HDMI 2.2 Officially Released: Supports Up to 96Gbps, 16K at 60fps
Last week brought exciting news about next-gen AMD GPUs likely supporting the latest HDMI 2.2 standard , with rumored support for up to 80Gbps bandwidth . Now, it’s official — the HDMI Forum has made the HDMI 2.2 specification available to manufacturers , paving the way for broader adoption across TVs, monitors, and graphics cards.
The new standard was first announced during CES 2025 in January, but this latest move marks a significant step forward in its rollout.
Let’s take a closer look at what HDMI 2.2 brings to the table.
🔥 What’s New in HDMI 2.2?
HDMI 2.2 doubles the maximum bandwidth of its predecessor, HDMI 2.1, offering up to 96Gbps of raw data throughput. This opens the door to significantly higher resolution and refresh rate combinations, including:
- 16K resolution at 60 frames per second
- 12K resolution at 120 frames per second
- Uncompressed 8K@60Hz with full chroma (4:4:4) at 10- or 12-bit color depth
- 4K@240Hz with full chroma (4:4:4)
These enhancements are especially relevant as display technology continues to push the boundaries of visual fidelity, particularly in high-end home theaters, pro AV setups, and future PC gaming experiences.
🎧 Enhanced Audio & Video Synchronization
One notable addition is the Latency Indication Protocol (LIP) , which improves synchronization between audio and video signals. This is especially important in complex setups involving multiple devices or “multi-hop” hardware configurations, where timing mismatches can lead to annoying delays or lip-sync issues.
💬 Official Statement from HDMI Forum
Chandlee Harrell, president of the HDMI Forum, shared his thoughts on the release:
“The HDMI Forum is proud to release the new HDMI 2.2 Specification to enable higher performance capabilities and features for exciting and immersive new solutions and products.”
He also emphasized the importance of consumer clarity with the introduction of the Ultra96 branding , designed to help users identify cables and devices that support the highest bandwidth levels.
🏷️ Ultra96 Branding Explained
To help consumers identify compatible products, the HDMI Forum is introducing the Ultra96 label for any HDMI 2.2 device that supports:
- 64Gbps
- 80Gbps
- 96Gbps
This branding will appear on both cables and devices like GPUs, TVs, and media players. However, there’s a catch: not all Ultra96-branded cables will support the full 96Gbps bandwidth. Some may only reach 64Gbps but still carry the Ultra96 logo — so buyers should pay attention to specs beyond just the branding.
Also, note that existing Ultra High Speed HDMI Cables only support up to 48Gbps , making them incompatible with HDMI 2.2’s higher bandwidth modes.
All Ultra96 cables must go through a certification process , including testing based on cable length, to ensure they meet performance standards.
🤔 What Does This Mean for Consumers?
While HDMI 2.2 promises major leaps in performance, widespread adoption may take time. Manufacturers will need to integrate the new standard into their upcoming products, and consumers will have to upgrade both their source devices (like GPUs and media players) and cables to take full advantage of the new features.
Still, this is an important milestone in the evolution of home entertainment and professional AV systems. As more companies begin rolling out HDMI 2.2-compatible hardware, we’ll start seeing richer, more immersive content delivered with greater fidelity than ever before.
