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Display Bandwidth Calculator

Calculate required bandwidth and check HDMI 2.1/2.2 & DP compatibility.

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Required Bandwidth

Uncompressed

40.13 Gbps

With DSC (Display Stream Compression)

10.70 Gbps

Interface Compatibility

HDMI 1.4
✗ Incompatible
HDMI 2.0
DSC Required
HDMI 2.1 (48G)
✓ Native
HDMI 2.2 (96G)
✓ Native
DisplayPort 1.2
DSC Required
DisplayPort 1.4
DSC Required
DisplayPort 2.1 (UHBR 10)
DSC Required
DisplayPort 2.1 (UHBR 13.5)
✓ Native
DisplayPort 2.1 (UHBR 20)
✓ Native

About this tool

The Display Bandwidth Calculator works out exactly how much data your monitor needs to push per second for a given resolution, refresh rate, colour depth, and chroma subsampling, and whether your HDMI or DisplayPort cable can actually carry it. It returns two numbers: the uncompressed bandwidth, and the bandwidth with Display Stream Compression (DSC) enabled, which most modern high-refresh displays rely on to hit 4K 240Hz or 8K 60Hz over today's connectors.

Use it before you buy a monitor, cable, or GPU to make sure the chain supports the mode you care about. The tool checks your configuration against HDMI 1.4 through HDMI 2.2 (96G) and DisplayPort 1.2 through DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR 20, flagging each interface as natively compatible, requiring DSC, or incompatible. Compare mode lets you put two display configurations side-by-side to see which connectors each one needs.

Formula

Required bandwidth is pixels × refresh rate × bits per pixel × blanking overhead. Bits per pixel depends on chroma subsampling: 4:4:4 uses the full bit depth × 3, 4:2:2 uses × 2, and 4:2:0 uses × 1.5. Blanking overhead (≈12%) accounts for horizontal and vertical sync intervals. Dividing the total by 1 billion gives the figure in Gbps; DSC reduces the effective bits per pixel to 8 for a roughly 3:1 saving.

When to use it

Reach for it when picking a cable for a new monitor, planning a 4K 120Hz console setup, deciding whether your laptop's USB-C port can drive an external 5K display, or diagnosing why a mode isn't listed in your display settings. It pairs with the PPI Calculator (to check whether the resolution actually delivers the density you want) and the FPS Visualiser (to feel what those refresh rates translate to in motion).

Popular bandwidth scenarios

Pre-computed Gbps values for the cable + resolution + refresh-rate combinations visitors ask about most.

HDMI 2.1 - 4K 120 Hz HDR
33.4 Gbps, the signature HDMI 2.1 mode
View details ➜
HDMI 2.1 - 4K 144 Hz HDR
40.1 Gbps, right at HDMI 2.1's ceiling
View details ➜
DisplayPort 1.4 - 1440p 144 Hz
Native at 10-bit 4:4:4 without DSC
View details ➜
DisplayPort 1.4 - 4K 144 Hz
Needs DSC at 10-bit 4:4:4
View details ➜
DisplayPort 2.1 - 4K 240 Hz
Uncompressed UHBR 20 territory
View details ➜
HDMI 2.1 - 8K 60 Hz
Requires DSC on a 48G cable
View details ➜

Cable and Wi-Fi comparisons

Side-by-side breakdowns of the interface choices this calculator quantifies, such as HDMI vs DisplayPort, USB vs Thunderbolt, and Wi-Fi 6 vs Wi-Fi 7.

USB 3 (3.0 / 3.2 Gen 1) vs Thunderbolt 4 / USB 4
The external-port decision that shapes how fast you can back up.
Read comparison ➜
HDMI 2.1 (48G) vs DisplayPort 2.1 (UHBR 20)
The modern high-end display-cable choice that matters for 4K 240 Hz and beyond.
Read comparison ➜
WiFi 6 / 6E (802.11ax) vs WiFi 7 (802.11be)
The wireless upgrade that finally gets close to wired Gigabit.
Read comparison ➜

Frequently asked questions

Does HDMI 2.1 support 4K at 144Hz?
Yes. 4K at 144Hz with 10-bit HDR and 4:4:4 chroma needs roughly 40 Gbps of bandwidth, which fits within HDMI 2.1's 48 Gbps ceiling (42.6 Gbps effective data rate). You'll need a certified Ultra High Speed HDMI cable and a source and display that both advertise HDMI 2.1 FRL signalling.
Can DisplayPort 1.4 handle 4K at 240Hz?
Not uncompressed. 4K at 240Hz with 10-bit 4:4:4 requires about 65-70 Gbps, well over DisplayPort 1.4's 25.92 Gbps effective data rate. With Display Stream Compression (DSC), which is visually lossless, DisplayPort 1.4 can drive 4K at 240Hz comfortably. For uncompressed 4K 240Hz you need DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR 20.
What is Display Stream Compression (DSC) and is it lossy?
DSC is a visually lossless compression format standardised by VESA that cuts bandwidth roughly 3:1. In blind side-by-side testing the compression is indistinguishable from uncompressed output, so most modern high-refresh-rate monitors use it to reach 4K 240Hz or 8K 60Hz over existing cables. It does add a small amount of latency (microseconds) and can prevent some HDR metadata from passing through on older GPUs.
Why do I need more bandwidth for HDR and 10-bit colour?
Each pixel carries more data. 8-bit colour uses 24 bits per pixel (8 bits per channel × 3 channels) whereas 10-bit uses 30 bits per pixel, a 25% increase in required bandwidth. 12-bit adds another 20% on top of that. HDR content typically runs at 10-bit or 12-bit, which is why enabling HDR can push a connection over its limit.
What does 4:2:0 chroma subsampling do to bandwidth?
Chroma subsampling reduces colour resolution to save bandwidth. 4:4:4 carries full colour for every pixel; 4:2:2 halves horizontal colour resolution; 4:2:0 halves both horizontal and vertical colour resolution, cutting bandwidth by roughly 50% compared to 4:4:4. It's fine for video but makes coloured text on coloured backgrounds look fuzzy, so 4:4:4 is preferred for desktop use.
Is HDMI or DisplayPort better for a 4K 240Hz monitor?
Both can do it, but the route differs. HDMI 2.1 handles 4K 240Hz 10-bit natively if the display supports Frame Rate Control; DisplayPort 1.4 needs DSC, and DisplayPort 2.1 (UHBR 20) handles it fully uncompressed. For PCs, DisplayPort is typically the default; for consoles and TVs, HDMI 2.1 is the standard.

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