbps |
| 8K 60Hz | Needs DSC, about 1.2:1 | Needs DSC, about 1.5:1 |
| 8K 120Hz | Needs DSC, about 2.4:1 | Needs DSC, about 3:1 |
Results use PC monitor timings (VESA CVT reduced blanking v2 as the headline), not the TV and console timings in CTA-861, so a TV or console may need more bandwidth than shown. RGB/4:4:4 color. DSC verdicts are at maximum compression (8 bpp), the lowest rate VESA's DSC standard allows for 4:4:4, and show the compression each mode needs.
Sources
- HDMI 2.1 FRL article (Allion Labs), retrieved 27 October 2026
- New HDMI 2.1 Technology, part 1 of 2 (Black Box, 2021), retrieved 27 October 2026
- VESA publishes DisplayPort Standard Version 1.4 (1 Mar 2016), retrieved 27 October 2026
- VESA publishes DisplayPort 2.0 video standard (26 Jun 2019), retrieved 27 October 2026
- VESA readies DisplayPort UHBR device certification and begins certification of UHBR cables, retrieved 27 October 2026
- HDMI Cable and Connector introduction (Granite River Labs, 2019), retrieved 27 October 2026
- Hardent IP portfolio supports new features of HDMI 2.1 (2018 release), retrieved 27 October 2026
- Premium HDMI Cable Certification Program (hdmi.org), retrieved 27 October 2026
- Ultra High Speed and Ultra96 HDMI Cables (hdmi.org), retrieved 27 October 2026
- Thunderbolt 5 Technology Brief (Intel, Sept 2023), retrieved 27 October 2026
- VESA CVT Standard, Version 2.1, retrieved 27 October 2026
- VESA CVT v2.1 Generator Version 1 (spreadsheet; sheets CVTv2.1 and CVTv1.2a), retrieved 27 October 2026
- VESA Display Stream Compression (DSC) Standard, Version 1.2b (12 Aug 2021), retrieved 27 October 2026
- VESA DSC Source Device Guidelines r1.0, retrieved 27 October 2026
Data verified 27 October 2026 against these sources. See the methodology for how disagreements are resolved.