Will HDMI 2.1 Cable Work With a 2.0 Port? Today audio and video quality have become an important consideration whether you’re just playing games on your console or watching TV. With video and audio transfer becoming increasingly of important, HDMI has significantly become vital in our lives.
However, with there being various types of cables and ports with different specs, it’s confusing trying to figure out if they all seamlessly work together without affecting performance. With that in mind, will a HDMI 2.1 cable work with a 2.0 port?
Table of Contents
What are HDMI 2.1 Cables?
It’s essential to keep in mind that there’s nothing like HDMI 2.1 cable. You can’t buy an Ultra High-Speed Cable but simply just an HDMI cable that supports HDMI 2.1 specifications.
HDMI cables of different types are designed to conform to certain performance standards. To make it easier to understand, think of HDMI cables as different versions of the same thing.
Then why do people still refer to them as 2.1 HDMI cables? It’s important to understand that there’s a difference between the cable type and interface version.
Interface Version
The HDMI version of the output and input ports on the display device and source device determine the capabilities of the interface, including a certain refresh rate, audio format, and resolution.
Below is a table showing the capabilities of various HDMI versions.
| Version | Audio Support | Video | ||
| Maximum Transmission Rate | HDR | Maximum Resolution at Refresh Rate | ||
| HDMI 1.0 | 8 audio channels | 4.95 Gbps | No | 1080p at 60 Hz |
| HDMI 1.1 and 1.2 | DVD audio, 1-bit audio | 4.95 Gbps | No | 1440p at 30 Hz |
| HDMI 1.3 and 1.4 | DTS HD, ARC, Dolby TrueHD | 10.2 Gbps | No | 4K at 60 Hz |
| HDMI 2.0 | DRA, 32 audio channels, HE-AAC | 18 Gbps | Yes | 5K at 30 Hz |
| HDMI 2.1 | eARC | 48 Gbps | Yes | 8K at 30 Hz |
Cable Type
From a technical perspective, there’s really nothing like an HDMI cable version. You can’t update an HDMI cable since it doesn’t have any ICs and controllers with software and drivers.
To put it in simple terms, an HDMI cable is a wire that conveys signals from one point to another.
However, the quality of the wires inside dictates the type of HDMI cable you have in relation to performance standards.
Therefore, there’s really no such thing as an HDMI 2.1 cable but an ultra-high-speed cable that supports HDMI 2.1 specifications.
So, experts refer to ultra-high-speed cables as HDMI 2.1 cables, which doesn’t make sense for newbies.
As performance standards for HDMI cables may vary, some HDMI cables might not be able to convey the high data generated by modern HDMI 2.1 ports.
Below is a table showing the different types of cables according to their performance standards.
| Type of Cable | Supported HDMI Version |
| Standard Cable | 1.0 – 1.2a |
| High Speed Cable | 1.3 – 1.4a |
| High-Speed Cable | 2.0 (both a and b) |
| Premium High-Speed Cable | 2.1 |
Will HDMI 2.1 Cable Work With a 2.0 Port?
Similar to the compatibility of HDMI 2.0 and previous standards, HDMI 2.1 cables will work just fine with a 2.0 port.
However, the performance will be bound to the capabilities of HDMI 2.0.
Caption: HDMI Cable Connected to Device
Let’s understand that step by step.
HDMI 2.1 vs HDMI 2.0: Side by Side Comparison
| Feature | HDMI 2.1 | HDMI 2.0 |
| Bandwidth | Up to 48 Gbps | Up to 18 Gbps |
| Refresh Rate | You can enjoy 8K at 60 Hz and 4K at 144 Hz | You can enjoy 4K at 60/50 Hz and 1080p at 120 Hz |
| Color Palettes | 16 bits | 12 bits or 10 bits |
| Audio Channels | 32 | 32 |
| Deep Color and 3D | Yes | Yes |
| VRR Support | No | No |
| HDR Support | Yes | Yes |
| Uncompressed Audio | Yes | No |
| Supported Cable | Premium High-Speed Cable | Premium High Speed Cable |
How do HDMI cables work?
All HDMI cables are backward compatible with all older generations of HDMI ports. HDMI 1.4 cables will work just fine with HDMI 1.2 and 1.4 ports, and the same HDMI 2.0 cables will work just fine with HDMI 1.4 and 2.0 ports. Similarly, HDMI 2.1 cables will work just fine with all HDMI connector generations.
An HDMI 2.1 cable will work just as well with a HDMI 1.0 port. However, it will be rather difficult to find any displays and devices that support such an older generation standard.
The most important point to understand is that the HDMI backward compatibility is limited to basic functions. Therefore, if you plug any HDMI cable into an HDMI port of any version, you will, without a doubt, get audio and video. However, there’s no guarantee of HDR support, refresh rate, and resolution.
This is the same for features such as gaming technologies (auto low latency mode and variable refresh rate), eARC and ARC, and encryption technologies (chroma subsampling).
Your HDMI cable performs just as the lower HDMI standard between your display and source. For instance, your display capable of supporting HDMI 2.1 won’t be able to take full advantage of the performance and added features if your source is using HDMI 1.4.
This also works both ways. If you connect a source that is capable of supporting HDMI 2.1, such as a PS5 or Xbox, it won’t be able to send and receive HDMI 2.1 high data rates if your display is only capable of supporting HDMI 1.4.
The lack of universal or forward compatibility is highly noticeable with HDMI 2.1, which not only needs the device and display to support HDMI 2.1 but also the cable.
Furthermore, HDMI backward compatibility further extends to other connectors that use HDMI protocol.
Conclusion
Keep in mind that despite it being possible to use an HDMI 2.1 cable with a 2.0 port, the performance will be limited to the capabilities of HDMI 2.0.
Also, when buying an HDMI cable, remember that there are different types of cables classified according to performance standards.
For all your HDMI cable needs, feel free to contact Cloom Tech.
