Your PlayStation 5 Is Probably Using The Wrong HDMI Cable - Here's Why

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The Sony PlayStation 5 (PS5) is one of the most popular gaming consoles on the market since it launched in late 2020, and comes with several exciting features, including support for 4K 120Hz gaming. To ensure you get the most out of your PS5, Sony provides a compatible HDMI 2.1 cable in the box, allowing you to connect the console to your 4K TV. While the supplied cable supports all the features that the PS5 has to offer, the same can't be said about every third-party HDMI cable, as not all HDMI cables are made equal or boast the same capabilities.

If you have been using an HDMI cable other than the cable provided by the Japanese tech giant, you may be using the wrong cable. The reason for this is that older HDMI cables, such as Premium High Speed Cables (sometimes referred to as HDMI 2.0) or High Speed HDMI Cables, don't have sufficient bandwidth to support all the advanced features that the PS5 packs. This results in you missing out on key PS5 features. So, here's everything you need to know about selecting the right HDMI cable for use with the PS5.

Sony's PS5 is capable of many features that its predecessors and older consoles don't offer, like its support for gaming in 4K at 120 FPS. Other features include support for HDMI variable refresh rates (VRR) to reduce screen tearing, Auto Low Latency Mode for automatic switching to Game Mode on your TV, and eARC for uncompressed transmission of surround sound formats. For all these features to seamlessly work with your TV, you need an HDMI cable with sufficient bandwidth, which is what you get with an Ultra High Speed (UHS) HDMI Cable. The cable is also referred to as an HDMI 2.1 cable or an 8K cable and is capable of 48 Gbps bandwidth, up from the 18 Gbps bandwidth of Premium High Speed HDMI 2.0 Cables and 10.2 Gbps of High Speed HDMI Cables.

The cable Sony bundles with PS5 is already a UHS HDMI cable. However, if that cable has stopped working for you or you have misplaced it, you will need an officially certified UHS HDMI cable, not just any HDMI cable you may have lying around your home. Fortunately, there is no shortage of certified UHS HDMI cables on Amazon and other retailers. The Highwings HDMI 2.1 Cable is an excellent budget option that has a list price of $7.99 for the 6.6-foot version. Ugreen also offers a similarly capable certified UHS HDMI cable, but at a slightly higher price tag of $12.99. Remember, don't buy an unnecessarily long HDMI cable, as cable length can impact the HDMI signal quality. Typically, you shouldn't have any issues with cables of up to 3 meters in length.