Does your HDMI cable support 4K120 or 8K?
Ultra High Speed HDMI certification explained from HDMI Licensing Administrator's own pages, with what Sony and Microsoft say the PS5 and Xbox Series X need.
Short answer
For 4K at 120Hz or 8K at 60Hz, the cable should say “Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable” (or “Ultra96 HDMI Cable”) on the jacket and carry a certification label you can scan with a phone's QR code app. HDMI Licensing Administrator says Ultra High Speed cables cover up to 48Gbps and the 8K@60 and 4K@120 formats. There is no official “HDMI 2.1 cable”: the HDMI licensing rules keep version numbers off cable labeling. The cable is one of three parts; the console or player and the TV's HDMI port have to support 4K120 too.
The cable names, from the people who license HDMI
HDMI Licensing Administrator, the agent that licenses the HDMI specification, sorts cables by official name, not by version number. It says all HDMI cable products must carry their official cable name on the jacket, and packages must show the cable name logo or the right certification label.
| Official cable name | Bandwidth | Formats HDMI LA lists | 4K at 120Hz | 8K at 60Hz |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultra96 HDMI Cable | Up to 96Gbps | All HDMI 2.2 features, including uncompressed 8K@60 and 4K@240 at 4:4:4, 10-bit and 12-bit | Yes | Yes |
| Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable | Up to 48Gbps | 8K@60 and 4K@120 | Yes | Yes |
| Premium High Speed HDMI Cable | Up to 18Gbps | 4K60, HDR, BT.2020 | Not listed | Not listed |
| High Speed HDMI Cable | Up to 10.2Gbps | 1080p and beyond, including 4K@30Hz, 3D, Deep Color | Not listed | Not listed |
| Standard HDMI Cable | Not given | 1080i or 720p | Not listed | Not listed |
The Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable arrived with the HDMI 2.1 specification and entered the market in 2020. The Ultra96 HDMI Cable came with HDMI 2.2. Any of the top two will carry 4K at 120Hz; for 8K the same two apply. Premium High Speed cables are certified for 4K60 and HDR at up to 18Gbps, and 4K120 is not among the formats HDMI LA lists for them.
Why you won't find an official “HDMI 2.1 cable”
Listings often describe a cable by a version number. HDMI LA's own notice about its trademark and logo guideline, revised on May 4, 2018, describes the policy as “allowing limited use of HDMI version numbers in marketing except for cable”. A cable sold as “HDMI 2.1” may be an Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable, but the version number on its own doesn't tell you. HDMI LA also notes that resellers may use a variety of marketing terms and may not use the official cable names. Look for the official name and the label instead.
How to check a cable
- The label on the package. HDMI LA says every Ultra96 and Ultra High Speed cable model must pass testing at an HDMI Forum Authorized Testing Center, and certified cables carry a certification label on each package. The label can be scanned with standard QR code apps to check that the model was tested and certified.
- The name on the jacket. The official name must also appear on the cable itself, so a loose cable in a drawer can be checked too.
- The length. HDMI LA says every length of every model must be tested and certified; a certification for the 1-meter version doesn't cover the 5-meter one.
- Shopping online. Some sellers show an optional HDMI verification banner that can be clicked or scanned and shows the brand, model number and length, the same as the physical label.
HDMI LA adds that it buys certified cables in stores and online and sends them back for testing; if a cable fails and the maker doesn't correct the problem, no more labels can be ordered for it.
The cable is only one of three parts
4K at 120Hz needs a source that sends it, a TV or monitor input that accepts it, and a cable between them that carries it.
- PS5. Sony says the PS5 supports the HDMI 2.1 specification and 4K 120Hz output, with the setting “120 Hz Output” under Screen and Video. Its troubleshooting list asks whether you are using the cable included with the PS5 “or an Ultra High-Speed Cable that is rated for 4K 120 Hz output”, whether the console is connected directly to the TV, and whether it's in an HDMI 2.1 port on the TV.
- PS5 Pro and 8K. Sony says 8K output on the PS5 Pro (CFI-7000 model group) needs a TV that supports 8K at 60Hz with Display Stream Compression, and that VRR is disabled during 8K output.
- Xbox Series X. Microsoft packed an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable in the box with the Xbox Series X and recommends using it. Its launch guidance also notes that on some TVs only specific HDMI ports support HDMI 2.1, so the TV's manual is worth checking. For a receiver in between, Microsoft advises Ultra High Speed HDMI cables for the Series X, and High Speed or Premium cables for the Series S.
If the picture drops to 1080p at 120Hz, or the screen goes blank when 4K120 is switched on, the order Sony suggests is a good one to follow: check that the TV supports 4K120 and has its latest firmware, try the cable that came with the console, plug straight into the TV, and use the TV's HDMI 2.1 port.
What about HDMI 2.2 and Ultra96?
HDMI 2.2 raises the bandwidth to 96Gbps. HDMI LA describes “Ultra96” as a feature name manufacturers are encouraged to use for products supporting 64, 80 or 96Gbps, and says products showing it need the Ultra96 HDMI Cable for their full bandwidth. HDMI LA says the specification is backward compatible with earlier versions. For 4K120 or 8K60 on today's consoles and TVs, an Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable is the one HDMI LA lists for those formats.
Sources
- HDMI Licensing Administrator, HDMI Cables: Different Cable Types: cable names, bandwidth, formats, labeling requirement. Read October 1, 2026.
- HDMI Licensing Administrator, Ultra96 HDMI Cable and Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable: certification program, labels, QR verification, verification banners, audits. Read October 1, 2026.
- HDMI Licensing Administrator, Premium HDMI Cable Certification Program: 18Gbps, 4K@60Hz, every length tested. Read October 1, 2026.
- HDMI Licensing Administrator, Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable Certification Labels Available Now: every length of every model line tested. Read October 1, 2026.
- HDMI Licensing Administrator, Revision to the Adopted Trademark and Logo Usage Guideline has been published on May 4, 2018. Read October 1, 2026.
- HDMI Licensing Administrator, HDMI 2.2 Specification Technology Overview, and Ultra96 Feature Name. Read October 1, 2026.
- Sony Interactive Entertainment, How to change PS5 console resolution: 120 Hz output, 8K on CFI-7000, HDMI 2.1 and 4K 120 Hz troubleshooting. Read October 1, 2026.
- Xbox Wire (Microsoft), You're Ready to Power Your Dreams – Is Your TV?, November 6, 2020: Ultra High Speed HDMI cable in the box, HDMI 2.1 ports, receiver setups. Read October 1, 2026.
Changes: first published October 1, 2026.