Does it make a difference?
You’ve bought the latest 8K LG TV and you’re getting it set up but before you do, do you need to upgrade your HDMI cables? Some cables can be tricky to change (if they’ve been plastered into walls for example) so is it worth the hassle?
HDMI 2.1 is here now and is the new standard. Generally speaking, if you’ve got a TV at the moment and you’re unsure whether you should upgrade, we’d probably say not to bother as your current HDMI will still work well on a normal 4K screen. Some older TV’s may not even have 2.1 capability. This does not mean that your TV is obsolete, it will work perfectly well for as long as it needs to. However if you’re thinking of upgrading your TV then to future proof it, it’s well worth putting in a 2.1 HDMI at the same time. Your new TV may already only take 2.1 so it’s worth checking when you buy it. Also if you’re into your gaming and have a good console such as the X Box Series X or PS5 then it should make a difference.
What does a 2.1 cable do?
2.1 will bring you faster gaming and allows a faster transfer of information between devices such as AV receivers and consoles. Images will be sharper, you’ll get a more bandwidth, a quicker refresh rate and a better overall performance. If you’re going to the effort of putting in that new 8K screen, the definitely you want it to work to it’s best performance. It will allow a rate of 8K resolution video at 60 frames per second and 4K at 120 frames per second which will make a real difference to your movie experience or your gaming.
There are various HDMIs on the market and available on the internet but if you’re buying one, make sure that it’s certificated. We’ve seen many available which say that they’re 2.1 but unless it’s certificated then it’s difficult to prove. All of our 2.1 HDMIs that we carry are certificated and we prefer to use Kordz as the quality of the cable is superior to most others and we know that they work well.
What TV’s are using them?
At the moment, most manufacturers have just started on their 2022 models putting on mainly HDMI 2.1 inputs, 2021 models will often have a mix of 2.0 and 2.1. LG and Samsung tend to have a mix but this will soon be the case that they’ll have 2.1 in all models soon. Sony also do some in great options in the XR range. If you’re thinking of upgrading, then get in touch and we can check the model for you.
The connector itself isn’t changing and the new TV’s will be backwards compatible so you will still be able to use your old HDMI’s. You just won’t get the advantages of the new standard.
So do I need to upgrade now?
Really it’s up to you. If you’re into gaming then it will definitely make it better. But only if you’re gaming on something like an Xbox Series X or PS5 which is set up for it. If you’re big into your movies or have a home cinema set up then it would be a good addition.
If your TV is in the kitchen and you use it for watching the news in the morning then no, we wouldn’t bother (unless you’re a massive fan of the news). Also a 4K TV with a standard HDMI is still going to get you a great picture and will be still good for general viewing. However if you’re upgrading your TV or getting an installation done then it’s a good idea to get it put in at the same time to future proof.
Again if you’d like any advice or would like to buy a 2.1 HDMI then we have some great ones in stock. Have a look at our shop or just pop in, they’re available to buy over the counter. Also if we’re installing your screen then the installer will chat about it but if you have any questions, just ask!