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1440p 165Hz: which connections carry it

1440p 165Hz needs 16.30 Gbps at 8-bit and 20.37 Gbps at 10-bit. The lowest-capacity connection that carries it is DisplayPort 1.2 at 8-bit, and DisplayPort 1.4 at 10-bit.

By David Owen. Published 27 October 2026.

HDMI 2.0 can't carry it at 8-bit or 10-bit; HDMI 2.1 (48 Gbps FRL) carries it at 8-bit and 10-bit; DisplayPort 1.4 carries it at 8-bit and 10-bit; DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR20 carries it at 8-bit and 10-bit.

1440p 165Hz on every link

LinkCarries8-bit10-bit
HDMI 1.4 †8.16 GbpsFail, 16.30 GbpsFail, 20.37 Gbps
HDMI 2.014.40 GbpsFail, 16.30 GbpsFail, 20.37 Gbps
HDMI 2.1 (40 Gbps FRL) †35.56 GbpsPass, 16.30 GbpsPass, 20.37 Gbps
HDMI 2.1 (48 Gbps FRL)42.67 GbpsPass, 16.30 GbpsPass, 20.37 Gbps
HDMI 2.2n/aNo verdict yetNo verdict yet
DisplayPort 1.217.28 GbpsPass, 16.30 GbpsFail, 20.37 Gbps
DisplayPort 1.425.92 GbpsPass, 16.30 GbpsPass, 20.37 Gbps
DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR1038.68 GbpsPass, 16.30 GbpsPass, 20.37 Gbps
DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR13.552.22 GbpsPass, 16.30 GbpsPass, 20.37 Gbps
DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR2077.37 GbpsPass, 16.30 GbpsPass, 20.37 Gbps
USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode, 2 lanes with USB data)12.96 GbpsNeeds DSC, about 1.3:1Needs DSC, about 1.7:1
USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode, 4 lanes)25.92 GbpsPass, 16.30 GbpsPass, 20.37 Gbps
USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode 2.x, 2 lanes with USB data)38.68 GbpsPass, 16.30 GbpsPass, 20.37 Gbps
USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode 2.x, 4 lanes)77.37 GbpsPass, 16.30 GbpsPass, 20.37 Gbps
Thunderbolt 3 ‡17.28 GbpsPass, 16.30 GbpsFail, 20.37 Gbps
Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 40 Gbps ‡25.92 GbpsPass, 16.30 GbpsPass, 20.37 Gbps
Thunderbolt 5 / USB4 v277.37 GbpsPass, 16.30 GbpsPass, 20.37 Gbps
USB-C to HDMI 2.1 adapter25.92 GbpsPass, 16.30 GbpsPass, 20.37 Gbps
USB-C to HDMI 2.0 adapter14.40 GbpsFails uncompressed (16.30 Gbps); DSC depends on the adapterFails uncompressed (20.37 Gbps); DSC depends on the adapter

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. Tight means within 3% of the link's capacity. † rests on one secondary source. ‡ assumes the DisplayPort version the link tunnels.

2560x1440 at 165 Hz in detail

TimingPixel clockTotal pixels per lineTotal lines8-bit
CVT reduced blanking v2679.1 MHz2640155916.30 Gbps
CVT reduced blanking v1699.5 MHz2720155916.79 Gbps
CVT standard (CRT) timing938.5 MHz3584158822.52 Gbps

At 2560x1440 and 8-bit, HDMI 2.0 reaches 147 Hz and DisplayPort 1.4 reaches 251 Hz (601 Hz with DSC at maximum compression).

Sources

Data verified 27 October 2026 against these sources. See the methodology for how disagreements are resolved.