HDMI 2.2 Is Likely To Be Unveiled At CES With A Big Bandwidth Boost

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A new report from Italian tech news site DDAY.it suggests that the HDMI Licensing Authority (HDMI LA) is preparing to announce HDMI 2.2 at CES 2025 in Las Vegas. According to the site, the reveal is scheduled for January 6th, and the updated specification promises a substantial boost in bandwidth and capabilities, potentially setting a new benchmark for home entertainment and professional displays.

If the report is accurate, HDMI 2.2 will offer support for resolutions as high as 10240×4320—sometimes referred to as 10K—at an impressive 120Hz refresh rate. This achievement would require not only HDMI 2.1a’s existing support for 48 Gbps transfer rates, but also new compression technology—VESA’s Display Stream Compression (DSC), to be specific. DSC is a “visually lossless” compression technology that originates with HDMI competitor DisplayPort.

That sounds great, but the rumored HDMI 2.2 specification would bring a first for the standard: a new type of HDMI cable. The article doesn’t specify whether this involves an entirely new connector design or merely updated cable internals, but the implication is clear—existing HDMI cables will likely not suffice, if DDAY’s information is accurate. This raises questions about backward compatibility. Historically, HDMI has been lauded for maintaining compatibility with older hardware, so a potential break from this tradition could be a significant pain point for consumers and manufacturers alike.
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Many features in HDMI 2.1 are already optional, per HDMI LA.

It’s also unclear whether the new cables or connectors will introduce additional requirements for devices or displays. Enthusiasts may recall the confusion caused by the rollout of HDMI 2.1, where certain advertised features, like Fixed-Rate Link signaling and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) support, were not universally supported even on “HDMI 2.1” devices due to the HDMI LA marking them as ‘optional’ in the specification. If HDMI 2.2 does introduce new requirements, it’ll be critical for manufacturers to clearly communicate those details to avoid a similar headache.

As exciting as the potential for HDMI 2.2 is, we’ll wait to hear about it from an official source. While the story is plausible, there’s no primary source from the HDMI LA. It’s possible DDAY.it has obtained early information, but until CES officially kicks off, take these details with a grain of salt. If the announcement does materialize, HDMI 2.2 could set the stage for new breakthroughs in gaming, home theater, and professional AV. For now, though, we’ll have to wait until January 6th to see if this rumored standard becomes reality—and whether it lives up to its ambitious specifications.