(Credit: HHDMI Licensing Administrator)
At CES 2025, we got a first look at HDMI 2.2, the latest HDMI cable and connection standard, but we cautioned that it would take some time for any cables or devices that support it to hit the market. Now, as we go into CES 2026, the organization behind the standard is bringing a few prototype "Ultra96" cables to Las Vegas.
Rated up to 96Gbps, these new cables are faster than DisplayPort 2.1 and HDMI 2.1, opening up options for higher resolution and refresh rate support on compatible modern displays.
"We will have some Ultra96 HDMI Cables at our [CES] booth," a spokesperson for the HDMI Licensing Administrator (HDMI LA) tells us. "These are officially 'prototypes' as they have not yet been officially tested and certified at an HDMI Forum Authorized Test Center (ATC).
"The testing and certification timing is dependent on when the HDMI Forum releases the Category 4 Cable Compliance Test Specification (CTS) as part of the HDMI 2.2 Specification," the spokesperson adds. "The HDMI Forum has made no public announcement on when that CTS is to be released, but it should be very soon."
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(Credit: HHDMI Licensing Administrator)For the past few years, HDMI 2.1 has been the premier connection for living room devices and displays, enabling high-resolution and high-refresh-rate gaming and TV viewing. It's more than enough for 4K at up to 120Hz and 8K at up to 60Hz. However, newer and better standards, such as DisplayPort 2.1, USB4, and Thunderbolt 5, are available, so HDMI is also due for an upgrade. That's where HDMI 2.2 comes in.
The standard introduces a new maximum bandwidth of 96Gbps, making it the most capable video and audio connection standard in a single cable. All versions will officially support 8K and 10K resolution, and for lower resolutions, up to 500Hz refresh rates for ultra-competitive gaming.
For PC gamers looking to push the limits, HDMI 2.2 will be the best cable for the job. With Display Stream Compression (DSC) enabled, you should be able to hit 4K 500Hz and 8K at up to 240Hz, or 4K 240Hz and 8K 60Hz without it. Good luck getting any games to run at that speed and those resolutions, but it's a fun challenge for gamers to see what their systems can manage once compatible GPUs and displays are available.