Aren’t the new consoles cool? Whether you already have a PS5 or Xbox Series X, or it’s still on your wish list, everyone wants to try the new way of playing games. When you read all the reviews and see all the features listed on the side of the box, it just makes you even more excited, too. But some of those features only work if you have the right TV.
Until 2020, all the TVs you could buy used an HDMI 2.0 cable and port to connect to a video games console. And that worked fine, because the PS4, Xbox One and Switch also used HDMI 2.0 ports. HDMI 2.0 can transfer data at 18Gbps, which is good enough to play 4K games at 60 frames per second. And they look great.
But the new consoles can do even better. They can show games in 8K graphics, as well as play games in 4K at 120 frames per second. They also have cool visual tricks like Dynamic HDR, Variable Refresh Rates and an Automatic Low Latency Mode. Plus, they can play more detailed sounds using Dolby Atmos (XSX) and 3D Audio (PS5). However, because these resolutions, framerates and sounds are so much better, they have much bigger data files. Way more than HDMI 2.0 can handle.
As a result, these consoles use the brand-new HDMI 2.1 ports, which can transfer 48Gbps. Unfortunately, only a few TVs in 2020 came with HDMI 2.1 ports, but they will be more common in 2021. And you need an HDMI 2.1 port on your TV to transfer all that next-gen data from your PS5 or XSX.
So, do you need a new TV for next-gen gaming? Unless you bought a new TV in 2020, chances are you probably do. The games will still look amazing on an old TV, but they’re even better with HDMI 2.1. Make sure you check if you have an HDMI 2.1 port and if you don’t, start nagging mum and dad for a TV upgrade.
