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First HDMI 2.2 cables with Ultra96 certification are now available to order, starting at $32.99

There's no HDMI 2.2-compatible hardware, but the cables are here
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First HDMI 2.2 cables with Ultra96 certification are now available to order, starting at $32.99
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HDMI 2.2 specs were finalized last year with a massive increase in available bandwidth, but there still isn’t any consumer hardware capable of taking full advantage of the new standard. Interestingly, the cables are arriving first, as consumers can now order one of the first Ultra96-certified HDMI cables.

Silkland has opened orders for its new H96 series, which supports bandwidth of up to 96 Gbps and carries Ultra96 certification. The 2-meter version costs $32.99, while a longer 3-meter cable is priced at $56. Shipments are expected to begin in batches during the week of October 5.

ELECOM has also announced Ultra96-certified cables, which it says are the first of their kind in Japan. However, those aren’t expected to begin shipping until around mid-November.

HDMI 2.2 upgrades

The biggest upgrade with HDMI 2.2 is bandwidth. HDMI 2.1 offers up to 48 Gbps, while the new specification doubles that to 96 Gbps, even putting it ahead of DisplayPort 2.1’s maximum 80 Gbps.

That extra bandwidth makes some impressive display configurations possible. HDMI 2.2 can handle uncompressed 4K at 240Hz and 8K at 60Hz with full 4:4:4 chroma and 10-bit or 12-bit color. With Display Stream Compression, it can go even further, supporting configurations such as 4K at 480Hz, 8K at 240Hz, and 16K at 60Hz.

The specification also introduces the Latency Indication Protocol, which is designed to improve audio and video synchronization when devices such as receivers and soundbars are part of the setup. Existing technologies such as VRR, ALLM, Dynamic HDR, and eARC remain supported.

HDMI 2.2 specs finalized, source: HDMI Licensing Administrator Inc.
HDMI 2.2 specs finalized, source: HDMI Licensing Administrator Inc.

Ultra96 certification is also fairly strict. Cable lengths are tested separately at authorized testing centers, so certification for a 2-meter version doesn’t automatically cover a longer version of the same cable. Certified products also carry a label with a QR code that can be used to verify them.

There is one major reason not to rush out and buy one, though: no current GPU, TV, monitor, or console can actually use the full HDMI 2.2 specification. Current graphics cards such as Nvidia’s RTX 50 series and AMD’s RX 9000 series remain on HDMI 2.1b. Back during Computex in early June, the HDMI Licensing Administrator suggested HDMI 2.2-compatible hardware “should” be ready in 2027.


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Abdul is a tech writer and Editor for PC Guide, specializing in all things tech, gaming, and hardware.