Atif Qazi
Who would have thought that a seemingly trivial component such as the type of HDMI Port AND the HDMI Cable could make a significant difference in your gaming experience?
But, it is true. The type of HDMI port and the HDMI cable you use to connect PS4 to your display can have an impact on the display output.
So the answer to the question “Can you Use Any HDMI Cable for PS4?” is a two-part question. For starters, any HDMI cable can be made to connect PS4 to a display and it will work.
However, the second fact to remember is that not choosing the right VERSION of the HDMI cable can actually become a bottleneck for your PS4 (especially for PS4 Pro).
In the following text, I will explain this question in further detail and talk about which HDMI cable to use for PS4.
HDMI Ports on PS4 and Its Variants
So before I begin I want to first clarify what HDMI ports the different variants of PS4 use.
This bit of information would be crucial in understanding whether you can use any HDMI cable with PS4.
- Original PS4 / PS4 Slim: HDMI 1.4
- PS4 Pro: HDMI 2.0
Due to the higher capabilities of the PS4 Pro variants, it naturally features a newer variant of HDMI port version capable of delivering 4K @ 60Hz display mode.
Gameplay Output Modes of PS4 and Its Variants
Now the output modes, or the resolution and refresh rate supported by the different PS4 variants are as follows:
For Original PS4 and PS4 Slim
- 1080 @ 30 FPS – Primary
- 1080 @ 60 FPS – Almost nonexistent
For PS4 Pro
- 1080 @ 30 FPS
- 1080 @ 60 FPS – Primary
- 4K @ 30 FPS – Primary
- 4K @ 60 FPS – Almost nonexistent
As you can see, the PS4 Pro supports 4K resolution thanks to vastly superior hardware in comparison to its weaker cousins.
HDMI Ports and HDMI Cable Versions
If you think that all HDMI ports and cables work the same way, then you cannot be more wrong.
While all HDMI ports and cables may look the same, they are vastly different in terms of their capabilities depending upon what version they belong to.
The following table shows the different HDMI ports and their versions:
| HDMI Version | Max Resolution | Refresh Rate | HDR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 | 1440P | 1080P = 60Hz 1440P = 30Hz | No |
| 1.3-1.4 | 4K (4096 x 2160) | 1080P = 120Hz 1440P = 60Hz 4K = 30Hz | No |
| 2.0 | 4K (4096 x 2160) | 1080P = 240Hz 1440P = 144Hz 4K = 60Hz | Yes |
| 2.1 | 8K (7680 x 4320) | 1440P = 240Hz 4K = 144Hz 4K = 240Hz (DSC) 8K = 120Hz (DSC) | Yes |
Notice how vastly different the capabilities of different HDMI port versions are.
While the HDMI 1.4 is only limited to 4K @ 30 FPS, if you wish to play 4K @ 60 FPS, you need to have an HDMI 2.0 port.
Now in order to cater to the increasing bandwidths of the HDMI port versions, you need to have the right HDMI cable.
The following table shows the different HDMI cable versions and the port they are appropriate to use.
| HDMI Cable Certification | Supported Specs | Intended HDMI Port Version |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 1080P @ 60Hz | 1.0-1.3 |
| High Speed | FHD @ 144Hz QHD @ 60Hz 4K @ 30hz | 1.4 |
| Premium High Speed | FHD @ 240Hz QHD @ 144Hz 4K @ 60Hz | 2.0 |
| Ultra High Speed | FHD @ > 240Hz 1440P @ > 240Hz 4K @ 144Hz (240Hz with DSC) 8K @ 120Hz (DSC) 10K @ 120Hz (DSC) | 2.1 |
So essentially, while the High-Speed HDMI cable can suffice for HDMI 1.4 ports if you have an HDMI 2.0 port, then you need to have a Premium High-Speed HDMI cable to use it to its maximum potential.
So Can You Use Any HDMI Cable for PS4?
So this brings us to the question at hand, “can you use any HDMI cable for PS4?”
For basic output capabilities, yes, any HDMI cable can be used with any variant of PS4.
So if you were to connect a High-Speed HDMI cable (aka HDMI 1.4 cable) to a PS4 Pro, it WILL work as far as basic output goes.
However, due to the limitation of the cable, it will NOT be able to support the rated 4K @ 60Hz (60 FPS) display mode.
As such, the cable itself will be a bottleneck for the PS4 console.
HDMI Cables are Fully Backward Compatible
It should be noted that the HDMI cables are fully backward compatible.
Meaning if you were to use a Premium High-Speed Cable (or HDMI 2.0 cable) with the original PS4’s and PS4 Slim’s HDMI 1.4 port, it will support it completely.
The HDMI interface is also forward compatible but as mentioned earlier, it has limitations.
Meaning an HDMI 1.4 cable CAN be used with PS4 Pro’s HDMI 2.0 port, but it will bottleneck its performance.
PS4 and Its Variants DO Come with Appropriate HDMI Cables
The good news is that all PS4 variants come with an appropriate cable for their HDMI ports.
So the Original and PS4 Slim versions come with a High-Speed HDMI cable bundled with the package to cater to the HDMI 1.4 port found on the console.
Similarly, the PS4 Pro comes bundled with a Premium High-Speed cable to cater to the specs of the HDMI 2.0 port of the console.
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