When it comes to enjoying the ultimate viewing experience, there is no disputing the fact that an 8K TV is the way to go. With resolution four times higher than that of a 4K TV, 8K technology delivers the most vivid and crisp visuals you can imagine. But, to have this premium experience at your fingertips, you need a graphics card that supports HDMI 2.1, which is the latest HDMI version that paves the way for the 8K resolution.
In this post, we will take a look at some of the best graphics cards that support HDMI 2.1, and are also capable of handling 8K video playback. We’ll also explore their respective features, and functionalities to determine which ones offer the best value for money.
Before we dive into our top picks for the best graphics card with HDMI 2.1 support, let’s take a quick look at what HDMI 2.1 derives its power from and how it works.
Understanding HDMI 2.1
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HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) is an industry-standard used in connecting various devices for seamless audio and video flow. Supported by more than a thousand electronics manufacturers worldwide, HDMI has been evolving in successive versions over the years, to support higher video resolutions and frame rates.
HDMI 2.1 was introduced in 2017 and has since been the latest and most advanced of the HDMI versions. It offers a host of features and improvements over its immediate predecessor, HDMI 2.0, with the most notable being an increased bandwidth, enabling better video resolutions, faster frame rates, and more. HDMI 2.1 allows for up to 48Gbps data rate throughput, which dramatically surpasses the maximum 18Gbps of HDMI 2.0.
8K is now the newest frontier in video specification, and HDMI 2.1 is the only HDMI version that provides enough bandwidth to harness 8K video. It also allows for other features such as Variable Refresh rate (VRR), Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), and Dynamic HDR.
So, without further ado, let’s dive into our list of the best graphics cards that support HDMI 2.1, and are also capable of handling 8K video playback.
1. Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 is currently the most powerful of Nvidia’s latest GPUs, released in September 2020. This graphics card is designed explicitly for high-end gaming performance and is built to handle 8K video playback. It boasts a whopping 24GB GDDR6X VRAM and 10496 CUDA cores, making it the most potent graphics card on this list.
The RTX 3090 supports HDMI 2.1 with a bandwidth of up to 48Gbps, allowing for seamless playback of 8K video at 60fps. It also supports DisplayPort 1.4a, which supports up to 8K video at 60 fps, as well as 4K at 144fps.
Another great feature of the RTX 3090 is its Tensor cores that enable AI-driven features such as real-time ray tracing, Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS), and AI upscaling, which all enhance picture quality in 8K video playback.
2. Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080
Released a few months before the RTX 3090, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 is another highly powerful graphics card that supports HDMI 2.1. It boasts of 10GB GDDR6X VRAM, with 8704 CUDA cores, which makes it highly capable of 8K video playback at 60fps.
RTX 3080 has a bandwidth of 48Gbps, which translates to smooth 8K video playback. It supports DisplayPort 1.4a, which offers up to 8K video at 60 fps and 4K at 144fps.
The RTX 3080 also supports AI-driven features like real-time ray tracing, DLSS, and AI upscaling to offer incredible enhancements when playing 8K videos.
3. AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT
The AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT is AMD’s newest and most powerful graphics card released in December 2020. This GPU boasts 80 computing units designed to offer an impressive gaming performance with 16GB GDDR6 VRAM.
The RX 6900 XT supports HDMI 2.1, with a bandwidth of up to 48Gbps, which translates to seamless playback of 8K video at 60fps. It also supports DisplayPort 1.4a that offers 8K video at 60fps and 4K resolution at 144fps.
The RX 6900 XT is also built to work with Radeon Software Adrenalin that offers advanced AMD features like Radeon Boost, Radeon Image Sharpening, and Radeon Anti-Lag to make your overall viewing experience great when playing 8K videos.
4. AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT
Another powerful graphics card from AMD, the Radeon RX 6800 XT was released in November 2020. It features 72 computing units with 16GB GDDR6 VRAM memory designed to handle 8K video playback.
The RX 6800 XT supports HDMI 2.1 with a bandwidth of up to 48Gbps, which ensures that you get a smooth and uninterrupted playback of 8K videos at 60fps. It also supports DisplayPort 1.4a, which offers 4K resolution at 120fps and 8K resolution up to 60fps.
What’s more, the RX 6800 XT is designed to offer AMD’s FidelityFX suite, which provides a range of image-quality improvements, including a range of Game Sharpening and Denoiser options, Adaptive Contrast, and Variable Shading.
5. Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 is the youngest sibling of the Nvidia 30-series GPUs released in October 2020. Although not as powerful as the RTX 3090 or the RTX 3080, it is still a great choice for high-end gaming and 8K video playback.
The RTX 3070 supports HDMI 2.1 with bandwidth of up to 48Gbps that ensures smooth playback of 8K content at 60fps, and DisplayPort 1.4a, which supports 8K resolution at 60fps and 4K resolution at 120fps.
It also comes with Nvidia’s AI-enabled features such as the real-time ray tracing, DLSS, and AI upscaling, which makes it an excellent choice for an enhanced viewing experience.
Conclusion
As 8K technology continues to become more popular, it is essential to ensure that you have the right graphics card to meet the demands of this resolution. This guide has outlined our top picks for the best graphics card with HDMI 2.1 support that can handle 8K video playback.
While the RTX 3090 is the most powerful, it also comes with a premium price tag. Depending on your budget and needs, any of our choices will make an excellent choice for delivering seamless 8K video playback.
No matter what graphics card you choose, remember to check that it has HDMI 2.1 support and DisplayPort 1.4a to ensure that you get the best possible viewing experience.
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