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Home4K 240Hz

4K 240Hz: which connections carry it

4K 240Hz needs 54.84 Gbps at 8-bit and 68.56 Gbps at 10-bit. The lowest-capacity connection that carries it is DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR20 at 8-bit, and DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR20 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) needs DSC at 8-bit (about 1.3:1) and 10-bit (about 1.7:1); DisplayPort 1.4 needs DSC at 8-bit (about 2.2:1) and 10-bit (about 2.8:1); DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR20 carries it at 8-bit and 10-bit.

4K 240Hz on every link

LinkCarries8-bit10-bit
HDMI 1.4 †8.16 GbpsFail, 54.84 GbpsFail, 68.56 Gbps
HDMI 2.014.40 GbpsFail, 54.84 GbpsFail, 68.56 Gbps
HDMI 2.1 (40 Gbps FRL) †35.56 GbpsNeeds DSC, about 1.6:1Needs DSC, about 2:1
HDMI 2.1 (48 Gbps FRL)42.67 GbpsNeeds DSC, about 1.3:1Needs DSC, about 1.7:1
HDMI 2.2n/aNo verdict yetNo verdict yet
DisplayPort 1.217.28 GbpsFail, 54.84 GbpsFail, 68.56 Gbps
DisplayPort 1.425.92 GbpsNeeds DSC, about 2.2:1Needs DSC, about 2.8:1
DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR1038.68 GbpsNeeds DSC, about 1.5:1Needs DSC, about 1.8:1
DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR13.552.22 GbpsNeeds DSC, about 1.1:1Needs DSC, about 1.4:1
DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR2077.37 GbpsPass, 54.84 GbpsPass, 68.56 Gbps
USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode, 2 lanes with USB data)12.96 GbpsFail, even with DSC (needs about 4.4:1)Fail, even with DSC (needs about 5.5:1)
USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode, 4 lanes)25.92 GbpsNeeds DSC, about 2.2:1Needs DSC, about 2.8:1
USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode 2.x, 2 lanes with USB data)38.68 GbpsNeeds DSC, about 1.5:1Needs DSC, about 1.8:1
USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode 2.x, 4 lanes)77.37 GbpsPass, 54.84 GbpsPass, 68.56 Gbps
Thunderbolt 3 ‡17.28 GbpsFail, 54.84 GbpsFail, 68.56 Gbps
Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 40 Gbps ‡25.92 GbpsNeeds DSC, about 2.2:1Needs DSC, about 2.8:1
Thunderbolt 5 / USB4 v277.37 GbpsPass, 54.84 GbpsPass, 68.56 Gbps
USB-C to HDMI 2.1 adapter25.92 GbpsFails uncompressed (54.84 Gbps); DSC depends on the adapterFails uncompressed (68.56 Gbps); DSC depends on the adapter
USB-C to HDMI 2.0 adapter14.40 GbpsFails uncompressed (54.84 Gbps); DSC depends on the adapterFails uncompressed (68.56 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 240 Hz in detail

TimingPixel clockTotal pixels per lineTotal lines8-bit
CVT reduced blanking v22285.203 MHz3920242954.84 Gbps
CVT reduced blanking v12331.75 MHz4000242955.96 Gbps
CVT standard (CRT) timing3253.25 MHz5440249278.08 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.