For PS5 owners, Yamaha's HDMI 2.1 AV receivers are the best TV upgrade available right now.

 I mean, it's better late than never, right? With multiple HDMI 2.1 ports listed on their spec sheets, Yamaha's newest Aventage and RX-V series AV receiver lines were launched back in 2021. This was great news for gamers looking to connect their next-generation PS5 or Xbox Series X consoles to both a speaker-based surround sound system and one of the best 4K TVs with features like 4K/120 Hz display.

Along with 4K/120 Hz and 8K/60 video pass-through, Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Yamaha's spec sheets were jam-packed with information about what a gamer could expect from the new receivers in terms of HDMI 2.1-specific features, but there was an asterisk next to each one stating "available via a future firmware update."

However, cutting-edge capabilities promised to appear in a later firmware update for AV systems you purchase now are now typical. Yamaha released one earlier in 2022 that incorporated 4K/120 Hz and 8K/60 video pass-through. A new firmware update is now available, bringing the ALLM and VRR compatibility that had been promised. Both of these features are necessary for using a PS5 or Xbox Series X connected to one of the greatest gaming TVs.

In summary, VRR on a 120 Hz-capable TV enables the display of the set to precisely sync with the variable frame rate provided by next-generation gaming consoles (or a graphics card on a gaming PC). This successfully removes "screen tearing" artefacts, resulting in graphics that look smoother and more solid.

When a compatible input is detected, a feature called ALLM allows the TV to instantly transition into a low-latency gaming mode before returning to a conventional TV or movie viewing mode. With this update, Yamaha has now largely delivered on its promises for the newest receivers, with QMS (Quick Media Switching) and QFT (Quick Frame Transport) still to come in a later firmware update. VRR and ALLM both require the source, TV, and AV receiver's HDMI ports to support these fundamental HDMI 2.1 features.

The following models are affected by Yamaha's firmware upgrade, which needs to be installed using its MusicCast app:

• RX-A2A, RX-A4A, RX-A6A, RX-A8A
• RX-V4A, RX-V6A

What benefits does a gaming A/V receiver offer?

The Xbox Series X, along with the One X and One S, consoles even enable Dolby Atmos sound, which is a significant aspect of gaming and is simple to connect a gaming system straight to a TV. (The PlayStation 5 employs its own exclusive surround format for video games, but it also supports Blu-ray disc playing with a Dolby Atmos bitstream output.)

Using one of the top soundbars is a simple way to improve the TV's audio for gaming. In that scenario, a soundbar is attached to the TV's HDMI eARC connector, which routes the audio from the display for both streaming and gaming. Another choice is to utilise a soundbar with multiple HDMI connections, which enables you to connect the TV, the video switcher, and other video sources to the console and other video sources directly for audio.

In addition to being a more sophisticated alternative, AV receivers can perform better than Dolby Atmos soundbars since they allow you to connect to a separate passive speaker set. One benefit of receivers is the simplicity of switching between different HDMI sources, but they can also produce more immersive audio than a conventional soundbar system does, as well as better dialogue clarity and bass extension.

Of course, because we're mostly discussing video games here, all of the benefits that AV receivers provide for movie soundtracks also apply to game soundtracks. However, receivers must be equipped with a full complement of HDMI 2.1 features to satisfy the requirements of both next-generation consoles and the newest TVs. With this most recent update for its Adventage and RX-V series models, Yamaha has raised its game to the level of its best A/V receiver competitors.