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Can DisplayPort 2.1 support uncompressed 8K 60Hz? Bandwidth analysis

8K 60 HDR is the second flagship mode UHBR 20 was built for. For creators working at 8K or display installations needing uncompromised signal fidelity, it's the interface tier that matters.

8K at 60 Hz with 10-bit 4:4:4 HDR needs 66.9 Gbps, the same bandwidth as 4K 240 Hz HDR, because total pixel throughput is what determines the signal requirement. DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR 20 handles it natively with roughly 13% headroom to spare.

By TechCompare · Updated

Required bandwidth
66.9 Gbps
Uncompressed
With DSC
17.8 Gbps
Visually lossless 3:1
Mode
7680×4320 @ 60 Hz
10-bit 4:4:4

Interface Bandwidth Analysis

See how much uncompressed and compressed bandwidth this resolution and refresh rate mode demands, compared to the native limits of common video cables.

Uncompressed Signal66.9 Gbps
With Display Stream Compression (DSC)17.8 Gbps

DSC uses visually lossless 3-to-1 compression, shrinking the required bandwidth so it fits through older cables.

Cable Limits Reference
HDMI 2.0
14.4 Gbps
✗ Not supported
DP 1.4
25.9 Gbps
⚠ DSC required
HDMI 2.1
42.6 Gbps
⚠ DSC required
DP 2.1 (UHBR 20)
77.4 Gbps
✓ Native support
Display Mode: 7680 × 4320 @ 60 Hz
Color depth: 10-bit 4:4:4

Calculator

Display Bandwidth Calculator

Required Bandwidth

Uncompressed

66.89 Gbps

With DSC (Display Stream Compression)

17.84 Gbps

Interface Compatibility

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

How this is calculated

UHBR 13.5 (52.22 Gbps) and UHBR 10 (38.69 Gbps) can't reach this mode uncompressed. You'd need DSC, 4:2:2 chroma, or an 8-bit SDR fallback to 53.5 Gbps (which UHBR 13.5 just manages). HDMI 2.1 at 40.1 Gbps real throughput requires DSC for 8K 60 in any color mode. UHBR 20 and HDMI 2.2 (85.33 Gbps) are the only interfaces carrying 8K 60 HDR uncompressed today.

Verdict

8K at 60 Hz with 10-bit 4:4:4 HDR needs 66.9 Gbps, the same bandwidth as 4K 240 Hz HDR because total pixel throughput is what determines the signal requirement, and DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR 20 (77.37 Gbps) handles it natively with about 13% headroom to spare. UHBR 13.5 (52.22 Gbps) and UHBR 10 (38.69 Gbps) can't reach uncompressed, so they fall back to DSC, 4:2:2 chroma, or an 8-bit SDR path. HDMI 2.1's 48 Gbps throughput also requires DSC for any 8K 60 HDR mode, so DP 2.1 UHBR 20 and HDMI 2.2 (85.33 Gbps) are the only consumer interfaces that carry 8K 60 HDR uncompressed today, with DP 2.1 currently the realistic path on RTX 50-series and RX 9000-series GPUs.

More DisplayPort 2.1 scenarios

HDMI 2.1 - 4K 60 Hz
4K at 60 Hz with 8-bit 4:4:4 color needs 13.4 Gbps of uncompressed bandwidth.
View details ➜
HDMI 2.1 - 4K 120 Hz HDR
4K 120 Hz with 10-bit 4:4:4 color HDR needs 33.4 Gbps, the benchmark mode HDMI 2.1 was designed to support without compression.
View details ➜
HDMI 2.1 - 4K 144 Hz HDR
4K 144 Hz with 10-bit 4:4:4 HDR needs 40.1 Gbps, within 6% of HDMI 2.1's effective 42.6 Gbps ceiling.
View details ➜

Frequently asked questions

Which connector supports uncompressed 8K 60Hz HDR?
Only DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR 20 (and newer specifications) supports 8K 60Hz at full 10-bit HDR without using compression algorithms.
Is DisplayPort 2.1 the only consumer display interface that does 8K 60 Hz uncompressed?
Yes, in practice. DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR 20 delivers 77.4 Gbps effective data rate, which comfortably holds 8K 60 Hz HDR at 10-bit 4:4:4 (about 66.9 Gbps). HDMI 2.1's 48 Gbps ceiling requires DSC for the same mode. RTX 50-series and RX 9000-series GPUs are the first consumer cards with DP 2.1 output.
Does any commercially available monitor accept uncompressed 8K 60 Hz from DisplayPort 2.1?
Yes, several high-end 8K monitors launched in 2025-2026 support DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR 20 input. Most 8K TVs still rely on HDMI 2.1 with DSC because they don't have DisplayPort inputs. 8K monitor adoption remains limited to professional creative workflows.