HDMI 2.1 offers increased bandwidth, variable refresh rate, auto low latency mode, quick frame transport, dynamic HDR and enhanced ARC, with the first enabling a combination of higher resolutions and refresh rates. This suite of features has been gaining traction in high-end TVs from LG, Hisense, Samsung, Sony and TCL. In laptops, the 2.1 port is included in the Apple MacBook Pro M3, Asus Zenbook 15 and Chromebook Plus CX34, HP Spectre X360 and EliteBook 640, and Acer Swift 3 OLED. One mirrorless camera, the Sony A7S III, has HDMI 2.1 output.
There is an uptake in the gaming sector as well, with the latest consoles PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X sporting the specification. Gaming laptops, such as the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14, HP Omen, Razer Blade 14 and Lenovo Legion 5 Slim, are also into it and so are gaming monitors from Asus, BenQ, Dell, Gigabyte, HP, Sony, LG and other brands.
Adoption is projected to grow as more makers follow suit and introduce compliant devices, driven by consumer demand for high-quality video in home entertainment and gaming.
In the manufacturing industry for connectors and cable assemblies, the same trend is expected. In China, suppliers of these interconnects have been developing HDMI 2.1 products while waiting for market uptake. Those that have already been releasing them include companies contacted by Global Sources.
Boost from display market
HDMI 2.1 is gaining traction, especially in the gaming sector. Monitors designed for this market segment are projected to reach $6.16 billion by 2029, posting a CAGR of 16.3 percent from 2023, according to YHResearch, a Chinese market research company.
Per the industry review site DisplayNinja, there are 280 monitors for work and creative use currently on the market with the “highly sought-after” HDMI 2.1 port.
In China, the HDMI 2.1 display sector has been posting double-digit growth rates in recent years, a trend that will likely continue in the next three years. A specialized market research company there, KuRun Data, said that the domestic market was valued at $2.08 billion in 2019 and $2.77 billion the following year, jumping by 33.3 percent. In 2022, this went up further to $3.88 billion or a 40 percent increase.
Chinese manufacturers of connectors and cable assemblies hope to cash in on this upbeat projection, as the country is one of the major manufacturing bases for HDMI and other interconnects products.
In addition to R&D initiatives, there are companies investing in production buildup. Dongguan Yuqiu allotted $20.83 million to expand its factory in Liaobu. Scheduled to have been completed in 3Q 2024, the 37,500sqm project will mainly turn out HDMI 2.1, USB 3.2 Type-C Gen2, USB4, Thunderbolt 3 and RF connectors and cable assemblies. It will realize a total production value of $48.6 million every year once fully operating.
Interconnects hub
There are hundreds of suppliers of HDMI connectors and cable assemblies in China, with most capable of producing 2.1 versions. They include homegrown companies such as Ugreen, Choseal, Samzhe, Anker and Kaiboer, and international giants Panasonic and Philips. Belkin, acquired by a Foxconn subsidiary in 2018, has a factory in the country.
These suppliers, which also offer DisplayPort, USB and other types of interconnects, are found in major cities such as Shenzhen, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Guangzhou, Suzhou, Changzhou, Ningbo and Hangzhou.
Chinese enterprises export between 30 and 60 percent of their products, mainly to Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific region. Some produce both connectors and cable assemblies.
Male and female Type A HDMI 2.1 connectors with gold-plated phosphor bronze contacts, copper alloy shells and thermoplastic housings are widely available from these suppliers. They have a maximum current rating of 0.5A, rated voltage of 40VAC, operating temperature of -25 to 85 C and life span of 10,000 mating cycles.
Typical cable assemblies, meanwhile, use 26, 28, 30 or 32AWG wires with a PVC jacket and terminate in Type A plugs. They come in lengths up to 150 feet or 45.72 meters. Most are UL-listed, CE-approved and RoHS-compliant.
These interconnects are manufactured using domestically sourced metal and plastic materials. Despite stable input costs, prices are expected to continue going down through 2025 as more companies enter the product category.
Cable compliance
HDMI Licensing Administrator, Inc. has assigned HDMI 2.1 conformity to cable manufacturers and checking to consumers. It says that cables are considered compliant if they support one or more features and that makers are required to list these features on product packaging. The supported specifications will be the bases of certification testing to be made.
To verify compliance and avoid counterfeits, consumers must check the label and scan the QR code included on the product packaging using the HDMI Cable Certification app downloadable from the App Store and Play Store.
Below is a gallery of HDMI 2.1 interconnects from suppliers in China.
HDMI 2.1 cable, 1.5m or custom length
Company: Dongguan Sig Electronics Co. Ltd
From Dongguan Sig, the S402-HD8K-9425 is an Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1 cable assembly with male Type A-to-male Type A connectors. It comes in 1.5m or custom length.
MOQ: 1,000 units
Lead time: 20 days
HDMI 2.1 cable supporting 8K at 60Hz
Company: Gold Cable (Zhongshan) Electronic Co. Ltd
Gold Cable’s JXD-HD0630 male Type A-to-male Type A HDMI 2.1 cable assembly supports 8K resolution at 60Hz, 48Gbps data speed and 3D video display. It has triple shielding tested to withstand more than 3,000 times of 90-degree bending and lasts over 6,000 cycles. This CE-marked and RoHS-compliant unit uses high-purity copper conductors and gold-plated connectors.
MOQ: 1,000 units
Lead time: 7 days
HDMI 2.1 cable with double shielding
Company: Ningbo Fulman Communication Technology Co. Ltd
Ningbo Fulman offers this male Type A-to-male Type A HDMI 2.1 cable assembly, the AANBI, with copper and silver-plated copper conductors, double aluminum foil and metal braided shielding and PVC jacket.
MOQ: 50 units
Lead time: 7 days
HDMI 2.1 connector with 60mohm maximum contact resistance
Company: Shenzhen Antenk Electronics Co. Ltd
This HDMI 2.1 connector from Shenzhen Antenk, the HDMI 19P Solder Type, has 40VAC rms maximum voltage, 0.5A maximum current, 60mohm maximum contact resistance, 100Mohm minimum insulation resistance and -20 to 85 C operating temperature. The dielectric withstand voltage is 500VAC/min.
MOQ: 500 units
Lead time: 5 days
