DisplayPort-Kabel vs. HDMI-Kabel?

DisplayPort and HDMI cables are two mainstream digital audio – visual transmission cables, with distinct differences in performance parameters, functional features, and application scenarios. The former excels in high – end gaming and professional display fields, while the latter is more dominant in the consumer electronics market such as home audio – visual systems. Here is a detailed comparison:

Transmission Performance

Feature	DisplayPort Cables	HDMI Cables
Maximum Bandwidth	The latest DP 2.1 achieves 80 Gbps, which can easily meet the large – data – volume transmission requirements of ultra – high – definition and high – refresh – rate signals.	The maximum bandwidth of HDMI 2.1 is 48 Gbps, which is significantly lower than that of DP 2.1, and its ability to carry ultra – high – specification signals is relatively limited.
Resolution & Refresh Rate	DP 2.1 supports 16K@60Hz through DSC compression technology; DP 1.4 can also realize 4K@240Hz or 8K@60Hz, which has remarkable performance in high – refresh – rate scenarios.	HDMI 2.1 supports 8K@60Hz or 4K@120Hz, and HDMI 2.0 can only reach 4K@60Hz. It can meet the daily audio – visual needs, but it is slightly insufficient for the extreme high – refresh – rate demand of e – sports.
Multi – screen Transmission	It supports the MST multi – stream transmission technology. With the daisy – chain connection mode, one cable can connect multiple monitors in series, which simplifies the wiring of multi – screen workstations.	It does not have the daisy – chain function. To realize multi – screen output, it usually relies on multiple independent interfaces of the graphics card or an external splitter, and the use is relatively restrictive.

Functional Characteristics

Audio – related Functions: DisplayPort cables support 8 – channel 24 – bit/192kHz lossless audio transmission, but they lack the audio return channel function similar to ARC/eARC. If audio needs to be transmitted back to audio equipment, additional wiring is required. HDMI cables have obvious advantages in this aspect. Their ARC/eARC function can directly transmit the audio of the TV back to sound bars and speakers, which is very suitable for home theater systems and can greatly simplify the wiring.

Synchronization Technology: DisplayPort natively supports Adaptive Sync technology, which is highly compatible with FreeSync and G – Sync, and can effectively reduce screen tearing and stuttering, being the preferred choice for high – end e – sports monitors. HDMI did not support variable refresh rate until the 2.1 version introduced VRR technology, and its compatibility with related display equipment is not as comprehensive as that of DisplayPort.

Physical Connection: The standard DisplayPort interface has 20 pins and is equipped with a locking mechanism. Once connected, it is not easy to fall off due to accidental touching, ensuring stable signal transmission. The HDMI interface has 19 pins. It is fixed by friction without a locking structure, and there is a hidden danger of loose connection when used for a long time or moved frequently.

Application Scenarios

DisplayPort Cables: They are mainly used in PC – related fields. For example, e – sports players who pursue 4K@240Hz and other high – refresh – rate game experiences can give full play to the performance of the cables by matching them with high – end graphics cards and e – sports monitors. In addition, professionals such as graphic designers and video editors who need to build multi – screen workstations also favor DisplayPort cables because of their convenient multi – screen connection function and stable high – definition signal transmission capability.

HDMI Cables: They are widely used in consumer electronic products such as TVs, game consoles, Blu – ray players, and projectors. Host players must use HDMI 2.1 cables to make game consoles such as PS5 and Xbox Series X achieve the best experience of 4K@120Hz. Meanwhile, for ordinary users who connect TVs to set – top boxes or projectors for daily viewing, HDMI cables’ high popularity ensures good device compatibility.

Compatibility and Conversion

DisplayPort cables can be converted to HDMI signals through passive adapters (provided the device supports dual – mode DP), and the conversion cost is low. However, the reverse conversion from HDMI to DisplayPort requires an active converter. Not only is the cost higher, but the conversion process may also cause signal delay and loss, affecting the use experience.