NOTEMeasurement data summarised from independent testers. Performance varies by panel lottery and calibration. Affiliate links earn commissions at no cost to you. Verified April 2026.

HDMI 2.1 Port Count

HDMI 2.1 port count by TV model 2026: the full matrix

For multi-console households, HDMI 2.1 port count matters more than peak nits. LG, Samsung, and TCL flagships have 4 full HDMI 2.1 ports. Sony A95L and A80L have 2 plus 2 (2 full HDMI 2.1 and 2 HDMI 2.0). eARC is always on a specific port: HDMI 2 on LG, HDMI 3 on Samsung and Sony.

Full HDMI 2.1 / eARC port matrix

HDMI 2.1 count means full 48 Gbps bandwidth ports. eARC port is the specific HDMI port that supports Enhanced Audio Return Channel for lossless soundbar passthrough.

ModelPanelHDMI 2.1eARC Port
LG G5WOLED4HDMI 2
LG C5WOLED4HDMI 2
Sony A95LQD-OLED2 (+2 HDMI 2.0)HDMI 3
Sony A80LWOLED2 (+2 HDMI 2.0)HDMI 3
Samsung S95DQD-OLED4 (OneConnect)HDMI 3
Samsung S90DQD-OLED/WOLED4HDMI 3
Samsung QN90DMini-LED4HDMI 3
TCL QM8KMini-LED4HDMI 3
Hisense U8KMini-LED2 (+2 HDMI 2.0)HDMI 3

Why port count matters in 2026

A premium 2026 home theatre often runs four HDMI sources at the same time: PS5 Pro, Xbox Series X, Apple TV 4K (or PC), and a Blu-ray player or soundbar with HDMI passthrough. Each needs HDMI 2.1 bandwidth for 4K/120 or 4K HDR Dolby Vision.

On Sony OLEDs with only 2 HDMI 2.1 ports, the third and fourth devices fall back to HDMI 2.0 (4K/60 max, no VRR). For multi-console gaming households this is a real limitation that the LG and Samsung flagships avoid.

eARC port placement matters for soundbar setup

Connect your soundbar or AV receiver to the eARC port specifically (HDMI 2 on LG, HDMI 3 on Samsung and Sony). Other HDMI ports support standard ARC but not the lossless audio passthrough that eARC enables for Dolby TrueHD Atmos and DTS-HD MA.

If you have a Sonos Arc, Samsung Q990D, or any Dolby Atmos soundbar, route the cable to the eARC-labelled port and enable eARC in the TV settings menu.

4-port HDMI 2.1 picks 2026

WOLED4 HDMI 2.1 + Gaming

LG G5 OLED 65"

1,500 nits peak

From $2,499

Check Price
QD-OLED4 HDMI 2.1 OneConnect

Samsung S95D 65"

2,000 nits peak

From $2,699

Check Price
Mini-LED4 HDMI 2.1 Value

TCL QM8K 65"

4,000 nits peak

From $999

Check Price

HDMI 2.1 port questions answered

Which TV has the most HDMI 2.1 ports?+
LG G5, LG C5, Samsung S95D, Samsung QN90D, and TCL QM8K all have 4 full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports. Sony A95L and Sony A80L have 2 HDMI 2.1 plus 2 HDMI 2.0 ports. For households with PS5 plus Xbox plus PC plus Apple TV all wanting 4K/120 simultaneously, the LG, Samsung, and TCL models are the only options.
Which HDMI port is eARC on LG G5?+
On the LG G5 (and LG C5 and most LG OLEDs since 2022), eARC is on HDMI 2. This is the port you connect to your soundbar or AV receiver for lossless Atmos passthrough. The other three HDMI ports support full HDMI 2.1 bandwidth but not eARC.
Does eARC require a specific HDMI cable?+
Technically eARC works over any high-speed HDMI cable, but for lossless Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD MA audio with the highest bitrate, you need an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable (HDMI 2.1 certified for 48Gbps). Cheap cables may drop frames or fail to negotiate the full eARC capability.
Why do Sony OLEDs have only 2 HDMI 2.1 ports?+
Sony historically split HDMI bandwidth allocation between two HDMI 2.1 ports (full bandwidth) and two HDMI 2.0 ports (4K/60 max). Their reasoning is that the eARC port (HDMI 3) does not need full 48Gbps for audio passthrough. The practical impact: if you connect PS5 + Xbox + soundbar + Apple TV, only the first two will get 4K/120 + VRR. The Apple TV port falls back to 4K/60.

Sources: HDMI Forum 2.1 spec (hdmi.org), manufacturer product pages, RTings port testing methodology. April 2026.

UPDATED 2026-04-28