HDMI 2.2 is now available, but you’ll need a new cable

long story short
- HDMI 2.2 is now available, introducing higher 96Gbps bandwidth, HDMI fixed-rate link technology, and support for higher resolutions and refresh rates.
- There is also a new latency indication protocol for improving audio and video synchronization of an audio-video receiver or soundbar.
- The specification also includes new Ultra96 HDMI cables that support 96Gbps bandwidth and support all new features.
Most people think of HDMI as a cable standard they use when they need to connect something to their TV. HDMI makes our lives much simpler, freeing us from the clutter of multiple audio and video cables needed to connect source devices to displays, and even enabling features like HDMI ARC. However, as source devices become more powerful, HDMI needs to keep up, which is where the new HDMI 2.2 specification comes in.
HDMI 2.2 future-proofs the standard by introducing higher bandwidth of 96Gbps and next-generation HDMI fixed-rate link technology. This provides current and future content producers such as television, film and game studios with higher quality options while supporting multiple distribution platforms.
With HDMI 2.2, the faster 96Gbps bandwidth improves demanding data-intensive, immersive and virtual applications such as AR/VR/MR, space reality, light field displays, and various commercial applications such as large-scale digital signage , medical imaging and machine vision. The specification also includes support for higher resolutions and refresh rates, but technical details were not immediately available. For reference, HDMI 2.1 supports 48Gbps bandwidth, variable refresh rates up to 120Hz, and resolutions up to 10,240 x 4,320 (with display stream compression).
In addition, HDMI 2.2 includes a new latency indication protocol for improved audio and video synchronization, especially for multi-hop system configurations, such as those with audio video receivers or sound bars.
The specification also includes new Ultra96 HDMI cables, which support 96Gbps bandwidth and support all HDMI 2.2 specification features. HDMI Forum Inc. has also made it part of the HDMI Cable Certification Program, requiring each model length to be tested and certified to display the certification label. The silver lining is that the port shape has not changed, so the spec retains backwards compatibility.
The new HDMI 2.2 specification will be available to all HDMI 2.x adopters and will be notified when it is released in the first half of 2025.