Can HDMI 2.0 do 4K at 120 Hz?
AnswerNo
No, not in any normal way. With standard TV timing, 4K 120 Hz needs 28.5 Gbps in 8-bit full colour, and HDMI 2.0 delivers 14.4. HDMI 2.0 has no DSC. 8-bit 4:2:0 squeezes in on paper (14.26 Gbps), but HDMI 2.0 only defines 4:2:0 for 4K at 50–60 Hz, so devices don't offer it. For 4K 120 you need HDMI 2.1. HDMI 2.0 does carry 1440p and 1080p at 120 Hz.
4K 120 Hz, 8-bit (TV timing)
| Link | Needs | Has | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| HDMI 2.0TV timing | 28.51 Gbps | 14.40 Gbps | Too much |
| HDMI 2.1 40G | 25.82 Gbps | 35.56 Gbps | Fits |
| HDMI 2.1 48G | 25.82 Gbps | 42.67 Gbps | Fits |
How the numbers are worked out
Reduced-blanking timing (VESA CVT-R2)
3840×2160 active → 3920 × 2287 total pixels per frame
3920 × 2287 × 120 Hz = 1075.80 MHz pixel clock
1075.80 MHz × 24.0 bits per pixel = 25.82 Gbps
8-bit colour, full RGB/4:4:4: 3 × 8 = 24.0 bits per pixel.
HDMI 1.4/2.0, standard TV timing (CTA-861)
3840×2160 active → 4400 × 2250 total pixels per frame
4400 × 2250 × 120 Hz = 1188.00 MHz pixel clock
1188.00 MHz × 24.0 bits per pixel = 28.51 Gbps
8-bit colour, full RGB/4:4:4: 3 × 8 = 24.0 bits per pixel.
"Has" is the link's usable rate after line coding. DSC is modelled as up to 3:1 compression. Full method.
4K 120 Hz, 10-bit HDR
| Link | Needs | Has | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| HDMI 2.0TV timing | 35.64 Gbps | 14.40 Gbps | Too much |
| HDMI 2.1 40G | 32.27 Gbps | 35.56 Gbps | Fits |
| HDMI 2.1 48G | 32.27 Gbps | 42.67 Gbps | Fits |
1080p 120 Hz, 8-bit
Consoles that support 120 Hz on HDMI 2.0 TVs, such as the PS5 and Xbox Series X, drop to 1440p or 1080p for it. To get 4K at 120 you need HDMI 2.1 FRL on both the source and the TV input, plus an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable.