HDMI cables are generally limited to transmitting data at a maximum refresh rate of 60Hz. This means that if you are using an HDMI cable to connect your device to a display, the highest refresh rate you can achieve is 60Hz.
To understand why HDMI is capped at 60Hz, we need to delve into the technical specifications of the HDMI standard. HDMI stands for High-Definition Multimedia Interface, and it is a digital interface used for both audio and video transmission.
The HDMI standard has evolved over the years, with different versions offering various features and capabilities. However, when it comes to refresh rates, the limitation lies in the bandwidth of the cable itself. HDMI cables have a limited bandwidth, which determines how much data they can transmit per second.
The earlier versions of HDMI, such as HDMI 1.4 and below, were designed with a maximum bandwidth of 10.2 Gbps (gigabits per second). This bandwidth is sufficient for transmitting high-definition video and audio signals at resolutions up to 1080p and a refresh rate of 60Hz. Therefore, these cables are commonly found in most consumer electronic devices like TVs, gaming consoles, and Blu-ray players.
However, as technology advanced and higher refresh rates became desirable, the HDMI 2.0 specification was introduced. HDMI 2.0 increased the cable’s bandwidth to 18 Gbps, allowing for higher resolutions and refresh rates. With HDMI 2.0, you can achieve 4K resolution at 60Hz or 1080p resolution at 144Hz.
But here’s the catch: even though HDMI 2.0 cables can support higher refresh rates, the devices on both ends of the cable also need to be HDMI 2.0 compatible. This means that both your source device (e.g., computer or gaming console) and your display (e.g., monitor or TV) must have HDMI 2.0 ports to take advantage of the higher refresh rates.
If your device supports a refresh rate of 144Hz, it is likely that it has a DisplayPort output. DisplayPort is another digital video interface that offers higher bandwidth compared to HDMI. DisplayPort cables can support refresh rates of up to 240Hz, depending on the version and resolution.
To achieve a refresh rate of 144Hz, you would need to use a DisplayPort cable to connect your device to a compatible display. This ensures that the higher bandwidth required for transmitting the increased data rate is available.
HDMI cables are generally limited to a maximum refresh rate of 60Hz due to their bandwidth limitations. HDMI 2.0 cables can support higher refresh rates, but both the source device and the display need to be HDMI 2.0 compatible. If you require a refresh rate of 144Hz or higher, using a DisplayPort cable is the recommended option.