HDMI vs DisplayPort has been around for years, even when the now-defunct DVI port was still in use. In fact, it's been ten years since this article was first published and we're still talking about it.
That's despite the fact that most graphics cards these days, from high-end AMD Radeon cards like the RX 6800 and RX 6700 XT to budget offerings like the RX 5500 XT and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super, offer both options. .
The two all-digital standards are also not in direct competition. In fact, they not only "complement" each other, at least that's the semi-official line, but they are also pretty much the same in terms of video and audio quality. Both offer a high-speed full digital connection for copy-protected video and audio and 3D imaging. And their basic specifications and capabilities are similar.
However, two new standards on one card means there's competition on some level, especially since at the budget level some devices only have one or the other. Also, while the two ports do essentially the same job, they do it in different ways that reflect their origins.
While it's not exactly a format war where only one will stick, as both formats are here to stay, it's still important to some people. So let's dive into what makes each standard great, talking about their individual strengths, and why card makers have finally turned both into their GPUs.
HDMI Explained The high-definition multimedia interface first appeared in 2003 and was designed as a digital replacement for the multitude of analog formats used in consumer audiovisual standards (RF, SCART, Composite, S-VHS, RGB, etc.) , in a compact cable.
HDMI hails from the world of televisions, DVD players, and consumer electronics. It takes S-VHS and composite signals as a starting point. DisplayPort originated in computers and uses a more sophisticated and flexible method of transmitting data.
It can carry any uncompressed TV signal with 48-bit color and up to eight channels of audio, as well as control the connections in the rare case that one bit of the kit can control another.
The standard was developed by a consortium of big names, including Panasonic, Sony, Philips, and Toshiba. The specification has now reached version 2.1.
The big gain in later versions is the maximum clock speed, which governs the bandwidth. The original spec called for a maximum of 165 MHz, which is enough to handle 1080p.
Version 2.1, the current version, offers an improved bandwidth of 48 Gbps and can support resolutions of up to 10K at 120 fps, enough for a very robust modern home theater setup.
It is available in single or double link types (19-pin type A and 29-pin type B respectively), type B is equivalent to DVI double-link, although we haven't seen any yet.
HDMI 2.1 launched in November 2017 and adds scene-by-scene HDR, less frame shift for gaming, 8K resolutions, and spatial sound.
An HDMI 2.1 cable with 48 Gbps will be required to take advantage of the capabilities of the technology, and you will also need a compatible HDMI 2.1 port on any connecting hardware.
There is no standard for maximum cable length, it's basically up to the cable company to make it work correctly.
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HDMI: The standard 19-pin Type A HDMI connector, capable of 10,4 Gb/s in its latest version Advantages of HDMI HDMI includes CEC: Consumer Electronics Control. The idea is that one AV kit bit can pass instructions to another, such as power on, channel change, etc. Nice when it works, which is not as often as you would like. There are no big losses in a PC. HDMI natively supports BT.2020 with 10, 12, and 16-bit per component color, enhanced eARC for object-based audio formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, and scene-by-scene and frame-by-frame dynamic HDR. chart . If you have a new TV, it will have an HDMI port, making it ultimately easier to connect a PC. That's the big advantage, the games that come to you with a real screen area. The HDMI kit is currently very affordable, especially for compatible monitors.