In a groundbreaking demonstration at the NAB 2025 trade show in Las Vegas, Samsung, in collaboration with AMD, Maingear, and the 8K Association, showcased Horizon Forbidden West running at 8K resolution and 120Hz refresh rate on a Samsung 8K TV via HDMI 2.1. This event marks the first public demonstration of 8K 120Hz gaming on a television, highlighting the potential future of high-resolution, high-frame-rate gaming.
Technical Details of the Demonstration
The gaming setup featured a Maingear PC equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU and an AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT GPU. Given the immense processing power required for native 8K gaming at 120Hz, the game was rendered at approximately 5K resolution (5120 × 2880) and then upscaled to 8K using AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution 3 (FSR 3) technology. This approach allowed for real-time gameplay with each frame rendered and upscaled without resorting to frame interpolation techniques.
To transmit the high-bandwidth 8K 120Hz signal over HDMI 2.1, which has limitations in handling such data rates natively, the demonstration utilized Display Stream Compression (DSC). DSC is a visually lossless compression method that enables the transmission of high-resolution, high-frame-rate video over existing interfaces like HDMI 2.1. While some of Samsung’s latest 8K TVs support DSC, the specific model used in the demo was reportedly modified to handle the compressed 8K 120Hz input effectively.
Implications and Future Prospects
This demonstration underscores the advancements in gaming and display technologies, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in home entertainment. However, it’s important to note that the setup used in the demo is not yet feasible for the average consumer. The need for a high-end PC, specialized graphics hardware, and a modified television indicates that widespread adoption of 8K 120Hz gaming is still on the horizon.
Looking forward, the introduction of HDMI 2.2, announced at CES 2025, promises to double the bandwidth of HDMI 2.1, supporting uncompressed 8K at 60Hz and higher refresh rates such as 8K at 240Hz. This advancement will facilitate more straightforward transmission of high-resolution, high-frame-rate content without the need for compression techniques like DSC.
While the demonstration of Horizon Forbidden West at 8K 120Hz is a significant milestone, it also highlights the challenges that remain in making such high-end gaming experiences accessible to the broader public. As technology continues to evolve, it’s anticipated that these barriers will diminish, paving the way for more immersive and visually stunning gaming experiences in the future.
Note: The information presented is based on current reports and demonstrations; actual consumer availability and performance may vary as technology develops.
