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Although HDMI 2.1 is still not the standard in all TVs on the market, the industry is already preparing for the next big step. The organization responsible for HDMI development has confirmed that tests and the certification process for devices compliant with HDMI 2.2 are underway. The new specification is expected to provide significantly higher bandwidth and open the way for more advanced video formats. The first products could reach the market as early as next year, although broader availability will take longer. The greatest interest, of course, is in TVs and next-generation consoles.
HDMI 2.2 is set to bring a huge leap in capabilities
The new HDMI 2.2 standard was officially unveiled in 2025 and has attracted strong interest from electronics manufacturers from the start. The biggest change is a rise in maximum bandwidth to as much as 96 Gbps, which is double the limit of HDMI 2.1. This makes it possible to transmit video at much higher quality without the need for compression. The new technology will, among other things, support uncompressed 4K at 240 Hz. The standard will also allow 8K at 60 Hz to be transmitted without quality loss. With Display Stream Compression (DSC), the possibilities expand even more. There’s even talk of supporting 8K at 240 Hz and monitors running at refresh rates above 1000 Hz. For the average user these figures may seem abstract, but equipment manufacturers are already gearing up for the coming years of display technology development. HDMI 2.2 will also introduce new solutions for synchronizing video and audio. This should reduce latency issues when watching movies and playing games. The industry also expects an easier rollout of the new standard than occurred during the transition from HDMI 2.0 to HDMI 2.1. This time the technological foundation remains similar, which should simplify implementation. That's good news for TV manufacturers as well as AV receivers and media player makers. As a result, users can expect new devices to appear on the market sooner. Everything suggests HDMI 2.2 will become the foundation for premium gear in the years ahead.
The first TVs could appear sooner than expected
Representatives of the HDMI organization said chipset manufacturers will begin delivering the first components compatible with HDMI 2.2 later this year. That means finished products could hit the market as early as 2027. History shows that TVs are often the first to receive new HDMI standards. The same happened with HDMI 2.1, which debuted first in LG's OLED TVs. It is not yet known which brands will be the first to implement HDMI 2.2. However, it's possible those will again be high-end models. It's worth remembering that, as with HDMI 2.1, not every device labeled HDMI 2.2 will offer the full 96 Gb/s of bandwidth. The standard defines several tiers of capability, including 64, 80, and 96 Gb/s. That means manufacturers will be able to use the HDMI 2.2 name even on devices with limited capabilities. For buyers, this will require checking technical specifications more carefully before purchase. In the coming years, the new standard should appear not only in TVs but also in consoles, graphics cards, and AV receivers. Gamers in particular could benefit from the increased bandwidth and higher refresh rates. The development of 8K technology also means manufacturers need a new standard capable of handling larger amounts of data. In practice, HDMI 2.2 is meant to prepare the market for hardware that is only expected to arrive in a few years. The first products will likely be very expensive, but over time the technology should make its way into more affordable models. For the TV industry, this will be another important step in development.
HDMI 2.2 promises to be one of the biggest technological leaps in the world of TVs and A/V equipment in years. With bandwidth reaching 96 Gbps, the new standard will support far more demanding video formats and help future-proof the market. If manufacturers' current plans are realized, the first TVs equipped with HDMI 2.2 could appear as early as 2027.
source: flatpanelshd
