The two questions I most get regarding HDMI cables are:
- What type of HDMI cable do I have?
- What type of HDMI cable do I need?
What type of HDMI cable do I have?
The first question is usually answered by reading the cable itself. Is it a...
- Standard HDMI Cable.
- High Speed HDMI Cable.
- Premium High Speed HDMI Cable.
- Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable.
Click the image above to enlarge it.
You can read "HIGH SPEED HDMI CABLE" in the cable above and "HIGH SPEED HDMI CABLE WITH ETHERNET" in the cable below. That's the type of HDMI cable you have.
I'll also give a few examples to complete the answer to the first question.
The second question, however, requires more knowledge about where you are going to use it. So I'll give some common examples later in this article.
HDMI cables that are bundled in video game consoles
PS5
PS4
PS4 and PS4 Slim are limited to HDMI 1.4 ("High Speed"). They do not support 4K resolution.
PS4 PRO comes with a HDMI 2.0 cable. It supports 4K resolution at 60Hz and HDR.
Note: Sony has no commitment to send those HDMI cables. They may actually send a better cable.
Xbox one
Xbox one comes with a HDMI 1.4 cable ("High Speed").
Xbox series X:
Xbox one X comes with a HDMI 2.0 cable ("Premium High Speed").
Note: Microsoft has no commitment to send those HDMI cables. They may actually send a better cable.
Nintendo Switch
It comes with a Nintendo Branded High Speed HDMI Cable. Not much info besides that.
Any HDMI 1.4 works with the switch.
Note: Nintendo has no commitment to send those HDMI cables. They may actually send a better cable.
The type of HDMI cable you need for...
Monitors
It depends on the monitor you have:
- For monitor resolutions up to 1080p (60Hz) a standard HDMI cable (type A) will do.
- 4k resolution will require HDMI 1.4b (type A).
- 8K resolution will need HDMI 2.1 (type A).
Laptop to TV
It depends on the resolution your laptop can output and the resolution your TV can display. The minimum resolution will determine your need.
If your laptop is 1080p and your TV is 4k you will need a HDMI cable that supports 1080p. If your laptop is 4k and your TV is 1080p you will also need a HDMI cable that supports 1080p.
If both are 4k, you will need a 4k cable. Similarly, if both are 8k you will need a 8k cable:
- Up to 1080p: Any standard HDMI cable (type A) will do.
- 4k resolution will require HDMI 1.4b (type A).
- 8K resolution will need HDMI 2.1 (type A).
4k resolution
Apple TV
Apple recommends 2.1 HDMI cables for 4k resolution. They are sometimes called "Ultra High Speed".
Dolby Atmos
You need a 2.1 HDMI cable to run Dolby Atmos content. They are sometimes called "Ultra High Speed".
ARC
ARC is supported since 1.3 of the HDMI specification. However, if you want to run eARC content, you will need a HDMI cable version 2.1. They are sometimes called "Ultra High Speed".
HDMI to VGA
You will need an adapter. I explain it in this article:
How to choose a HDMI to VGA adapter
HDR
HDR is supported since 2.0 of the HDMI specification. They are sometimes called "Premium High Speed".
PS5
PS5 requires a HDMI 2.1 cable. Also known as "Ultra High Speed".
Blu-ray player
It depends on the resolution your blue-ray can output and the resolution your TV can display. The minimum resolution will determine your need.
If your blu-ray is 1080p and your TV is 4k you will need a HDMI cable that supports 1080p. If your blu-ray is 4k and your TV is 1080p you will also need a HDMI cable that supports 1080p.
If both are 4k, you will need a 4k cable. Similarly, if both are 8k you will need a 8k cable:
- Up to 1080p: Any standard HDMI cable (type A) will do.
- 4k resolution will require HDMI 1.4b (type A).
- 8K resolution will need HDMI 2.1 (type A).
Roku Ultra
Roku Ultra has a HDMI 2.0b port. But it will require a HDMI 2.1 cable for Dolby Atmos support.
Note: Roku express comes with a HDMI 1.4b cable ("High Speed").
My Recommendation
There are many low-quality models in the market. They all promise great performance but fail to deliver it.
If you want to skip poor quality HDMI cables, pick one of the two below. They are all type A (male to male):
HDMI 2.1 (8k)
4k and lower resolution
Guide
I also created this quick, newbie guide to help you focus on what is really important to you:
How to Choose a HDMI Cable (Step by step Guide)
Citation
When you need to include a fact or piece of information in an assignment or essay you should also include where and how you found that piece of information (What Type of HDMI Cable do I need).
That gives credibility to your paper and it is sometimes required in higher education.
To make your life (and citation) easier just copy and paste the information below into your assignment or essay:
Luz, Gelson. What Type of HDMI Cable do I need for. Technology Blog. Gelsonluz.com. dd mmmm. yyyy. URL.
Now replace dd, mmmm and yyyy with the day, month, and year you browsed this page. Also replace URL for the actual url of this page. This citation format is based on MLA.
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