Home4K 60Hz
4K 60Hz: which connections carry it
4K 60Hz needs 12.54 Gbps at 8-bit and 15.68 Gbps at 10-bit. The lowest-capacity connection that carries it is USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode, 2 lanes with USB data) at 8-bit, and DisplayPort 1.2 at 10-bit.
HDMI 2.0 carries it at 8-bit but can't carry it at 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.
4K 60Hz on every link
| Link | Carries | 8-bit | 10-bit |
|---|---|---|---|
| HDMI 1.4 † | 8.16 Gbps | Fail, 12.54 Gbps | Fail, 15.68 Gbps |
| HDMI 2.0 | 14.40 Gbps | Pass, 12.54 Gbps | Fail, 15.68 Gbps |
| HDMI 2.1 (40 Gbps FRL) † | 35.56 Gbps | Pass, 12.54 Gbps | Pass, 15.68 Gbps |
| HDMI 2.1 (48 Gbps FRL) | 42.67 Gbps | Pass, 12.54 Gbps | Pass, 15.68 Gbps |
| HDMI 2.2 | n/a | No verdict yet | No verdict yet |
| DisplayPort 1.2 | 17.28 Gbps | Pass, 12.54 Gbps | Pass, 15.68 Gbps |
| DisplayPort 1.4 | 25.92 Gbps | Pass, 12.54 Gbps | Pass, 15.68 Gbps |
| DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR10 | 38.68 Gbps | Pass, 12.54 Gbps | Pass, 15.68 Gbps |
| DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR13.5 | 52.22 Gbps | Pass, 12.54 Gbps | Pass, 15.68 Gbps |
| DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR20 | 77.37 Gbps | Pass, 12.54 Gbps | Pass, 15.68 Gbps |
| USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode, 2 lanes with USB data) | 12.96 Gbps | Pass, 12.54 Gbps | Needs DSC, about 1.3:1 |
| USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode, 4 lanes) | 25.92 Gbps | Pass, 12.54 Gbps | Pass, 15.68 Gbps |
| USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode 2.x, 2 lanes with USB data) | 38.68 Gbps | Pass, 12.54 Gbps | Pass, 15.68 Gbps |
| USB-C (DisplayPort Alt Mode 2.x, 4 lanes) | 77.37 Gbps | Pass, 12.54 Gbps | Pass, 15.68 Gbps |
| Thunderbolt 3 ‡ | 17.28 Gbps | Pass, 12.54 Gbps | Pass, 15.68 Gbps |
| Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 40 Gbps ‡ | 25.92 Gbps | Pass, 12.54 Gbps | Pass, 15.68 Gbps |
| Thunderbolt 5 / USB4 v2 | 77.37 Gbps | Pass, 12.54 Gbps | Pass, 15.68 Gbps |
| USB-C to HDMI 2.1 adapter | 25.92 Gbps | Pass, 12.54 Gbps | Pass, 15.68 Gbps |
| USB-C to HDMI 2.0 adapter | 14.40 Gbps | Pass, 12.54 Gbps | Fails uncompressed (15.68 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 60 Hz in detail
| Timing | Pixel clock | Total pixels per line | Total lines | 8-bit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVT reduced blanking v2 | 522.614 MHz | 3920 | 2222 | 12.54 Gbps |
| CVT reduced blanking v1 | 533.25 MHz | 4000 | 2222 | 12.80 Gbps |
| CVT standard (CRT) timing | 712.75 MHz | 5312 | 2237 | 17.11 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
- 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 introduces DisplayPort v1.2 (7 Jan 2010), 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
- 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
- HDMI Forum releases Version 2.0 of the HDMI Specification (2013), retrieved 27 October 2026
- HDMI 2.2 Specification Technology Overview (hdmi.org), retrieved 27 October 2026
- Ultra High Speed and Ultra96 HDMI Cables (hdmi.org), retrieved 27 October 2026
- Thunderbolt 3 vs Thunderbolt 4 (Intel), retrieved 27 October 2026
- Thunderbolt 5 Technology Brief (Intel, Sept 2023), retrieved 27 October 2026
- HDMI 2.0 spec published (The Register, 4 Sep 2013), retrieved 27 October 2026
- USB-IF announces USB 80Gbps specifications (18 Oct 2022), retrieved 27 October 2026
- VESA Coordinated Video Timings (CVT) Standard, Version 1.2 (8 Feb 2013), retrieved 27 October 2026
- VESA CVT v1.2 Errata E2 (SCRs through 18 Jul 2021), 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
- USB4 (Wikipedia), retrieved 27 October 2026
Data verified 27 October 2026 against these sources. See the methodology for how disagreements are resolved.