As it so happens, underneath it all, they work in very different ways.
DisplayPort (DP) doesn’t use TMDS, nor does it have dedicated pins for the clock signal.
It works in a similar manner to the way PCI Express does.
The downside to this is that DVI backwards compatibility is somewhat complex, requiring powered adapters in some cases.
There are some notable caveats with that, though, which we’ll come to in a moment.
Both systems have multiple transmission modes and they don’t always run at the fastest rate.
A graphics card with a HDMI 2.0 output (e.g.
Choice: DisplayPort, for sheer bandwidth, but HDMI 2.1 is very good.
As we’ll soon see, cables turn out to be rather important.
Numbers don’t lie, right?
4:2:2 drops the bandwidth requirement by a third, whereas 4:2:0 almost halves it.
However, there’s more to it than just the numbers.
If you’ve got an older graphics card (e.g.
But once again, there’s relatively few monitors that use it typically just 4K monitors do.
Apply the same display configuration to a HDMI setup and you’re looking at up 20 feet.
… which does make choosing the right cable somewhat of a lottery.
Lindy, Belkin, Snowkids, True HQ).
Choice: DisplayPort, with a short length, high quality cable.
Choice: DisplayPort, easily.
For example, Apple’s latest MacBook Air sports a single Thunderbolt 3 and two USB-C ports.
If you want to take advantage of VRR, you’ll need to check the unit’s specifications carefully.
Phones, tablets, and lightweight laptops may come with nothing more than a USB-C port.
But it will be fine for 4K 60 Hz or 1440p 120 Hz.
Take ourrecent lookat the PC version of Spider-Man Remastered, for example.
Coming further down the price range (i.e.
This is especially true if you’re aiming for something like 1080p at 360 Hz.
GPUs released today typically sport three DP sockets and just the one HDMI.
Choice: For sheer number of outputs, DisplayPort.
Use one from a known brand and follow the labels pick the right one for your exact needs.
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