HDMI
What it is, physically
A flat, slightly tapered socket, unchanged in shape across the published specification versions. The HDMI Licensing Administrator publishes the specifications and licenses their use. Because the shape has not changed, a plug from any era fits a socket from any other.
What can be inside the same shell
- An input built to an older published specification version.
- An input built to a newer one.
- A cable certified in one of the named cable categories, which is how a cable states what it carries.
- A cable that carries the four letters and no certification category at all.
Who decides, and where it is published
The HDMI Licensing Administrator publishes the specification versions and runs the cable certification program. The versions and the features each covers are listed on its own site.
What the shape does not promise
- Which specification version the port implements.
- That a given resolution and refresh rate combination will pass.
- That the cable in the box is certified for anything in particular.
- That two HDMI sockets on the same monitor are identical to each other.
The 13 screens whose listings name it
| Listing | Version stated |
|---|---|
| SANSUI 34-Inch Curved Ultrawide Monitor, UWQHD | 2.1 |
| Philips 24 Inch Monitor 241V8LB, FHD VA | 1.4 |
| Dell 27 Monitor S2725QC, 4K UHD IPS | not stated |
| Dell 27 Plus QHD Monitor S2725DSM, Ash White | not stated |
| Dell 24 Monitor SE2426H, 23.8-inch FHD | not stated |
| Acer 27-inch Gaming Monitor KB272 G0bi, FHD IPS | not stated |
| Dell 27 Plus Monitor S2725HSM, FHD, Ash White | not stated |
| Sceptre 22-Inch Gaming Monitor E225W-FW144, 2026 | not stated |
| Sceptre 27-inch Prime Gaming Monitor E275W-FW100T, 2025 | not stated |
| Anyuse Portable Monitor, 15.6 Inch FHD IPS | not stated |
| KYY Portable Monitor, 15.6 Inch FHD IPS | not stated |
| InnoView Portable Monitor, 15.6 Inch FHD | not stated |
| KEFEYA Laptop Screen Extender, 14 inch FHD IPS | not stated |
Reading a listing that uses this word
A listing that says HDMI has named a socket. A listing that says HDMI followed by a version number has told you something you can look up. In this catalog the second kind is rare, and that gap is not a data problem on this site — it is what the listings are like.
Sources for this page
Each link below was requested and confirmed to return a page on August 28, 2026.
- HDMI Technology: Specifications and ProgramsHDMI Licensing Administrator
Cited for the list of published HDMI specification versions and the features each version covers.
Checked: GET 200
- HDMI 2.1 and the Ultra High Speed HDMI CableHDMI Licensing Administrator
Cited for the Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable, introduced with HDMI 2.1, and the maximum bandwidth it is specified for.
Checked: GET 200
- Premium High Speed HDMI CableHDMI Licensing Administrator
Cited for the cable certification program, which is how a cable states what it carries.
Checked: GET 200
- How to Become an HDMI AdopterHDMI Licensing Administrator
Cited for who administers the specification and licenses its use.
Checked: GET 200