The HDMI organization expects the first devices with HDMI 2.2 – with up to double the bandwidth – to launch next year, as testing and certification are already underway.
It took two years from the announcement of HDMI 2.1 until the first devices were unveiled; LG's 2019 OLED TVs.
It looks like HDMI 2.2 will follow much the same pattern. The specification was announced in January 2025 and released in June 2025, with the first devices expected in 2027, according to the HDMI Licensing Administrator, as reported from Computex 2026 by Charbax of ARMdevices.com.
- "We're hearing chip manufacturers will start to sample their FRL2 chips this year. And so we should start to see some 96 or up to 96 gigabit HDMI 2.2 products next year," said Rob Tobias, CEO and President of the HDMI Licensing Administrator.
HDMI 2.2 in TVs?
The first HDMI 2.2 products may actually emerge later in 2026, added Rob Tobias, specifically products certified for the new LIP (Latency Indication Protocol), which addresses video/audio latency issues, as well as the first certified Ultra96 cables later this quarter or next quarter.
However, when talking about HDMI 2.2 devices, most consumers are likely thinking of TVs, AV receivers, game consoles and media players with increased HDMI bandwidth, which is what Rob Tobias' 2027 timeline refers to. In such devices, HDMI 2.2 can enable up to 96Gbps of bandwidth, which is double that of HDMI 2.1.
He did not comment on which types of HDMI 2.2 devices are expected to hit the market first, but it is certainly possible that high-end TVs will once again lead the way.
Implementation of HDMI 2.2 should, in theory, be easier than the transition from HDMI 2.0 to HDMI 2.1, which involved switching to an entirely new signaling system, moving from TMDS to FRL. HDMI 2.2 continues to rely on FRL; the so-called FRL2. Hopefully, this will also lead to fewer issues in other types of devices such as AV receivers.
Different flavors of HDMI 2.2
Like HDMI 2.1, the expanded bandwidth of HDMI 2.2 is optional, so in the coming years you will see TV and AV devices advertised as HDMI 2.2 even if they do not support bandwidth beyond HDMI 2.1's 48Gbps. Once again, HDMI 2.2 will effectively supersede HDMI 2.1 as a marketing umbrella term, so be aware when shopping.
It is also worth noting that there are actually three HDMI 2.2 bandwidth tiers: 64, 80 and 96Gbps.
In future articles and in the TV Database, FlatpanelsHD will refer to devices as supporting HDMI 2.2 only if they support one of the higher bandwidth tiers.
What HDMI 2.2 enables
With up to double the bandwidth of HDMI 2.1, HDMI 2.2 enables uncompressed 4K 240Hz (even at the 80Gbps tier) or uncompressed 4K 480Hz (with 4:2:0 chroma subsampling), and for the first time uncompressed 8K 60Hz RGB. It can be viewed as the first HDMI specification with native 8K support.
With lossless signal compression (DSC), it will extend significantly beyond 4K 480Hz and enable 8K 240Hz. It will also enable 1440p at over 1000Hz in monitors.
Also read: HDMI 2.2 released: Supports 4K 480Hz, 8K 240Hz, even 16K
In other words, HDMI 2.2 allows the industry to push resolution, refresh rate and bit depth beyond current limits, primarily in the TV space, as the PC market is currently less constrained thanks to DisplayPort 2.1 providing up to 80Gbps of bandwidth.
The HDMI organization noted that there are already TVs with 4K 240Hz in testing.
The rollout of HDMI 2.1
As a reminder, here is how the HDMI 2.1 rollout happened:
- LG 2019 OLED TVs unveiled as the first HDMI 2.1 devices in Spring 2019, following by Samsung's 8K Q950R the same year
- HDMI 2.1-enabled 4K TVs from more brands followed in 2020
- First AV receivers with HDMI 2.1 came out in the summer of 2020 but the HDMI 2.1 implementation was faulty
- First graphics cards (Nvidia RTX 30, AMD Radeon RX6000) with HDMI 2.1 came out in September and November 2020, respectively
- PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, both with HDMI 2.1, followed in November 2020
- The first HDMI 2.1 monitors became available in 2021 from multiple brands
HDMI 2.2 – supported features and video formats
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Source: Armdevices.net, HDMI LA
