Latest HDMI 2.1 implementation via iGPU - which motherboard?

[TheBallPit]

Kind of a weird question, but I'm looking for any motherboard that support the most advanced implementation of HDMI 2.1. In my own research, I landed upon this contender:

MSI PRO X670-P WiFi

It claims to support 4K @ 120 Hz with FRL (frame rate limiting). All of the other motherboards that I looked at only went up to 4K @ 60 Hz with no mention of additional 2.1-based features. Even the newest Intel-based platforms only seem to go up to HDMI 2.0.

As I wrote, I know this is an odd request, but I have certain, perhaps peculiar, reasons for wanting an onboard solution instead of a discrete one.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Vecr]

I can think of multiple reasons why you would want an iGPU with good outputs, so I get you there. I assume the requirement's too specific for any site to have a McMaster-Carr style product selection checkbox for it? That's what I usually look for.

 

[TheBallPit]

Unfortunately, most places and even famous product YouTubers practically ignore advancements in embedded HDMI tech, as they tend to be hyper-focused on discrete cards when it comes to video output. The most they'll usually say is, "As for I/O, you get an HDMI port, DisplayPort port..." with no further elaboration.

And websites like Newegg aren't any better in this regard. It was a total fluke that I ran across that specific MSI board, as I was just browsing ATX-style motherboards with onboard HDMI on Amazon and the listing actually bothered to go into HDMI detail. I then cross-referenced the product on MSI's own website and got confirmation that it wasn't a typo.

As of now, that MSI board is the top contender for what might be my last computer build. I used to enjoy building systems, but at my age, I don't get many thrills out of doing so anymore. Just spec'ing-out the system has been a tedious chore given the numerous cases, PSUs, memory, and cooling available on the market nowadays.

 

[The Mass Shooter Ron Soye]

Not a weird question. With APUs getting much better soon and with, as far as we can tell, every new AMD CPU and many Intel CPUs coming with an HDMI 2.1 or even DisplayPort 2.0 capable iGPU, the question will be asked more and more.

 

[The Repeated Meme]

Why is it important that your board have HDMI 2.1 support specifically? If you're that worried about it, why not just get a discrete card? In your case, it doesn't sound like you're going to be doing a lot of gaming, so any modern amd board paired with an apu would probably work just fine in just about any application besides medium to high demanding games.

Have you considered using DisplayPort instead? Having support for 4k at 120hz seems like overkill for an APU. In fact I have serious doubts that an iGPU would be able to reliably take advantage of such a feature.

If I were in your position I would either settle for HDMI 2.0 or DisplayPort OR find a graphics card that is powerful enough to suit your needs without being prohibitivly expensive. There are many options available now, especially in the used market since GPUs have drastically gone down in price.

I asked my buddy ChatGPT to help with this question, and he has this to say

The MSI PRO X670-P WiFi motherboard does support HDMI 2.1, and it is one of the few options available for motherboards with this feature. However, keep in mind that the performance of the HDMI 2.1 feature will depend on the processor and graphics card being used with the motherboard. It's also worth noting that some reviews of the MSI PRO X670-P WiFi have reported issues with the HDMI 2.1 functionality

They also recommended checking out these motherboards:

• Gigabyte AORUS X570 Master
• ASRock X570 Taichi

 

[TheBallPit]

I can't use DP. This box will be directly attached to my TV, which only has HDMI. Right now, I'm using a fairly old version of the spec via a dated motherboard and sometimes run into HDR issues when I download a movie that has it, but isn't listed as such. I used to think HDR was a 4K and up feature, but it's becoming more and more frequent with even 1080 material. I also get stuttering with non-HDR 4K, so I can't take advantage of any UHD releases.

I want an onboard solution because I simply don't need a discrete card if the iGPU is up to the task. It would also decrease any heat buildup if I'm not saddled with a separate card, which can be an issue, as it gets blazing hot here in the summer and I don't want to have to install Delta-like fans that sound like fighter jets. 120mm silent Noctuas might be up for the task, but why take the risk if I don't need to?

Since this very-well might be my last build, I want it to be as feature-rich as possible to take full advantage of my TV, which is almost brand-new, as I had to replace it in early 2022. And since 2.1 is becoming mainstream and accessible, there's no reason to settle for 2.0. And, from what I can tell, X570-based motherboards only go up to 1.4b, so it wouldn't be much better than what I'm running now. I'll also be getting a Ryzen 9 7900X, which should have plenty of horsepower for any media I throw at it.

I'd be very interested to know what problems people have run into with their HDMI setups and the MSI X670.

 

[Manul Otocolobus]

If you want the latest HDMI standard you'll want to look for HDMI 2.1a

 

[TheBallPit]

2.1a is just too bleeding-edge. It would be nice to have since it incorporates SBTM, but there are barely any motherboards that do vanilla 2.1. If I waited for 2.1a to appear, then 2.1b would be ratified, then 2.1c, etc. And for various reasons, the window for me to build this system is now, not in six months.

 

[King Vidiot]

Never trust the spec sheet for a motherboard on the website selling it since they can leave out details or have mistakes. I always double check the manufacturer's support website to make sure it has everything I want. It looks like the onboard HDMI video for newer ASRock motherboards is pretty good:
B650E PG Riptide WiFi
B650E PG-ITX WiFi
X670E Pro RS
X670E Taichi

1 x HDMI 2.1 TMDS/FRL 8G Compatible, supports HDR, HDCP 2.3 and max. resolution up to 4K 120Hz

This seems like the type of build someone in the HTPC community would have researched and written up online. Do most recommended HTPC builds use dedicated video cards instead of integrated video?

 

[TheBallPit]

I agree, which is why I verified what Amazon reported by referencing the motherboard on MSI's own website.

However, I didn't know about the other four boards you listed, which also look like top contenders. Thanks muchly for bringing them to my attention. Now that I've got more than a sample size of just one, I can make a far better decision.

Regarding HTPC people (like myself), I'd think they'd want to avoid discrete graphics as much as possible since 1) it's an additional expense that might not be needed and 2) GPU prices are still insane. Plus, older cards might not have the most up-to-date HDMI spec., so you'd need to be careful beyond the usual if you went the used card route.

Another irritation is that the current motherboard trend is to eliminate expansion slots in favor of NVMe device real-estate and PCIe lanes. So, if you elected to get a discrete GPU, you might only have one or two other slots of varying speed and compatibility for something like an HBA or RAID card. And if you also wanted an internal card to do something like capturing video, you might be screwed.

So, I'm definitely avoiding buying a videocard if at all possible.

 

[Smaug's Smokey Hole 2]

I'll also be getting a Ryzen 9 7900X, which should have plenty of horsepower for any media I throw at it.

what the heck, that's one overpowered HTPC.

 

[Vecr]

what the heck, that's one overpowered HTPC.

7900X has a couple of graphics cores, so you can't get anything older. You could get a lower end part for the same AM5 socket, but OP wants the computer to be good enough pretty much forever, so that's reasonable. I assume they would also do video rendering/encoding on the same box in some cases? Encode ripped blu-ray disks to AV1 or something like that.

 

[TheBallPit]

Yeah, I might do some re-encoding. I have a handful of DVDs that just haven't appeared using the usual indexers and torrent sites or, when they have, they've been of eye-watering quality. I'm trying to get on a PT that has more obscure material, but that's a difficult proposition in the best of times.

And I definitely don't want to have to rebuild this system in the near or far future unless I have a catastrophic hardware failure. Like I wrote earlier, I get no joy from assembling systems anymore and, believe it or not, would rather get a root canal.

I think I'm gonna spring for the Sabrent and this case:
Fractal Design Focus G

The Fractal is cheap, has a second 5.25" drive slot which could come in handy, and is overall a simple design. I might even wind-up using one of the 3.5" bays. If I go this route, I can avoid getting an HBA or expander that would probably run hotter than hell and would consume a PCI slot.