While the design and construction of the cable might not make any difference to your image or sound quality (as long as it works properly), it will make it more robust and reliable, or affect how easy it is to connect your screen and source devices. In 2022 an amendment to the specification for HDMI 2.1a was announced which introduced a new feature called HDMI Cable Power, which enables users to use HDMI cables that are much longer than are currently supported, without the need for a separate power connector. To take advantage of the feature, however, users will need to have both a new type of HDMI cable and an HDMI source device that supports the feature. We're yet to see any products announced that include it, but it's worth noting that new HDMI cables with Cable Power will ship with a separate power connector, normally a USB Micro-B or Type-C, for use with non-compatible source devices. Using HDMI ARC does not require a new HDMI cable. Any HDMI cable should be able to cope with the requirements – it’s only when we move on to eARC that this could (potentially) become an issue. But more on that later. HDMI 2.1 promises to usher in a new wave of 8K TVs along with much higher bandwidth, better audio and faster gameplay. Here's everything you need to know. If you need an extra cable, or perhaps one that's longer or shorter than the one provided, you'll want to make sure it's fully HDMI 2.1 compliant. Being confident of that just got a fair bit easier, as the HDMI Forum, the organisation responsible for the HDMI spec, recently launched a certification program for HDMI 2.1 cables.

The cable supports Dynamic HDR, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and DTS:X surround sound. Meanwhile, you can output to a display with up to an 8K resolution at 60Hz, as well as 4K at 120Hz. For home entertainment buffs, HDMI 2.1 also supports 8K (7,680-by-4,320-pixel) content at 60fps. Like 4K TVs increasingly came to dominate the TV field in the mid-2010s, 8K TVs will become more and more the norm as we head into the mid-2020s. That said, streaming video content even at 4K is relatively new. So it will likely be several years before 8K devices and, just as important, their supporting content become mainstream. Dynamic HDR Good news. There are some televisions that will ship with HDMI 2.1 support this year, including the Sony Master Series Z9G 8K LCD TV, Samsung's 2019 8K models and LG's 8K and 4K models in 2019. And looking ahead, there's a good chance that HDMI 2.1 will become the standard technology for TVs, especially as 8K resolution gains prominence in the market.

New cable

A soundbar can deliver room-filling immersive sound with Dolby Atmos support while others come with subwoofers and additional surround speakers you can mount on a wall to save space, and some are even wireless. Some have big booming volume while others are more suited to smaller rooms like apartments, and some are just designed to blow you away completely, like the 3,000-watt Nakmichi Dragon. There's a soundbar for every situation and budget. Keep in mind there's no such thing as HDMI cable "versions." As in, there's no such thing as an "HDMI 2.0" cable. The version numbers refer to the physical connections in your TV, receiver or sound bar. So your TV and 4K Blu-ray player need to both have HDMI 2.0 to watch HDR content, but the cable connecting them couldn't care less. It's just a dumb pipe.

To put it another way, a poorly made 3-foot cable will probably work fine for most people, but a poorly made 15-foot cable probably won't. With any long-run solution you're considering, make sure it can handle 4K/60, HDR and so on. Many options can't. There are three technologies to consider: There’s a lot to get excited about when it comes to HDMI connections and the Xbox Series X, as well as a lot to learn, which is why we’ve created this guide. Often, PC-centric display devices will support both HDMI and DisplayPort (providing inputs for both), so the choice then comes down to which one works best for your specific usage case. (See our feature HDMI vs. DisplayPort: Which Should I Use for My PC Monitor? for some guidance on that.) However, based on HDMI 2.1’s improvements, it is a better choice for home entertainment needs for some reasons that may be new to you. It's also working up some steam on the PC and console-gaming side. It's worth noting, however, that Samsung's 8K Q900S QLED TV, which came out last year, will get an option to upgrade to HDMI 2.1 sometime this year, according to Samsung. What that upgrade will entail has not been announced.Inputs with HDMI 2.1 features, like the one on this Samsung TV, primarily cater to gamers right now. Sarah Tew/CNET The really short version

The good thing is, if it works, it works. For example, if you're sending a 4K HDR signal from your 4K Blu-ray player to your 4K HDR TV and the TV shows a 4K HDR signal, you're set. It's not possible to get a better image using a different 4K HDMI cable. That's not how the technology works. Intriguingly, it may be possible for device vendors to make HDMI 2.1 features available on HDMI 2.0 devices via firmware upgrades. This, however, is by no means a guarantee, and no firmware upgrade will give you all HDMI 2.1 features. Now, it's important to note that even if your TV doesn't support an HDMI 2.1 connection, you can still plug the console into a standard HDMI port in a TV or monitor – just with more more picture limitations. Previously the only way to overcome this constraint was to use active HDMI cables, which employ an amplifier to boost the signal allowingit to be maintained for longer distances without degradation, and are typically found in professional settings.Let’s dive into the features one by one. One key thing to know: HDMI 2.1 devices need to support only one of the following features to be advertised as an HDMI 2.1 device. That’s a potential concern for buyers who are depending on more than one of these new features, or on a specific one being present. (More on that later.) Smoother, Higher-Resolution Video It is important to note that while the Series X uses HDMI 2.1 as the connection, it doesn't mean your TV also needs to support HDMI 2.1. You can play over an HDMI 2.0 port and cable, just with a max 4K/30fps performance ceiling. Worried about potential lip-sync problems? HDMI v1.3, launched in 2006, added automatic audio syncing, although it was only optional. This means some ARC-enabled products will play together nicely, others might not.

This will simplify system setups dramatically because it means users can connect everything to their TV and then run a single HDMI cable to their receiver or soundbar without losing sound quality. Fewer cables, less mess, better sound! Dynamic HDRAt first blush, HDMI 2.1 doesn't look all that different; in fact, some HDMI 2.0 TV and displays can masquerade as HDMI 2.1 devices. But when you consider its huge boost in bandwidth, support for up to 10K content and benefits for gamers — not to mention a new enhanced audio return channel — the standard should deliver a much more appealing experience. But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, it's important to note that 10K content isn't available yet. And while we saw 8K televisions at CES this year, 8K content available is really, really hard to come by. So, while HDMI 2.1 provides the opportunity to enjoy super-high-res content, you won't be able to experience it in any meaningful way soon.