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HDMI 2.1 Vs. 2.0: Upgrade Your TV Now Or Wait?
HDMI 2.1 is going to be a big deal thanks to the many improvements it will bring to the 4K (and even 8K) TV experience. This year, the new technology is also expected to become more commonly available thanks to the increased support at the device level, and raising the question of whether you should now consider upgrading your TV? Here’s an explanation on what HDMI 2.1 is, its main benefits, and an answer to whether you might need to upgrade or keep hold of your existing smart TV.
Most TV owners will already be familiar with High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), considering that’s the type of cable used to connect most devices to a TV these days. However, not all HDMI cables are equal and this is mainly due to the different HDMI versions. Like anything, HDMI improves over time and those improvements come in the way of newer releases. HDMI 2.1 is the newest and follows on from HDMI 2.0 and HDMI 2.0b.
HDMI Forum originally announced HDMI 2.1 at the start of 2017, although it wasn’t released until much later in the year. Since then, it has slowly been growing in support, and considering the number of devices that now come with HDMI 2.1 improvements, it feels like HDMI 2.1 is finally here. The latest HDMI Specification features a number of upgrades compared to HDMI 2.0 and HDMI 2.0b, including higher video resolutions support, improved bandwidth, variable refresh rate, and an Auto Low Latency Mode. All of which is designed to result in a vastly improved TV and streaming experience, for both video-watchers and gamers.
Should I Upgrade My TV For HDMI 2.1
If you are wanting the absolute best experience, then upgrading to a TV with HDMI 2.1 support is not going to be a bad choice. Compared to previous versions, HDMI 2.1 offers support for resolutions up to 10K, including 8K at 60Hz. In addition, the bandwidth support jumps up to 48 Gbps. However, they are just the usual generation-over-generation improvements one would expect. Some of the other features that are going to appeal to buyers include a variable refresh rate that looks to ensure as framerates change, the TV doesn’t just guess, but changes accordingly - resulting in less lag, stutter and frame tearing. Then there’s the new Auto Low Latency Mode, where the TV better understands the source device and adjusts the mode to best-suit the experience. This all takes place automatically meaning there’s no more need for the user to dig deep and mess with the TV settings. All of this suggests that HDMI 2.1 is going to be a big deal and significantly improve the viewing experience, and especially for gamers. However, does that also mean you should run out and buy a TV with HDMI 2.1 support today?
The short answer is there’s no need to upgrade your TV right now just for HDMI 2.1. The newer connection technology is going to take time to reach its potential, and in the meantime, there’s nothing wrong with HDMI 2.0 or HDMI 2.0b. After all, that’s the experience many people already have and if that’s good enough, then there’s little need to upgrade right now. In saying that, if you are in the market for a new TV anyway, then HDMI 2.1 should be one of the additional factors that you consider when when making a purchasing decision. Due to how infrequently TVs are upgraded by the average consumer, buying one now with HDMI 2.1 support will ensure the TV remains relevant over the years to come. Of course, anyone considering making the upgrade will also need to keep in mind this is cable support being discussed, and that matters. Upgrading a TV, 4K or otherwise, to take advantage of newer and better connection support and features is only useful if whatever’s connected to the other side of the cable also supports the same technology.
