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Home4K 160Hz

4K 160Hz: which connections carry it

4K 160Hz needs 35.10 Gbps at 8-bit and 43.88 Gbps at 10-bit. The lowest-capacity connection that carries it is DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR10 at 8-bit, and DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR13.5 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 but needs DSC (about 1.1:1) at 10-bit; DisplayPort 1.4 needs DSC at 8-bit (about 1.4:1) and 10-bit (about 1.8:1); DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR20 carries it at 8-bit and 10-bit.

At 8-bit, HDMI 2.1 (40 Gbps FRL) carries 4K 160Hz only with reduced blanking v2; the older v1 timing needs 35.81 Gbps, over the limit.

4K 160Hz on every link

LinkCarries8-bit10-bit
HDMI 1.4 †8.16 GbpsFail, 35.10 GbpsFail, 43.88 Gbps
HDMI 2.014.40 GbpsFail, 35.10 GbpsFail, 43.88 Gbps
HDMI 2.1 (40 Gbps FRL) †35.56 GbpsTight, 35.10 GbpsNeeds DSC, about 1.3:1
HDMI 2.1 (48 Gbps FRL)42.67 GbpsPass, 35.10 GbpsNeeds DSC, about 1.1:1
HDMI 2.2n/aNo verdict yetNo verdict yet
DisplayPort 1.217.28 GbpsFail, 35.10 GbpsFail, 43.88 Gbps
DisplayPort 1.425.92 GbpsNeeds DSC, about 1.4:1Needs DSC, about 1.8:1
DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR1038.68 GbpsPass, 35.10 GbpsNeeds DSC, about 1.2:1
DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR13.552.22 GbpsPass, 35.10 GbpsPass, 43.88 Gbps
DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR2077.37 GbpsPass, 35.10 GbpsPass, 43.88 Gbps
USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode, 2 lanes with USB data)12.96 GbpsNeeds DSC, about 2.8:1Needs DSC, about 3.5:1
USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode, 4 lanes)25.92 GbpsNeeds DSC, about 1.4:1Needs DSC, about 1.8:1
USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode 2.x, 2 lanes with USB data)38.68 GbpsPass, 35.10 GbpsNeeds DSC, about 1.2:1
USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode 2.x, 4 lanes)77.37 GbpsPass, 35.10 GbpsPass, 43.88 Gbps
Thunderbolt 3 ‡17.28 GbpsFail, 35.10 GbpsFail, 43.88 Gbps
Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 40 Gbps ‡25.92 GbpsNeeds DSC, about 1.4:1Needs DSC, about 1.8:1
Thunderbolt 5 / USB4 v277.37 GbpsPass, 35.10 GbpsPass, 43.88 Gbps
USB-C to HDMI 2.1 adapter25.92 GbpsFails uncompressed (35.10 Gbps); DSC depends on the adapterFails uncompressed (43.88 Gbps); DSC depends on the adapter
USB-C to HDMI 2.0 adapter14.40 GbpsFails uncompressed (35.10 Gbps); DSC depends on the adapterFails uncompressed (43.88 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.

3840x2160 at 160 Hz in detail

TimingPixel clockTotal pixels per lineTotal lines8-bit
CVT reduced blanking v21462.63 MHz3920233235.10 Gbps
CVT reduced blanking v11492.25 MHz4000233235.81 Gbps
CVT standard (CRT) timing2058.25 MHz5424237249.40 Gbps

At 3840x2160 and 8-bit, HDMI 2.0 reaches 68 Hz and DisplayPort 1.4 reaches 120 Hz (318 Hz with DSC at maximum compression).

Sources

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