Displays Can Bear HDMI 2.1 Label Without Supporting Its Features Soon

If you thought all the different HDMI standards and optional features were already confusing, it's bound to get a lot worse very soon. The reasoning behind this, according to a statement received by TFTCentral, is that HDMI 2.1 is backwards-compatible, and hence means HDMI 2.0 is no longer required.

The HDMI Licensing Administration has made it clear that all future displays are required to state support for HDMI 2.1, even if the hardware uses features no support for HDMI 2.1 features at all. TFTCentral approached the HDMI Licensing Administration after it noticed that a new Xiaomi monitor claims to have HDMI 2.1 support but doesn't support its most important features, such as the improved 48Gbps bandwidth, variable refresh rate, and auto low-latency mode. The response indicates that Xiaomi is doing nothing wrong, and that most manufacturers are being pushed to do the same soon.

The Verge contacted HDMI.org separately, too, with confirmation that this was indeed the case. "Devices can no longer be certified for 2.0," states HDMI.org spokesperson Douglas Wright to The Verge. "We are all dependent on manufacturers and resellers correctly stating which features their devices support."

HDMI 2.1 has already been confusing in its infancy, with many displays not supporting many of its most important, but ultimately optional, features. This includes companies like Sony, who have released TVs and the PlayStation 5 with HDMI 2.1 support but omissions such as variable refresh rate. This move to eradicate HDMI 2.0 entirely is only going to further muddy the waters, forcing consumers to be even more critical of specification sheets that are hopefully as accurate as possible.

If you are looking for great displays that do check all of HDMI 2.1's boxes, check out our guide to the best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and PS5.