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HDMI bandwidth calculator
Pick the video mode you need to carry and see the data rate it actually takes — including the encoding overhead most tables leave out — and whether HDMI 1.4, 2.0 or 2.1 can do it.
Need a cable that is certified for this rate? Tell us the length and the mode — we quote copper up to 5 m and fibre beyond that, connectors standard HDMI at both ends.
Typical modes and the rate they take
4:4:4 sampling, TMDS encoding included. The 4:2:0 column is the escape hatch that keeps 10-bit UHD inside an 18 Gbps link.
| Mode | 8-bit 4:4:4 | 10-bit 4:4:4 | 10-bit 4:2:0 | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p60 | 3.7 Gbps | 4.7 Gbps | 2.3 Gbps | HDMI 1.4 |
| 1080p120 | 7.5 Gbps | 9.3 Gbps | 4.7 Gbps | HDMI 1.4 |
| 1440p144 | 15.9 Gbps | 19.9 Gbps | 10.0 Gbps | HDMI 2.1 |
| 4K UHD 60 | 14.9 Gbps | 18.7 Gbps | 9.3 Gbps | HDMI 2.1 |
| 4K UHD 120 | 29.9 Gbps | 37.3 Gbps | 18.7 Gbps | HDMI 2.1 |
| 8K UHD 60 | 59.7 Gbps | 74.6 Gbps | 37.3 Gbps | DSC / fibre |
"Fits" refers to the 10-bit 4:4:4 column — the strictest case on that row.
What decides the version
HDMI 1.4 carries 10.2 Gbps over TMDS, HDMI 2.0 carries 18 Gbps over the same three lanes at a higher clock, and HDMI 2.1 switches to four lanes of FRL for 48 Gbps. Above 48 Gbps nothing passive works: the signal needs DSC compression, DisplayPort, or a fibre conductor with active electronics at one end.
- 8-bit vs 10-bit: a third more data, nothing else changes. 4K60 8-bit is comfortable on HDMI 2.0; 4K60 10-bit is not.
- 4:2:2 keeps full luma and halves both chroma channels — two thirds of the 4:4:4 rate, no visible loss on film content.
- 4:2:0 halves again: this is what lets 4K60 10-bit and 8K60 run inside 18 and 48 Gbps respectively.
- A rated cable is not a certified cable. Ask for the Ultra High Speed certification label if the run is 48 Gbps.