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We may soon have a new standard for wired connections that can combine blazingly fast data transfer with power delivery up to 480 watts, eclipsing the capabilities of the current HDMI, USB-C, DisplayPort, and Thunderbolt cable standards. It’s known as GPMI — General Purpose Media Interface, and it was created by the Shenzhen International 8K Ultra High Definition Video Industry Collaboration Alliance (SUCA), a Chinese-led group that includes major brands such as Hisense, TCL, and Huawei.
Though it has yet to be integrated into any products, GPMI’s claimed specifications go well beyond existing wired standards. There are two proposed types of GPMI cable. One will have a standard USB-C connection (known as GPMI Type-C), while the other appears to use a new connection standard (GPMI Type-B). Type-C cables will support 96 Gbps of data bandwidth along with up to 240 watts of power, while Type-B doubles both of these numbers to 192 Gbps and 480 watts.
At CES 2025, the new HDMI 2.2 standard was announced, introducing up to 96 Gbps of bandwidth. That’s a big enough pipe to support 8K or even 10K video, along with higher frame rates (up to 240Hz). In theory, a Type-B GPMI cable could provide two simultaneous streams and enough power for a Samsung 75-inch 8K QLED TV.
GPMI vs. HDMI vs. Thunderbolt vs. DisplayPort
| Standard | Bandwidth | Power Delivery |
|---|---|---|
| GPMI Type-B | 192 Gbps | 480W |
| GPMI Type-C | 96 Gbps | 240W |
| HDMI 2.2 FRL | 96 Gbps | No Power |
| HDMI 2.1 FRL | 48 Gbps | No Power |
| HDMI 2.1 TMDS | 18 Gbps | No Power |
| Thunderbolt 5 | 120 Gbps | 240W |
| Thunderbolt 4 | 40 Gbps | 100W |
| DisplayPort 2.1 | 80 Gbps | No Power |
GPMI isn’t exclusively about merging power with data delivery. According to Hisilicon, a company that released a white paper outlining the benefits of GPMI, the intent is to address seven capabilities into a single cable connection:
- Two-way, multi-stream data
- bidirectional control
- power delivery
- compatibility with the USB ecosystem
- ultra-fast transmission
- fast wake-up
- full-chain security
How will GPMI change our setups?
GPMI cables could simplify many of our device connections:
- A streaming device like an Apple TV could send both power and content to a TV over a single cable.
- A TV could send power and audio to a connected soundbar.
- AV receivers could deliver power to connected sources like game consoles or Blu-ray disc players while using the same connection to receive audio and video from those devices.
- A gaming monitor could provide power to a connected gaming laptop, with an ultra high-speed, two-way data feed over the same cable. Tom’s Hardware notes, “While still not a level where you can use it to power your RTX 5090 gaming PC through your 8K monitor, it’s still more than enough for many gaming laptops with a high-end discrete graphics.”
- Improved command and control from one device to another, thanks to GPMI’s equivalent of the HDMI-CEC standard.
Hisilicon’s white paper suggests that GPMI will also play a role in video installations that require multiple panels, with multiple discrete video feeds.
When will the first GPMI products arrive?
We don’t have any definitive timelines for new GPMI-equipped products, but according to FlatpanelsHD, the first phase of the GPMI rollout “will target home entertainment, including Smart TVs and multi-screen devices. Later phases will expand to automotive and industrial applications.”
We’ll keep you posted as these new products are announced.
