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The launch of the first devices featuring HDMI 2.2 has been announced for 2027. Around the same time, the PlayStation 6 and the next-generation Xbox console are also due to reach the market. The overlap in timing means there are growing questions about whether the new consoles will utilise the capabilities of the latest HDMI standard and offer support for 4K at a 240 Hz refresh rate.
HDMI 2.2 may debut alongside PlayStation 6 and the new Xbox
According to current information, the first devices equipped with HDMI 2.2 are expected to appear on the market in 2027. That is also when the PlayStation 6 and the next-generation Xbox are expected to debut. A similar situation occurred with HDMI 2.1, which made it into TVs before the launch of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Thanks to that, the consoles were able to offer support for 4K at 120 Hz, variable refresh rate (VRR) and automatic low-latency mode (ALLM). HDMI 2.2 increases bandwidth to 96 Gb/s, which allows transmission of uncompressed 4K at 240 Hz and 8K at 60 Hz. With DSC compression, the standard also enables 4K at 480 Hz and even higher specifications. That does not mean, however, that Sony and Microsoft will certainly choose to implement HDMI 2.2. The new standard will only be necessary if manufacturers want to exceed the current capabilities of HDMI 2.1. So far neither company has confirmed the specifications of their future consoles. There is also still a risk that problems with the availability of RAM and SSDs will affect the launch schedule.
Support for 4K at 240 Hz does not mean games running at 240 frames per second
The introduction of HDMI 2.2 to new consoles does not mean that the biggest titles will run in native 4K at 240 frames per second. Instead, a higher refresh rate could bring other benefits. One would be reduced input lag and improved motion smoothness. The standard would also allow the VRR range to be extended up to 240 Hz. In addition, game developers would gain greater freedom when designing performance modes. Rather than limiting themselves to 30, 40 or 60 frames per second, they could use, among others, steady 80 or 48 frames per second, which pair perfectly with a 240 Hz refresh rate. A similar solution has already been used in games such as Cyberpunk 2077, Horizon and Hogwarts Legacy, which offered 40 FPS modes on 120 Hz TVs. HDMI 2.2 could open the door to further performance variants without requiring 240 FPS. According to the HDMI organisation, TVs supporting 4K at 240 Hz are already being tested, suggesting the whole market is preparing for the next step in the development of display standards.
Although Sony and Microsoft have not yet revealed the specifications of their new consoles, HDMI 2.2 seems a natural candidate for the PlayStation 6 and the next Xbox. The standard could bring support for 4K at 240 Hz, delivering lower latency, a broader VRR range and new possibilities for game developers.
source: flatpanelshd
