Low Bit Rate HDMI cables

If you're using a gaming laptop for a trial presentation, or simply tasked with setting up a monitor capable of 4K or 8K resolution (ultra high definition using 4,000 or 8,000 pixels) you want to keep in mind that an older or even 'high speed' HDMI cable may not be able to support the video at such an elevated resolution.

Standard HDMI cables are no longer widely available at Best Buy or other online stores where you're likely to go to pick one up, but there's no doubt that you may be handed one by a law firm's IT staff, or find one as the cable provided for a courtroom's a/v system. These cables have a bandwidth of 4.95 Gbps and won't be able to support 4K or higher. They are designed for 1080 pixel devices. They will be designated as version 1.0 or 1.2.

You might think that a 'high speed' cable [versions 1.3 to 1.4] would be what you need, but it also won't work with 4K video at higher frames per second. They support 10.2 Gbps but won't support 4K video higher than 30 frames per second.

A Premium High Speed version 2.0 HDMI cable has a bandwidth of 18 Gbps and will work with any 4K video, and some 8K videos at lower frame rates.

If you want to play it safe and be ready for any 8K video at all, secure an Ultra High Speed HDMI version 2.1 cable (48 Gbps).

The Ultra High Speed cable will work fine with lower res videos.

If you are using an HDMI cable that won't support the resolution of the video, you may simply get a lower res video, a video that flickers, or worse yet no signal at all.