Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable (48Gbps)

What it is

The Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable was introduced in the HDMI 2.1 Specification and entered the market in 2020. It is applicable for system configurations supporting up to 48Gbps maximum bandwidth. It is the only cable class that complies with specifications designed to ensure support for all HDMI 2.1a features, including uncompressed 8K@60 and 4K@120.

How certification works

The Ultra High Speed HDMI Certification Program is a mandatory certification program for all Ultra High Speed HDMI Cables. It ensures that quality Ultra High Speed HDMI Cables reach the market and support 4K and 8K video, HDR, VRR, eARC, and all other HDMI 2.1a features. All certified cables of any length must pass certification testing at an HDMI Forum Authorized Testing Center (Forum ATC). Certified cables are also required to be tested for low EMI to reduce the possibility of interference with wireless networks, streaming media players, Bluetooth devices, and mobile phones.

Certified cables must display an Ultra High Speed HDMI Certification Label on packaging or the unit of sale (not to be confused with the separate Ultra96 label used for the later, higher-bandwidth HDMI 2.2 cable class), so consumers can verify certification status. To verify that a specific cable has been tested and certified in compliance with the HDMI 2.1a Specification, the label can be scanned using the HDMI Cable Certification app, available on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and other Android app stores.

The anti-counterfeit label uses Authentic Vision technology, which HDMI.org describes as including a unique, randomized hologram that works "much like a fingerprint" for per-item authentication, intended to assure buyers a cable is a genuine certified product rather than a counterfeit.

Key specifications

The defining number for this cable class is bandwidth: up to 48Gbps. Certification ties that bandwidth to a guaranteed feature set. Uncompressed 8K@60 and 4K@120, HDR, VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), and eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) are all covered under the mandatory certification for this class.

Comparisons to other cable classes

The Premium High Speed HDMI Cable class is rated for up to 18Gbps, delivering "ultra-reliable performance for 4K/UltraHD" including 4K60, HDR, and expanded color spaces such as BT.2020. This is well below the 48Gbps ceiling of the Ultra High Speed tier.

The older High Speed HDMI Cable class supports up to 10.2Gbps, designed and tested for 1080p and beyond with support for 4K@30Hz, 3D, and Deep Color. This is a fraction of the Ultra High Speed cable's 48Gbps capacity.

Common confusions

An HDMI port labeled "HDMI 2.1" does not by itself guarantee that the cable plugged into it is capable of, or certified for, 48Gbps Ultra High Speed operation. The port and the cable are certified separately; a port supporting HDMI 2.1 features can still be paired with a lower-bandwidth cable that fails to deliver those features end to end.

The certification label itself is a mandatory requirement under the Ultra High Speed HDMI Certification Program. It is not an optional marketing add-on that manufacturers may choose to skip. All certified cables, regardless of length, must pass testing at a Forum ATC and carry the label.