HDMI cables are one of the most popular mediums to transfer audio and video signals between computers. Almost every computer device has an HDMI port because it’s the standard digital connection option. Meanwhile, gaming professionals really like high refresh rates for their displays. A 144Hz refresh rate makes games look very smooth, and gamers love that.
However, can HDMI do 144Hz? Yes, HDMI can support a 144Hz refresh rate. But it depends on many different things like the version of the HDMI port or cable, color depths, device compatibility, and more. In this article, we will discuss different HDMI versions, whether they support 144Hz or not, and many more things. So, let’s jump in!
What Does HDMI Mean?
HDMI port is one of the most famous connectivity choices nowadays and it is available on nearly all the screen. This port can be found on TVs, monitors, consoles, laptops, notebooks, and content streaming devices like Amazon Fire TV sticks. HDMI means High Definition Multimedia Interface. It first came out in the market in 2002.
Over time, there have been many upgrades in HDMI, and now there are newer versions that work even better. The latest version is called 2.1. The great thing about HDMI is that it can carry both video and audio signals from the source to the screen.
So, if you use an HDMI cable for your television, you won’t require an extra audio cable because you can utilize the audio output option of HDMI from your TV’s settings. It’s the same for monitors that come with built-in audio jacks or speakers.
Because HDMI cables have very high bandwidth capacity, the sound you get is top quality, almost like the analog audio output option. The sound quality is way better than using modern digital optical cables or standard RCA. That’s why a lot of people prefer using HDMI, whether they’re connecting it to a computer screen or a TV.
What Does Refresh Rate Mean?
The refresh rate measures how many times the screen updates the image every second. A higher refresh rate reduces the chance of seeing a stutter on the screen. Most screens refresh at 60 times per second (60Hz). However, some monitors go up to 144 times per second (144Hz).
If you’re into video editing or gaming, you might recognize the term “144Hz.” The ‘Hz’ unit here shows how fast the display screen refreshes. A higher refresh rate means smoother images with more details. For instance, 144Hz can display more images in less time compared to 60Hz, which makes videos look better.
Gamers benefit a lot from 144Hz. It is because more frames each second make the game play smoothly and offer more details than slower screens. Professional gamers can easily understand the refresh rate difference of a monitor just by watching a few seconds of gameplay.
With a higher refresh rate, you will also feel quicker responses in your system. This is great for an immersive gaming experience. The latest consoles and graphic cards can create over 144 frames per second in today’s top games. So, a high refresh rate screen is essential to make the most of these powerful devices.
However, having more frames means there’s more data coming in every second. Therefore, your connection option needs to transfer lots of data per second to your screen to use the 144Hz refresh rate. As we are talking about the HDMI connection, let’s check if it supports a 144Hz output.
So, Can HDMI Do 144Hz?
Yes, an HDMI connection can support the 144Hz refresh rate for displays that can produce that many images per second. However, just having an HDMI cable or port isn’t enough for getting a 144Hz output at your chosen screen resolution. Depending on the HDMI version, you will need to sacrifice the quality of screen resolution.
For HDMI connectivity, there are numerous versions available, each with a different bandwidth capability. Older HDMI versions, like 1.0 to versions before 1.3, can’t support a 144Hz refresh rate no matter the screen resolution. From HDMI 1.3 to 2.1, they can all do 144Hz, but the quality of the screen resolution might vary.
The higher the HDMI version, the better the support for 144Hz without losing much resolution. HDMI 2.1 is the best for 144Hz and is the newest version that gives the most support for this refresh rate with less compromise on resolution.
How Does HDMI Support 144Hz?
Let’s take a look at the kinds of HDMI connections that can give you a 144Hz refresh rate. Here are the most usual kinds of HDMI cables and ports that support a 144Hz refresh rate:
High-Speed HDMI Cable
If you have a gaming monitor that can handle a 144Hz refresh rate, then the best choice for you is high-speed HDMI cables. They can send a 144Hz signal to your screen at up to 1080p Full High Definition resolution. As a result, you can enjoy a smooth gaming experience without losing video quality.
Ultra High-Speed HDMI Cable
After you connect them to a supported display and source, ultra-high HDMI cables can send up to 48 GB of data per second. This feature makes them perfect for both video and audio connections. However, remember that these cables cost slightly more compared to the standard ones.
Micro And Mini Hdmi Cable
You will discover these cable connections on a variety of smaller devices such as cameras and laptops. Even though their ports are tiny, the micro and mini HDMI cables can transmit 144Hz
signals with complete HD 1080p resolution.
Know The Versions Of HDMI
Now that you understand which HDMI cables can support a 144Hz refresh rate for your screen, let’s check all the HDMI versions available now. Knowing the specific HDMI version on your display is important to see if it can handle 144Hz refresh rates at your chosen resolution.
Also, you have to know the version of HDMI before purchasing an HDMI port or cable to prevent compatibility issues. Here are the different HDMI versions released till now and their features:
HDMI 1.0
HDMI 1.0 came out in 2002 and became a popular choice for display connectivity. Graphic card and TV manufacturers quickly embraced it at that time. As the first HDMI version, it could handle up to 24-bit color depth and 4.95 Gbps bandwidth. Its highest supported resolution was 1920×1200 pixels and the refresh rate was 60Hz.
HDMI 1.3
HDMI 1.3 made significant improvements to the previous HDMI design. It allowed for higher resolution, richer colors, and better color accuracy. This version also brought in features like the surround sound for audio signals and the lip sync. HDMI 1.3 had a 10 gigabyte per second bandwidth limit with a 48-bit color depth.
It could easily achieve a high refresh rate for 1080p resolution, providing 144Hz using HDMI. If you don’t mind sacrificing some color quality using 4:2:0 chroma subsampling, you could also achieve 240Hz. While this may not give the best-looking gaming experience, it allows for refresh rates of 144Hz at 1440p resolution.
HDMI 1.4
The most commonly used HDMI version today is HDMI 1.4, which was introduced in 2009 and remains a standard choice for several devices till now. It supports 48-bit color and has a 10 gigabytes per second bandwidth speed. However, it provides a standard 1080p resolution at a 144Hz refresh rate and a 2160p resolution output at 30Hz.
HDMI 2.0
The next one is the HDMI 2.0 version, which is a considerable advancement from previous HDMI versions. It doesn’t compress data and fully supports 1080p and 1440p resolution with complete 4:4:4 chroma subsampling.
Different types of HDMI 2.0 cables can provide up to 18 gigabytes per second bandwidth, which enables them to offer a refresh rate of 240Hz at 1080p resolution. In addition, it can support a 144Hz output with a 1440p resolution.
HDMI 2.1
For the best gaming experience with a 144Hz HDMI setup, you’ll want the most recent version of HDMI connectors. The HDMI version 2.1 is the latest HDMI generation that was introduced in 2017. It is slowly becoming the standard choice for displays.
HDMI 2.1 provides a 48 gigabytes per second bandwidth speed, which is over double that of its previous versions. It can handle a 144Hz refresh rate at 2160p resolution and supports a maximum resolution of 4320p at 50Hz.
Final Words
If you’re wondering whether can HDMI do 144Hz, we suggest you thoroughly check all of the information given in this article. Not only will you learn whether HDMI can support 144hz, but you’ll also learn about the characteristics of different HDMI versions and find out the best version for your application.
You can find HDMI cables almost anywhere, and HDMI versions of 1.3 and above generally support a 144Hz refresh rate.
If you’re into competitive gaming, a traditional HDMI 1.4-supported screen is an excellent option because it can support 144Hz at 1080p resolution. However, if you’re thinking of getting an Xbox Series X or a Play Station 5, it’s better to get a TV or monitor that has an HDMI 2.1 port.
