Club 3D's Ultra High Speed HDMI cables are fully compliant with the HDMI 2.1 spec. (Image source: Club 3D.)
“How do you shop for an HDMI cable?” is one of the questions we frequently got from readers. In my 4K TV buying guide, I recommend at least a ‘High Speed’ HDMI cable because it works with nearly all 4K content available today and is backward compatible with 1080p. For enthusiasts who want to be absolutely sure, there’s something called a ‘Premium High Speed’ HDMI cable that’s certified to work with 4K/60p, HDR, wide color gamut (e.g., BT.2020), and 4:4:4 chroma sampling content. In short: HDMI cables that label themselves in version numbers, such as HDMI v1.4 or v2.0, are misleading and are essentially the same baseline High Speed HDMI cable.
But the HDMI spec does change over time to incorporate new features, and the latest HDMI version is . The biggest improvement here is the increased bandwidth, from 18Gbps (HDMI 2.0) to 48Gbps (HDMI 2.1). This bandwidth jump is necessary for HDMI 2.1 to support up to 10K resolution and 120fps frame rate. And for the first time in like forever, this HDMI 2.1 does require a new cable.
One of the first cable makers to come out with HDMI 2.1-compliant cables is Club 3D, with its 1-meter CAC-1371 and 2-meter CAC-1372. Physically, they look the same as any HDMI cable, though both of these ‘Ultra High Speed’ cables are 28AWG cables built to fully support HDMI 2.1’s features, such as up to 10K at 120Hz, Display Stream Compression 1.2, enhanced Audio Return Channel (for Dolby Atmos over ARC), and improved VRR (for variable refresh rates to go over 4K/60Hz). They should also sport very low EMI (electro-magnetic interference) to reduce interference with nearby wireless devices. Thankfully, as the connectors are the same, the new cables will work with any HDMI gear. Pricing for the cables aren't available at the moment, however, but I’ll update this article when I get them.
To do 8K@60 or 4K@120, you'll need an 'Ultra High Speed' HDMI cable. (Image source: HDMI Licensing Administrator, Inc.)
To be clear, this doesn't mean that you should dash out to buy an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable for your existing 4K TV. In fact, there’s also no need to get one if you’re buying a 4K TV today. Because the HDMI 2.1 spec is only finalized end of 2017, TV makers have had no time to implement it in their 2018 TV models - which is to say there aren't true HDMI 2.1-capable 4K TVs in the market right now. While a couple of TVs today can do VRR, HDR10+, and 120Hz, they don’t have true HDMI 2.1 connections, which means it’s pointless to pair them with an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable. But 4K TVs with HDMI 2.1 are definitely coming, and we should be hearing more about them this coming January 2019 at CES. Even then, unless you’ve the content or applications that require the additional bandwidth (e.g., 8K@60Hz, 4K@120Hz), an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable would still be an overkill for the time being.
So yeah, no rush - your High Speed HDMI cable is safe for now.
This is what the logo for a legit Ultra High Speed HDMI cable looks like. (Image source: HDMI Licensing Administrator, Inc.)
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