Xbox Series X and PS5 specs: Does HDMI 2.1 require a new 4K TV?

The breakdown of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X is far enough in the future – about eight months, if the November time frame holds again – for Sony and Microsoft, to hold their cards close to the vest when it comes to fully unveil their upcoming console. While we don't know a ton about new devices, We know they can inspire millions of their owners to ask the question: Do I need a new TV to make all the video game power?

We have not yet seen detailed hardware specifications from Microsoft or Sony. But details that companies have revealed so far suggest that they are designing their own networks for next-gen TVs. Yes, that's when we first got into tech jargon – VRR, AllM, 8K, 120 Hz – but these new features have amazing development potential. For example, 120 Hz support means that the TV's refresh rate can show games and other content running at 120 frames per second, which is twice as fast as the downloads made so far.

Most people do not have 4K TV, let alone an 8K screen. So it looks like the question of buying a new TV for the following consoles has a clear answer, no?

Well … it's complicated.

Image: Microsoft

Details for the Xbox Series X and PS5:

Sony and Microsoft promise the same power of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Although one system keeps shipping with a product that is more powerful than the other, both will allow the game with resolution up to 8K – which pays 4K pixels – with frames of up to 4 120 fps. That will require new Hardware, including the connectors behind the consoles.

So far, Microsoft has been more forthcoming than Sony with details about its next-gen genon. Microsoft debuted its next Xbox under the codename Project Scarlett with a trailer at E3 2019, and in December, it revealed the console's design and final name: Xbox Series X. The company provided more details on Hardware last month.

Microsoft says with 12 teraflops of graphics performance – twice for this Xbox One X, released in late 2017 – the Xbox Series X will focus 4K at 60 fps, and will be able to reach 120 fps. Since E3, the company has been describing the console as having an “8K capacity,” although it doesn’t provide details on that. Tony said last year that the PS5 would be able to come out with up to 8K resolutions, and bring pricing up to 120 fps in 4K games.

The key to this advanced technology lies in the HDMI port behind the two ports. The Xbox Series X will have an HDMI 2.1 port, Microsoft confirmed it recently, while stating that the console will support gaming-enabled TV features such as auto low-latency mode (AllM) and variable-rate (VRR) . Both of them available on Xbox One S and Xbox One X, despite the fact that available TV sets can be used. As for the PS5, there is no word at this point in support for features like AllM or VRR.

The fact is, the PS5 will definitely have an HDMI 2.1 port as well. The latest HDMI quality specification, HDMI 2.1 can deliver much more bandwidth than HDMI 2.0b – 48 gigabits per second, up from 18 Gbps – and ideally, it supports higher resolutions and frame rates. HDMI 2.0b cannot handle 4K video at frame rates above 60 fps, while HDMI 2.1 can support 4K at 120 fps and 8K at 60 fps. If Sony claims that the PS5 will be able to output 4K120 video, then the console should have an HDMI 2.1 port.

What does HDMI 2.1 mean for the PS5 and Xbox Series X?

The transition from HDMI 2.0 to HDMI 2.1 may not seem like a big deal, it goes with the change in tenth place in version number. But great improvement in all kinds of ways. (They should call it HDMI 3.0, of course.)

HDMI startup 2.1 brings with it some improvements to previous HDMI specifications, including new features such as dynamic HDR, enhanced audio recovery channel (eARC), and the aforementioned AllM and VRR.

Low latency mode is useful for game players, because it allows a TV-connected device to automatically enable "game mode," a generic name for a set of settings that reduce input latency. In the past, you would have to change the game mode manually using your gaming TV, but AllM takes care of it, ensuring that whenever you play the game on your TV, you are showing the game with minimum image processing possible. It also works with all devices in the series (e.g., enabling game mode on the AV receiver connected between the instrument and the display), as long as they all support it.

Variable refresh rate, a harmonious, selective technology that has existed in computer monitors for many years but didn't become on TV until the last decade. VRR delivers a smooth game experience by removing the screen ripple (associated with the game's frame rate that exceeds the display refresh rate) and boredom (associated with the frame rate dropping below the refresh rate). This is done by varying the amount of screen refreshment (hence the name!) Depending on the level of the game's layout so that they remain in sync. VRR doesn't just make the video feed look smooth – removing anger makes the game more responsive.

The other two gaming- and sports-specific features for HDMI media 2.1 fast freight transport (QFT) and switch media quickly (QMS). The latter reduces display latency – the amount of time between the moment the GPU produces the frame and the time it appears on the screen – by increasing the speed at which frames will be transmitted. The latter eliminates black jarring t-shirts that appear briefly when you switch between content at different frame rates. QMS relies on VRR to synchronize frames.

HDMI 2.1 is the future of TV and gambling

As you are probably dedicated now, your current TV probably doesn't support AllM or VRR, because it probably doesn't have an HDMI 2.1 port. (Some manufacturers have added these features to older TVs with firmware updates, though the ports themselves are not HDMI 2.1-compliant.)

You might be ready if you just bought a TV from LG, which released six different models in 2019 that include HDMI 2.1 ports. In addition, the Korean company has added support for G-Sync, Nvidia's flagship sync technology, to other 2019 TVs last fall, allowing users to connect them to Nvidia's gaming PCs and graphics cards. So those customers don't have to wait for new features to get a smooth, tear-free gameplay.

But this year, it looks like it's a new party to come out – TV makers including LG, Samsung, Sony, TCL, and Vizio say they will offer HDMI 2.1 ports in at least some of their 2020 models. That means that anyone who has bought a TV with HDMI 2.1 is good to go for everything the PS5 and Xbox Series X have to offer, right?

Unfortunately, no.

Nascent technology is like new concrete – still effective enough to be shaped by the finger or foot – and the world of next-generation TVs and gaming is not quite ready yet.

While the HDMI 2.1 specification covers new features like AllM and VRR, it allows app developers to choose which features they want to support. The basis of HDMI 2.1 is the increase in video reliability given the bandwidth increase to 48 Gbps. But most of the special features of HDMI 2.1 actually don't use that extra space, because they are not bandwidth-related; they are simply built into the firmware of a particular device.

In other words: The presence of HDMI 2.1 ports on the new TV does not guarantee that the display supports all game-specific features you may want to use with your new PS5 or Xbox Series X. This is why two TVs that look exactly the same can have price tags for hundreds of dollars.

Graphic: James Bareham / Polygon

Here is an example of this issue. Vizio announced at CES 2020 that all of its 2020 TVs will offer HDMI 2.1 ports. The company includes game enhancements, including AllM and VRR, under the "ProGaming Engine" logo. However, Vizio's cheap TV line this year – the V-Series models – will have a different feature, called the "V-Gaming Engine," which offers AllM but no VRR.

The power of confusion doesn't end there, either. While Vizio's 2020 M-Series TVs – the next one from the V-Series, but still expensive – will offer VRR, their launch will only support pricing up to 60 fps. If you want to play at 120 fps with VRR, you'll need to go up to the P-Series Quantum line, which will only be available in 65- and 75-inch sizes.

Are your eyes still bright?

Should you buy a new PS5 TV or Xbox Series X? Maybe, but do your homework first

Having said all that, we still don't know how this will turn out. So far, Microsoft and Sony have left a lot of insecurities with the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. And until most TVs with HDMI 2.1 ports start hitting the market, we can't figure out what they can and can't do in real-world situations.

One thing is certain: Both of the following consoles will work well with your existing TV, whether it's a 4K model or a 1080p display (or, hell, or an old 720p unit, maybe). So you should not feel pressured to improve if you are unwilling and / or powerful, especially when the potential benefit of doing so is not as clear as it is now.

But what if there is thinking of getting inside the cutting edge of TV technology, looking to make sure your living room setup, you'll want to read all the fine print before buying. For now, of course, your best bet is to wait – and in the meantime, start saving.