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AV Receivers that support 4k/120hz HDR and 8k/60Hz HDR in 2021
So, what are your best options for a receiver that supports 4k/120hz HDR and 8k/60 HDR?
Assuming you buy one of the newer Denon or Marantz receivers, these should all work with 4k/120hz HDR.
Which receiver is best, depends on your needs. I will assume most people reading my site are looking for something a touch more affordable.
The Denon AVR-X2700H is the most affordable at around £679 from Richer Sounds. It is well received, including a glowing 5-star review from What Hi-Fi (but they make no mention of the HDMI issue it has).
However, many people suggest the Denon AVC-X3700H is worth the extra money (£1149 from Richer Sounds) due to its far superior calibration using the top tier version of Audyssey (MultiEQ XT32). It is a big jump in price, so not sure if it is something I could justify for myself.
The Onkyo TX-NR6100 is also now confirmed to work with 4k/120hz HDR. Unfortunately, there does not appear to be UK availability, but it is available in the US for $799.
[Originally posted on 24 May 2021] Updated with relevant information concerning the fixed HDMI issue on Denon and Marantz AV receivers
Original Post (before HDMI fix)
My current recommendation would be that, if possible, don’t buy any receiver until all these problems are confirmed to be ironed out. Maybe wait for the full 2021 line-up to be out before committing to anything, or wait another year when all these kinks should be ironed out.
To the best of my knowledge, there is currently no AV receivers that will support 4k/120hz HDR and 8k/60Hz HDR out of the box for the Xbox Series X or PC gaming. The new Yamaha receivers will support it at some point in the future and the new expensive Anthem receivers can be hardware upgraded.
So your best bet would be one of the aforementioned Denon and Marantz where they have the SPK618 HDMI adaptor that has started shipping.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denon AVRX2500H 7.2 Surround AV receiver | Buy on Amazon |
The Denon AVR-X2700H is the most affordable at around £630 from Richer Sounds. It is well received, including a glowing 5-star review from What Hi-Fi (but they make no mention of the HDMI issue it has).
The Marantz NR1711 is a touch more expensive, offering a slimline design while still being able to offer 7.2 audio with 4k/120hz HDR or 8k/60Hz
The new Yamaha RX-V4A is the most affordable overall at just £449, available from AV Online, and it should make an excellent option once the firmware update rolls out to enable all the features.
[Original Post from 29th December 2021]
UPDATE: Denon and Marantz AVRs made after May 2021 are HDMI 2.1 bug-free
UPDATE 2: The Onkyo TX-NR6100, which launched later in 2021, appear to be the first receiver to launch with no HDMI bugs. While I can’t personally guarantee this, there are numerous reports online confirming it works with the PS5, PC and Xbox Series X with 4k 120hz HDR.
[Update 3: 13th June 2022] Updated the content with a better list of which AV receivers work with 4K 120Hz
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
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Hi.
I saw somewhere that the 4K 120Hz works fine with Sony PS5.
Is that true?
With Yamaha RX-V4
Yes, it seems the PS5 should work, the issue appears to affect the Xbox Series X and PCs with Nvidia RTX30 cards. Don’t hold me to this statement though. More info here: https://europe.yamaha.com/en/news_events/2020/2020_avr-hdmi-caution.html
There does seem to be some debacle surrounding the HDMI chipsets onboard the Yamaha models. These chipsets are apparently capped at 24Gbps- More info here: https://www.flatpanelshd.com/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1629971809
24Gbps doesn’t seem like it should be an issue for PS5 gaming with 4K 120Hz
I read in other forums that for the Denon and Marantz bug was fixed in units produced since may 2021. https://www.avforums.com/news/denon-and-marantz-avrs-made-after-may-2021-are-hdmi-2-1-bug-free.18985
New stock should be OK, beware second hand. You can check the serial number to know.
What abiut AVRs from other manufacturers like Onkyo? I was told that Onkyo TX-RZ820 can support full 4k/120 HDR+ passthrough.
The Onkyo website states it can do 4K/60 Hz Pass-through. It is quite an old receiver too, so it is probably using HDMI 2.0 not HDMI 2.1
I’m stuck between the Denon AVR-S960H and the Onkyo TX-NR6100. Denon was $750 but just had a price increase to $850. The Onkyo is $799 and it seems the previous HDMI bugs of earlier models have been worked out. Any advice for which to purchase?
It looks like my information may be a little out of date.
I bit of Googling seems to indicate that you should be fine with the Onkyo TX-NR6100. The only reported issue I could find on AV Forums turned out to be a user error. Reddit confirms that the NR6100 has enough bandwidth on the HDMI port for 4k 120hz HDR, whereas the cheaper 5100 is limited to 24GBPS. HDTVTest have also done a video stating this is the 1st HDMI 2.1 AV Receiver that Does 4K 120Hz with PS5 & Xbox Series X Bug-Free
Don’t hold me to that though! I’d suggest buying from a retailer that offers easy returns so you can confirm yourself.
Your time and expertise is much appreciated. I do have both a PS5 and Xbox Series X for my two sons. I utilizing two zones and whomever arrives first gets the zone with the bigger TV. Similar to what I think were your findings, the Onkyo seemed to be the better of the two. I’m just hesitant because I’ve never owned Onkyo products. Most any review I can find on the 6100 is usually pretty solid as well. I’m thinking I’m going to make he purchase in the next couple days because my old receiver (Denon AVR-X3000) has been in the shop twice in the last 6 years for power cycling and just randomly started again. I’ve tested with no wires attached and it still does it, so nothing shorted.
Onkyo is just as good as Denon/Sony etc. I think it will work well for you.
How are any of these budget, 2.1 receivers should half the cost of their 5/7.1 counterparts not on the same level or more cost wise.
HDMI 2.1 (or HDMI 2.1a, to be precise) which is required for 4K 120Hz and eArc. I am not talking about 2.1 audio.