What's wrong with Ultra96 certification for HDMI 2.2

Manufacturers have officially received the green light - the HDMI 2.2 specification has finally been published. What does this mean for gamers, cinephiles, and fans of extra pixels? The ability to enjoy 4K at 480 Hz, 8K at 240 Hz, and for the most desperate, even 16K, if, of course, someone ever shoots something in that resolution.

What we know.

The main update is that the bandwidth has doubled: from 48 Gbps (in HDMI 2.1) to 96 Gbps. But don't be in a hurry to rejoice - as always, it's not that simple. Even if the port proudly says "HDMI 2.2 Ultra96", it does not guarantee full support for all the features of the standard.

Yes, Ultra96-certified cables are required to deliver an honest 96Gbps. But the ports in devices do not. Manufacturers can honestly draw HDMI 2.2 on the box, but in fact, the port will support, for example, only 64 or 80 Gbps. Hello, beloved USB-C chaos - it's the same story here.

From the technical features of HDMI 2.2:

• 4K uncompressed up to 240 Hz
• 8K uncompressed up to 60 Hz
• 4K with compression up to 480 Hz
• 8K with compression up to 240 Hz

Theoretically, up to 16K, but this requires support for the DSC 1.2a standard at both ends - both the signal source and the display. We've also improved audio and video synchronisation via Latency Indication Protocol, so that the sound finally keeps up with the picture at the most important moments.

When to expect it

The first TVs and monitors with HDMI 2.2 should be available in late 2026 or early 2027 at the earliest. Hopefully, the wait will be less than two years, as it was with HDMI 2.1.

The main thing is that when buying, don't look at the big numbers on the box, but carefully check the actual specifications. Otherwise, your 16K will remain only a dream from marketing slides.

Source: Techradar