PS5 & Xbox Series X - Which HDMI 2.1 cables are the right ones

New in the update: We have added more cables to our list and also supplemented a reference to fiber optic cable for larger distances.

The Xbox Series X as well as the PS5 support gaming at 4K resolution with up to 120 fps. But you need not only a TV or monitor, which has a correspondingly high refresh rate and has an HDMI 2.1 port. You also need an HDMI 2.1 cable that has the necessary bandwidth.

This purchase advice is not commissioned by one advertising partner, but a list of recommendations. The offers listed here are but with so-called affiliate links. With a purchase via one of these links your Ultra High supports: without impact on the price we get a small commission from the provider. Do you have suggestions for articles that we should record? Write it in the comments.

Is the PS5 attached to an HDMI 2.1 cable?

Yes, at the PlayStation 5, an HDMI 2.1 cable is included in the scope of delivery. Before release in the fall of 2020 rumors circulated, according to which the PS5 enclosed only an HDMI 2.0 cable. The reason was that the preview of journalists, consoles mostly sent cables with the inscription "High Speed ​​HDMI Cable" side dishes, although HDMI-2.1 cables should be labeled with "Ultra High Speed". But it was merely a wrong lettering.

And what about the Xbox Series?

The Xbox Series X is shipped together with an HDMI 2.1 cable, the Xbox Series S, however, not. However, in the latter, this is not necessary because it is designed with its lower power for a resolution of 1440p. For that, you do not need HDMI 2.1, even if it supports Xbox Series S in principle. More in our article on delivery and packaging of Xbox Series X and S.

When do I have to buy a cable?

Regardless of which of the new consoles you own or want to get you, you need not buy a cable at the moment. All supplied cables range from delivering the promised gaming performance of the respective console. So you only need a new cable if the supplied is too short or when it breaks. The HDMI cable of the PS5 is 1.5 meters long, which the Xbox Series X has a length of two meters.

How do I recognize an HDMI 2.1 cable?

A full-fledged HDMI 2.1 cable must have a bandwidth of at least 48 GBit / s. Since the fewest customers can start with this number and also HDMI 2.1 is not a term a term, the cables are usually indicated differently. The most common is the marking 8k , which should signal that the cable is suitable for 8K TVs. Such cables should be designed for 8k 60 Hz, making it easy to create 4k 120 Hz, unless the marking is correct.

Also due to the shortness "8k" is often the only label that is large on the plugs of the cable. In the article description then further details such as "HDMI 2.1", "4K 120 Hz" or "48 Gbps" can be found. Also important is the marking "Ultra High Speed ​​HDMI Cable" (compared to "High Speed ​​HDMI Cable" at HDMI 2.0), which should be printed on the cable for certified products.

Complete security that is actually a cable certified by the HDMI forum, but only brings the enclosed certificate with the inscription "Ultra Certified Cable" and "HDMI Ultra High Speed" and a QR code. The QR code can be scanned with a special app and check for authenticity. You can learn more directly at the HDMI Forum.

How important is the certificate?

HDMI 2.1 cable with certificate are not forcibly better than those without a certificate. Since the certification process has started very late, namely in the third quarter of 2020, many manufacturers did not want to wait so long and have already launched their products without a certificate. Some have recovered the certification later, others have renounced it.

If in doubt, a certified cable is of course trustful than a non-certified. Nevertheless, we would especially recommend to pay attention to reviews before buying and buying a trusted shop, so you can exchange the cable for problems. This is ultimately more important than the certificate.

Which cable should I buy?

Meanwhile, a whole amount of HDMI-2.1 cables are on the market. Here we have listed for you a few manufacturers' products that provide our assessment of reasonably reliable quality. Cable with certificate we have marked.

• Ultra HDTV 8K HDMI cable certified (about 37 euros at 2m) *
• Bivani 8K HDMI 2.1 Cable certified (about 47 euros at 2m) *
• Cable Direct HDMI 2.1 Ultra High Speed ​​Cable Certified (about 19 Euro at 2m) *
• Hama Ultra High Speed ​​8K HDMI Cable (approximately 30 Euro at 2m) *
• Stouchi HDMI 2.1 Cable (circa 15 Euro at 1.8m) *
• CSL 8K HDMI 2.1 Cable (approximately 12 Euro at 2m) *

Please note: Even if all of the abovementioned cables support HDMI 2.1, there may still be clear quality differences, for example with regard to sheathing, break safety and workmanship. If your console is further than five meters away from the TV, you will probably need to grab a fiber optic cable *. Copper Cable attracts at great distances at too much speed to deliver the full 48 Gbps.

Which TVs support HDMI 2.1?

4K TVs that support HDMI 2.1 are currently still in the minority, but their number grows quickly. An overview of the most important models we have already put together in a separate purchase advice:

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PS5 & Xbox Series X - These TVs use the features of the new consoles

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• This purchase advice is not commissioned by a promotional partner, but a list of recommendations. The offers listed here are but with so-called affiliate links. With a purchase via one of these links your Ultra High supports: without impact on the price we get a small commission from the provider. Do you have suggestions for articles that we should record? Write it in the comments.