Can You Get Above 60 Fps With HDMI? | Easy Explanation

When it comes to display ports, HDMI is one of the most popular choices today. And it’s for good reason too. It offers a complete and robust solution. However, when it comes to frame rates, it can be an issue because many users don’t get frames more than 60 using HDMI.

Therefore, the question rises, can you get above 60 fps with HDMI? The answer is both yes and no. With HDMI 1.4 and older, the maximum number of frames you can get is capped at 60, no matter how powerful your hardware is. however, with newer iterations of HDMI 2.0 and later, you can get way more than 60 fps.

Read on for a detailed explanation of when and how you can get above 60 fps with HDMI.

What Are the FPS Capabilities of Different Versions of HDMI

To understand why some HDMI doesn’t support fps higher than 60 frames per second, you first need to understand their capability. It has evolved over the years. Therefore, subsequent versions offer various features and specs than earlier iterations. HDMI standard has gone through many advancements in terms of bandwidth, resolution, picture quality, as well as refresh rate.

1. HDMI 1.4 and Below

Earlier iterations of HDMI, especially anything labeled as 1.4 and below were usually limited to a maximum framer rate of 60 fps at 1080p resolution. Because, back then, 1080p at 60Hz is what quality playback meant with smooth and decent frames. However, this wasn’t enough to please the enthusiasts and most importantly, competitive gamers. Enters HDMI 2.0.

2. HDMI 2.0

Now HDMI 2.0 is where we see a significant leap forward in terms of capabilities. It offers improved support for both resolution and framer per second. HDMI 2.0 can candle can handle up to 60Hz at 4K resolution. But what about higher fps, you ask? Well, it can do 120Hz, but at a capped 1080p resolution. This improvement opened doors for smoother gameplay and enhanced multimedia experiences.

3. HDMI 2.1

HDMI 2.1, the latest iteration, has further improved the performance and quality of HDMI. It offers increased bandwidth, which enables even higher resolutions and refresh rates. It supports up to 120Hz at 4K resolution. But that’s not all. HDMI 2.1 can even do 240Hz at a reduced 1080p resolution. This opens the door to a new feat of fluidity and responsiveness.

Therefore, if you are running something higher than HDMI 1.4, you can easily get fps higher than 60. However, that’s not all. How many frames you get depends a lot on your hardware capabilities as well.

What Determines the FPS with HDMI?

Here are some other important factors, apart from your HDMI version, that affects your frames per second.

1. Source Device and Graphics Card

How capable your computer or your gaming console actually is, plays an important role when it comes to fps. So, if the title you are playing is too much to handle for your current setup, you cannot expect to see even 60 smooth frames per second, let alone higher fps, regardless of the Hz capability of your monitor.

2. Display Device

Actual fps depend on your display device as well. So, make sure that the display device you are using, monitor or Television, supports fps higher than 60. If you see 75Hz, 120Hz, or 144Hz, on your display device specs, it can support a high refresh rate, otherwise, it can’t, regardless of the HDMI version you are using.

Therefore, if you have a compatible HDMI version on both your source device and display and your graphics card or integrated GPU can render frames at a higher frame rate, you can achieve frame rates above 60 fps over HDMI. But, keep in mind that achieving higher frame rates may also require appropriate settings in the game you are playing. Also, you may need to ensure that the hardware and software are properly configured to support the higher frames.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers (FAQs)

Does HDMI increase FPS?

No, it does not. The number of frames you get depends on your hardware as well as display device capability, not on the output port.

Can you still get 120 fps on a 60Hz monitor?

No, you cannot get 120 frames per second on a 60Hz monitor. In fact, a 60Hz monitor is only capable of delivering up to 60 frames per second.

Final Words

When you have capable enough CPU and GPU horsepower, and your monitor or TV supports frames higher than 60 fps, you can easily get more frames above 60 fps with anything upper than HDMI 1.4. However, for HDMI 1.4 and below, 60 fps remains the maximum frames you can possibly get, no matter how high-end your display device is.

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