For those who often need to connect a large-screen monitor to watch high-definition videos, DisplayPort and HDMI are not unfamiliar. Or, you may be a professional LED display debugger who needs to use the LED control software on the computer to send data to the LED display with DisplayPort or HDMI to change the screen of the display.
For whatever reason, DisplayPort and HDMI have become one of the indispensable accessories in daily life. If you want to know which one is better, then read on!
What is DisplayPort 1.4?
DisplayPort CableDisplayPort (DP for short) is a common high-definition digital display interface standard. The number after DisplayPort represents the interface protocol. From DisplayPort 1.0 released in 2006 to DisplayPort 2.0 in 2019, every protocol update of DisplayPort has brought a qualitative leap.
DisplayPort 1.4 is the interface protocol finalized in 2016. It adds many functions on the basis of DisplayPort 1.3, including support for 8K (7680×4320) resolution, display compression stream technology and other functions.
What is HDMI 2.1?
HDMI CableHDMI high-definition multimedia interface, its main competitor is DisplayPort. Similar to DP, the number after HDMI also represents the updated interface protocol. From HDMI 1.0 released in 2002 to HDMI 2.1 released in 2017, its functions are constantly improving.
What is the difference between DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.1?
HDMI VS DPDisplayPort 1.4 vs. HDMI 2.1: Compatibility
The interfaces of DP and HDMI have been developed for more than 20 years since their research and development, and their adaptability has been verified, so they have excellent and stable picture display effects on the new generation of display devices.
HDMI itself is designed based on high-definition display devices, so it can be well supported by computers, TVs, and touch screens, while DP is mainly used to replace DVI and VGA interfaces, so the devices it supports are not as good as HDMI.
In addition, on some old display devices, DP may need to purchase additional converters for conversion and output.
DisplayPort 1.4 vs. HDMI 2.1:Resolution and transmission bandwidth
As the latest interface standard, HDMI 2.1 supports 4K 120Hz and 8K 60Hz, and the transmission bandwidth supports up to 48Gbps, so it can achieve 8K ultra-high-definition video transmission.
Although DisplayPort 1.4 is not the latest interface standard, it also supports 4K 120Hz and 8K 60Hz, but the transmission bandwidth is only 32.4 Gbps, which is not as fast as the transmission speed of HDMI 2.1.
The good news is that the latest DP2.0 has made great progress in performance. It not only has 80Gbps transmission bandwidth, but also supports 10K 60Hz lossless and 4K 240Hz extreme high-definition images, and its performance completely crushes HDMI 2.1 of the same period.
DisplayPort 1.4 vs. HDMI 2.1: Cable
DisplayPort cables are equipped with additional physical switches, while HDMI cables do not have this function. In terms of cable length, HDMI cables support a maximum length of 15 meters, while DisplayPort cables are generally not recommended to exceed 2 meters, otherwise the picture display may be poor.
DisplayPort 1.4 vs. HDMI 2.1:Audio format
Both HDMI and DisplayPort interfaces support audio and video transmission. However, DisplayPort 1.4 supports fewer audio formats, while HDMI supports more audio formats, such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. Therefore, HDMI 2.1 is slightly better in audio support.
DisplayPort 1.4 vs. HDMI 2.1:Physical interface
The interface shapes of HDMI and DP are different. HDMI interfaces usually use 19-pin connectors arranged in a vertical shape, while DisplayPort interfaces use 20-pin or 24-pin connectors, most of which are arranged in a rectangular shape.
DisplayPort 1.4 vs. HDMI 2.1:Licensing fees
DisplayPort has always been free of licensing fees and certification. HDMI is a registered trademark of HDMI Licensing Administrator, Inc. Therefore, a certain copyright fee needs to be paid when using HDMI. Copyright fees are divided into annual membership fees and product sales fees. Enterprises using HDMI can flexibly choose according to their own business conditions.
DisplayPort 1.4 vs. HDMI 2.1: Additional functions
Since the two started from different starting points at the beginning of their development, in addition to some common points, both sides have some unique additional functions. For example, the HDMI interface has HDMI-CEC, which allows multiple HDMI devices to communicate with each other, and the DP interface has adaptive synchronization technology (Adaptive-Sync), which can effectively prevent screen tearing.
In order to let everyone clearly understand the differences between DisplayPort and HDMI, we have specially drawn a detailed table, the data is as follows:
| DisplayPort 1.4 vs. HDMI 2.1: Detailed Comparison Table | ||
| Display Interface | HDMI 2.1 | DisplayPort 1.4 |
| Release Date | November 2017 | February 2016 |
| Transmission Bandwidth | Max. 48.0 Gbps | Max.32.4 Gbps (HBR3) |
| Maximum Resolution | 10K@60Hz | 8K@60Hz |
| Maximum Refresh Rate | 4K 120Hz and 8K 60Hz | 4K144Hz and 8K 60Hz |
| Dynamic HDR Support | Yes | |
| Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) | Yes | |
| Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) | Yes | No |
| Quick Frame Transport (QFT) | Yes | No |
| Quick Media Switching (QMS) | Yes | No |
| Adaptive-Sync | No | Yes |
| Cable length | Max.15 meters | Max. 2 meters |
Summary
As audio and video transmission interfaces in daily life, they are different in many aspects. In daily use, there may not be much difference between the two, but many display devices often cannot support both interfaces at the same time. Therefore, when we choose, the most important thing is to check which interface the device supports.
