HDMI vs. DisplayPort: Which Should I Use for My PC Monitor?
If you love gaming, then investing in a new monitor and an advanced graphics card is a practical decision. Nevertheless, confusion comes in when it comes to choosing the correct interface. There are four primary display interfaces, namely, DVI, VGA, HDMI, and DisplayPort. These cables are available in different versions and capabilities. Howbeit, when it comes to plugging your new monitor into your gaming PC, HDMI and DisplayPort stand out.
Both DisplayPort and HDMI deliver high-definition digital video and HD audio from a source that you need to display. This makes it even confusing when it comes to making your choice. In this post, we will look at the main differences between the two and whether it matters which one you use.
Connecting with HDMI
The HDMI is probably more popular than the DisplayPort because it was established four years earlier. HDMI is also common in TVs to send high-definition audio and video signals over one cable. This allows for an easy, clutter-free setup. Over the years, there have been various HDM versions, with the latest model improving on the previous model performance. The modern monitors have the following latest HDMI ports.
HDMI 1.4: This capability supports high video resolutions in three versions, namely, 1080P at 120Hz, 4k (3,840 by 2,160) at 30Hz), and 4K (4,096 by 2,160) at 24Hz.
HDMI 2.0: It supports a resolution of up 4K at refresh rates of 60Hz. The latest versions HDMI 2.0a and HDMI 2.0b, come with HDR support.
HDMI 2.1: This is the latest HDMI version with the capability to support up to 10K resolution at a refresh rate of 120Hz. The port also comes with better HDR with dynamic metadata and an improved audio return channel that enables sending DTS: X and Dolby Atmos audio from the display to a receiver.
Connecting With DisplayPort
DisplayPort has a similar look to the HDMI, but it is more common on PCs than TVs. The DisplayPort cable allows for high definition video and audio, although the standards are dissimilar. Similar to HDMI, DisplayPort also comes in various versions, with the latest version has improved performance than the latter.
DisplayPort 1.2: This supports resolutions of up to 4k at a refresh rate of 60Hz. The Display port 1.2 a ports also support AMD’s FreeSync feature.
DisplayPort 1.3: it supports 4K resolution at 60Hz refresh rate or 8K resolution at 30Hz refresh rate.
DisplayPort 1.4: the port support resolutions of 8K at a refresh rate of 60Hz and supports HDR.
DisplayPort 2.0: this is the latest DisplayPort with the capability of supporting a resolution of 16K with HDR at a refresh rate of 60Hz. It also supports 10K resolution at a refresh rate of 80Hz but without HDR.
Evidently, the DisplayPort offers better performance when it comes to gaming. In addition to better resolution and improved refresh rate, the DisplayPort offers other valuable features. For a start, It supports Nvidia’s G-sync and AMD’s FreeSync, allowing you rot have tear-free gaming regardless of the brand of card you use. Additionally, one Display connection is capable of driving multiple monitors. Equally important, laptops can send DisplayPort signals through the USB-C port.
Which display interface is best right now?
From a technical perspective, the DisplayPort seems like an awesome HDMI brother. The HDMI also stands out as an average and practical choice in various applications. The choice boils down to what you need. If you are looking for high resolution at high refresh rates or more color depth rates at high resolutions and high refresh rate, then a DisplayPort Stands out. On the other hand, if you seek broader compatibility with multiple hardware, and HDMI makes a practical choice.
