HomeUSB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode)
USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode) bandwidth
USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode, 4 lanes) is rated 32.4 Gbps and carries 25.92 Gbps of video after 8b/10b encoding. At 8-bit without compression it carries 1080p up to 406 Hz, 1440p up to 251 Hz, 3440x1440 up to 193 Hz and 4K up to 120 Hz.
USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode, 4 lanes) carries DSC, so modes over its payload can still fit when both ends support it.
Highest refresh rate on USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode, 4 lanes)
| Resolution | 8-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit with DSC (theoretical maximum at 8 bpp) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p (1920x1080) | 406 Hz | 337 Hz | 874 Hz |
| 1440p (2560x1440) | 251 Hz | 205 Hz | 601 Hz |
| 3440x1440 (3440x1440) | 193 Hz | 158 Hz | 484 Hz |
| 4K (3840x2160) | 120 Hz | 97 Hz | 318 Hz |
| 5K (5120x2880) | 69 Hz | 56 Hz | 192 Hz |
| 8K (7680x4320) | 31 Hz | 25 Hz | 90 Hz |
USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode, 2 lanes with USB data)
USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode, 2 lanes with USB data) is rated 16.2 Gbps and carries 12.96 Gbps of video after 8b/10b encoding. At 8-bit without compression it carries 1080p up to 224 Hz, 1440p up to 133 Hz, 3440x1440 up to 101 Hz and 4K up to 61 Hz.
| Resolution | 8-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit with DSC (theoretical maximum at 8 bpp) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p (1920x1080) | 224 Hz | 183 Hz | 547 Hz |
| 1440p (2560x1440) | 133 Hz | 107 Hz | 349 Hz |
| 3440x1440 (3440x1440) | 101 Hz | 81 Hz | 272 Hz |
| 4K (3840x2160) | 61 Hz | 49 Hz | 171 Hz |
| 5K (5120x2880) | 35 Hz | 28 Hz | 100 Hz |
| 8K (7680x4320) | under 24 Hz | under 24 Hz | 46 Hz |
USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode 2.x, 4 lanes)
USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode 2.x, 4 lanes) is rated 80 Gbps and carries 77.37 Gbps of video after 128b/132b encoding. At 8-bit without compression it carries 1080p up to 884 Hz, 1440p up to 609 Hz, 3440x1440 up to 491 Hz and 4K up to 323 Hz.
| Resolution | 8-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit with DSC (theoretical maximum at 8 bpp) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p (1920x1080) | 884 Hz | 770 Hz | 1000+ Hz |
| 1440p (2560x1440) | 609 Hz | 516 Hz | 1000+ Hz |
| 3440x1440 (3440x1440) | 491 Hz | 412 Hz | 1000+ Hz |
| 4K (3840x2160) | 323 Hz | 267 Hz | 748 Hz |
| 5K (5120x2880) | 195 Hz | 159 Hz | 497 Hz |
| 8K (7680x4320) | 92 Hz | 74 Hz | 254 Hz |
USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode 2.x, 2 lanes with USB data)
USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode 2.x, 2 lanes with USB data) is rated 40 Gbps and carries 38.68 Gbps of video after 128b/132b encoding. At 8-bit without compression it carries 1080p up to 555 Hz, 1440p up to 354 Hz, 3440x1440 up to 277 Hz and 4K up to 174 Hz.
| Resolution | 8-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit with DSC (theoretical maximum at 8 bpp) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p (1920x1080) | 555 Hz | 468 Hz | 1000+ Hz |
| 1440p (2560x1440) | 354 Hz | 293 Hz | 802 Hz |
| 3440x1440 (3440x1440) | 277 Hz | 227 Hz | 662 Hz |
| 4K (3840x2160) | 174 Hz | 142 Hz | 452 Hz |
| 5K (5120x2880) | 102 Hz | 82 Hz | 281 Hz |
| 8K (7680x4320) | 47 Hz | 37 Hz | 135 Hz |
Popular modes on USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode, 4 lanes)
| Mode | 8-bit | 10-bit |
|---|---|---|
| 4K 60Hz | Pass, 12.54 Gbps | Pass, 15.68 Gbps |
| 4K 120Hz | Tight, 25.82 Gbps | Needs DSC, about 1.3:1 |
| 4K 144Hz | Needs DSC, about 1.3:1 | Needs DSC, about 1.6:1 |
| 4K 160Hz | Needs DSC, about 1.4:1 | Needs DSC, about 1.8:1 |
| 4K 165Hz | Needs DSC, about 1.5:1 | Needs DSC, about 1.8:1 |
| 4K 240Hz | Needs DSC, about 2.2:1 | Needs DSC, about 2.8:1 |
| 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 | Needs DSC, about 1.3:1 |
| 1440p 360Hz | Needs DSC, about 1.6:1 | Needs DSC, about 2:1 |
| 1080p 360Hz | Pass, 22.38 Gbps | Needs DSC, about 1.2:1 |
| 8K 60Hz | Needs DSC, about 2:1 | Needs DSC, about 2.5:1 |
| 8K 120Hz | Fail, even with DSC (needs about 4.1:1) | Fail, even with DSC (needs about 5.1:1) |
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 releases updated DisplayPort Alt Mode spec (29 Apr 2020), retrieved 27 October 2026
- VESA rolls out early certification program for HBR3 products (4 Jan 2017), retrieved 27 October 2026
- VESA readies DisplayPort UHBR device certification and begins certification of UHBR cables, 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.