Which cable supports 3440×1440 at 144Hz? Bandwidth and HDR guide

A 34-inch ultrawide running native 3440×1440 at 144 Hz with 10-bit 4:4:4 HDR needs 24.0 Gbps. That's 93% of DisplayPort 1.4's 25.9 Gbps, tight but it fits without DSC, which is why the majority of 34-inch 1440p 144 Hz ultrawides ship with DP 1.4 inputs.

Required bandwidth
24.0 Gbps
Uncompressed
With DSC
6.4 Gbps
Visually lossless 3:1
Mode
3440×1440 @ 144 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 Signal24.0 Gbps
Cable Limits Reference
HDMI 2.0
14.4 Gbps
⚠ DSC required
DP 1.4
25.9 Gbps
✓ Native support
HDMI 2.1
42.6 Gbps
✓ Native support
DP 2.1 (UHBR 20)
77.4 Gbps
✓ Native support
Display Mode: 3440 × 1440 @ 144 Hz
Color depth: 10-bit 4:4:4

Calculator

Display Bandwidth Calculator

W
H

Required Bandwidth

Uncompressed

23.97 Gbps

With DSC (Display Stream Compression)

6.39 Gbps

Interface Compatibility

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

How this is calculated

HDMI 2.1 has vastly more headroom (42.6 Gbps) and most modern monitors support both. Push past 144 Hz. The 175 Hz and 180 Hz overclock modes common on ultrawides put you above DP 1.4's ceiling (roughly 30 Gbps at 180 Hz), which forces DSC. DP 1.2 tops out at 17.28 Gbps and can't carry this mode at all without dropping bit depth or chroma.

Verdict

24.0 Gbps is the cleanest fit for DP 1.4 at ultrawide 1440p. For the overclock modes above 144 Hz, DSC or HDMI 2.1 becomes the safer path.

More Ultrawide scenarios

Frequently asked questions

Which cable is best for a 3440×1440 144Hz ultrawide monitor?
DisplayPort 1.4 is highly recommended, as it carries the 24 Gbps required bandwidth uncompressed for full 10-bit HDR.