What is HDMI 2.1 And Is It Important To Have For Next Gen?

The PS5 and Xbox Series X/S all support HDMI 2.1. But what does that mean for your gaming experience, and is it worth the upgrade for your TV?

Check out the best 4K TVs for PS5 and Xbox Series X

With next-gen consoles come new hardware standards. For the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, one of the new features is HDMI 2.1 support. But what exactly makes HDMI 2.1 different, and is it worth buying a new TV for? 

In this video, Jean-Luc Seipke breaks down everything you need to know about HDMI 2.1, such as the improvements to color and HDR it offers. Most significant to gaming will be the ability to output 4K at 120fps, and we touch on some of the titles that have been confirmed to support it for next-gen.

If you’re interested in buying a TV with HDMI 2.1, check out our roundup of the best 4K TVs for PS5 and Xbox Series X. And if you’re just as excited for new consoles as we are, then check out our weekly show Generation Next, where every Friday our PS5 and Xbox Series X/S experts breakdown the latest news and everything you need to know about the new consoles.

0:00 - Intro
0:12 - HDMI 2.1 Features
1:37 - Benefits For PS5 and Xbox Series X/S
2:31 - Next-Gen Game Support for 120fps
3:15 - HDMI 2.1 Cables and TVs
4:52 - Do You Need HDMI 2.1?

[jfncho]

It means you gonna need to spend 2.1 times what you expected to for a TV.

[Vincornelis]

If you’ve got a relatively new tv there’s not necessarily a reason need to upgrade. HDMI 2.0 already supports 120fps up to 1440p if your tv is 120hertz. In reality games are unlikely to run that high a framerate at a resolution higher than that anyway unless the graphics are fairly basic in which case you’re unlikely to get much of a benefit from full 4K anyway.

[dgripper]

Okay so 2.0 is perfectly fine, I don’t really care about 120fps, maybe in 3-4 years I’ll upgrade my tv

[ozzyg]

I’m calling it now - you ain’t never gonna see PS5 or Series X playing an 8K game. You gotta be nuts. Lol 😂

[willblackler]

People: $1000 for a TV I sit Infront of everyday is too much

Also People: iPhone for $1000, Shut up and take my money

[brinouaz]

Long story short, you're good with hdmi 2.0

[dsb]

I'm still playing on a plasma TV from 2012, I barely have 1 regular HDMI port

[vherostar]

Your video is really gonna confuse people here. All those 120fps games you listed are 120fps at 1080p on ps5 and xbox series X so you dont need hdmi 2.1. In fact I doubt any AAA game will ever do 120fps 4K on the ps5 or xbox series X, even higher specced PCs have trouble doing 4K 120FPS. HDMI 2.0 will support up to 120fps up to 1440p. It seems like your trying to push those kickback links for TVs here on your article by making gamers worried they are going to be missing out. Saying "if you dont care about 120FPS I wouldn't worry about HDMI 2.1" though is real devious here and downright bending the truth.

[robgbaby]

1:50 Thank you for this. Ive been looking for this answer everywhere. My 4k TV supports 120hz, but its HDMI 2.0.

I'll gladly take multi-player @ 1440p/120fps for years to come until these newer TVs go down in price.

[preston]

I can't get over the lip smacking sounds, next time sit a bit farther from the mic.

[vpnath]

Another bit of misinformation in the video...You don't need HDMI 2.1 to support dynamic HDR. You can get HDR10+ and Dolby Vision over current HDMI 2.0 connections.

[joshooahh]

Honestly im ngl
I dont know what hdmi my tv is.
It isn't exactly advertised and in my face.
I can get hdr, 4k, 60hz so i guess thats ok

[herohunter]

4:10 Also last year’s model the 2019 LGC9 has 4 HDMI 2.1 ports. Save yourself some money and see if you can pick that up.

[xdvinslful]

Oof. A lot of misinformation here. A lot of underselling HDMI 2.0b. Your existing HDMI cable can already carry 4k 60fps, with extra features like hdr, very, and cec. It can also do the same at 120fps at resolutions up to 1440p. The ONLY reason to update to an HDMI 2.1 cable is to display in 8k, or to display in 4k at frame rates above 60fps. Your PS5 and XSX WILL NOT BE POWERFUL ENOUGH to render games in 8k, or in 4k at high frame rates. The only reason I see to plug a next-gen console in using an. HDMI 2.1 cable is to play 8k video content if you have an 8k TV. At least until the next gen, HDMI 2.1 will only really be useful for running games at 4k 120fps from a high-end PC to your TV.

[pcmasterrace]

Imagine spending expensive 4K120hz tv but playing games at 4k30fps with ray tracing enabled.

[TopHatCat]

My old 1080p TV still works fine, I'll be happy with a constant 60 FPS until I've saved up enough for both PS5 and 4K TV with full 2.1 support.

[karl]

I'm using the LG C9 that also has 4 HDM1 2.1 ports.

[kalebherrington]

Here is a list of all announced games so far for the next gen platforms:

Microsoft

Xbox console exclusives:

- Halo Infinite (One/Series X|S/PC)
- Hellblade 2 (Series X|S/PC)
- Flight Simulator (One/Series X|S/PC)
- Forza Motorsport (Series X|S/PC)
- Avowed (Series X|S/PC)
- Fable (Series X|S/PC)
- Everwild (Series X|S/PC)
- The Gunk (Series X|S/PC)
- Gears Tactics (One/Series X|S/PC)
- State of Decay 3 (Series X|S/PC)
- Exomecha (Series X|S/PC)
- Project Mara (Series X|S/PC)
- Grounded (One/Series X|S/PC)
- Scorn (Series X|S/PC)
- As Dusk Falls (Series X|S/PC)
- Call of the Sea (Series X|S/PC)
- Second Extinction (Series X|S/PC)
- ?CrossfireX (One/Series X|S/PC)?
- Martha Is Dead (Series X|S/PC)
- Echo Generation (One/Series X|S/PC)

4k/up to 120fps on Series X:

- Halo Infinite (Multiplayer)
- Gears 5
- Ori and the will of the wisps
- Sea of Thieves
- Second Extinction
- Dirt 5
- Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
- Rainbow 6 Siege
- Exomecha
- Metal: Hellsinger
- Orphan of the Machine

Sony

Playstation console exclusives:

- Astro's Playroom (PS5 pre-installed)
- Gran Turismo 7 (PS5)
- Horizon 2: Forbidden West (PS4/PS5)
- Rachet & Clank: Rift Apart (PS5)
- Returnal (PS5)
- Sackboy: A big adventure (PS4/PS5)
- Demon's Souls Remake (PS5/PC?)
- Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PS4/PS5)
- Destruction AllStars (PS5)
- God of War: Ragnarok (PS5)

4k/up to 120fps on PS5:

- Dirt 5
- Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
- Rainbow 6 Siege

3rd party

Multi Platform:

- Cyberpunk 2077
- Pragmata
- Far Cry 6
- Harry Potter: Hogwarts Lagacy
- Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
- Devil May Cry 5: Special edition
- Quantum Error
- Atomic Heart
- Battlefield 6
- Chivalry 2
- Yearly Generic Sportsgames 21
- Asssassin's Creed Valhalla
- Observer: System Redux
- Resident Evil: Village
- Black Myth: Wukong
- Psychonauts 2
- Immortals Fenyx Rising
- Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
- Paradise Lost
- Rainbow 6 Quarantine
- WatchDogs Legion
- Star Wars Squadron
- Crash Bandicoot 4: It's about time
- Diablo IV
- Hitman 3
- Dirt 5
- Gothic Remake
- Graven
- Hood: Outlaws of Legends
- Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2
- Crysis Remastered
- Gotham Knights
- Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood
- Scarlet Nexus
- Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2
- WRC 9
- Chorvs
- Outriders
- TemTem
- Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
- Balan Wonderworld
- Hello Neighbour 2
- Shadow Warrior 3
- Windbound
- Riders Republic
- Lord of the Rings: Gollum
- Unknown 9: Awakening
- Everspace 2
- ?Starfield?
- Grand Theft Auto 6
- Elden Ring
- Dragon Age 4
- ?The Elder Scrolls VI?

PS5 timed exclusive:

- S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 (PS5)
- Warhammer 40k Darktide (PS5)
- Phantasy Star Online 2: Genesis (PS5)
- Tetris Effect: Connected (PS5)
- Bright Memory Infinite (PS5)
- The Medium (PS5)
- 12 Minutes (PS4/PS5)
- Exo One (PS4/PS5)
- The Ascent (PS5)
- Yakuza: Like A Dragon (PS5)

Xbox timed exclusive:

- Godfall (Series X|S/PC)
- Bugsnax (Series X|S/PC)
- Goodbye Volcano High (Series X|S/PC)
- Jett: The Far Shore (Series X|S/PC)
- Kena: Bridge of Spirits (One/Series X|S/PC)
- Little Devil Inside (One/Series X|S/PC)
- Project Athia (Series X|S/PC)
- Solar Ash (One/Series X|S/PC)
- Oddworld: Soulstorm (Series X|S/PC)
- Stray (Series X|S/PC)
- Deathloop (Series X|S/PC)
- Final Fantasy 16 (Series X|S/PC)
- Five Night at Freddy's: Security Breach (Series X|S/PC)
- GhostWire: Tokyo (Series X|S/PC)

This list is made with lots research and a bit  of sense. If I missed any games, let me know in the comment. I'll put them in the list if it's correct.

[blueboxinspace]

LG OLEDs from 2019 also support HDMI 2.1 (on all 4 HDMI ports)

[DETERMINOLOGY]

Tip. Drink water or get a mic gate its alot of smacking noise in the mic and I'm not the only one hearing it im sure but when I hear people doing it it sounds like they eating the mic