Pioneer lives up to its name with the introduction of the industry's first HDMI 2.0-compatible AV receivers . Two of the five new models are Elite-branded—the VSX-44 and VSX-80—while the other three are Pioneer-branded, and all five new models feature HDMI 2.0 connections. Pioneer plans to ship these new AVRs by the end of the March 2014, and they should be on store shelves shortly thereafter.As with many AVRs, there are too many features to cover them all in a short post.Thanks to HDMI 2.0, the five new models feature support for 2160/60p resolution and 4:4:4 8-bit color thanks to an increase in bandwidth to 18 Gbps—up from 10.2 Gbps with HDMI 1.4. According to Pioneer, full support for 2160p 4:4:4 8-bit video will arrive as a firmware update scheduled for this summer. Needless to say, you'll need a HDMI 2.0-compatible UHDTV to take advantage of the new feature.Taking advantage of 2160/60p 4:4:4 content might prove a challenge in the short term—UHD (ultra high-definition) content is rare enough as it is, and HFR (high frame rate) UHD video is rarer still. That said, AVRs tend to be long-term purchases, and buying one that features HDMI 2.0 is a great hedge against premature obsolescence.Pioneer's new AVRs range in price from $400 for the 5.2-channel VSX-824 to $700 for the 7.2-channel Elite VSX-80. The Pioneer Elite VSX-80 features premium ESS Sabre DACs (digital audio converters) and subwoofer EQ as well as 165 watts per channel of power. The top non-Elite HDMI 2.0 model—the $600 Pioneer VSX-1124—sports almost all of the VSX-80's features including identical power specifications.The $500, 7.2-channel Pioneer Elite VSX-44 forgoes a number of features found on the VSX-80 and VSX-1124, including subwoofer EQ and ESS Sabre DACs. Maximum power on the VSX-1024 is rated at 140 watts per channel. The Pioneer VSX-1024 also sells for $500 and offers a similar feature set to the Elite VSX-80 but is limited to 140 watts per channel of power. Finally, the $400 Pioneer VSX-824 sports 5.2 channels with 140 watts of power.Kudos to Pioneer for being first to market with HDMI 2.0-compatible AVRs, which include 1080p upscaling to 2160/60p. I'm curious if that will have a tangible benefit when showing 1080i footage such as sports broadcasts. There's not much content out there that takes advantage of both UHD resolution and 60p frame rates, although I suspect hardcore video gamers will be interested in that capability.For now, there's little reason to rush out and upgrade to an HDMI 2.0-compatible AVR just for that feature. However, if you are currently in the market for a new AVR, the inclusion of HDMI 2.0 is a compelling option that promises forward compatibility with new TVs and 2160/60p UHD/4K video formats.