Display Port and HDMI are both digital interface standards that are used to connect computers, laptops, and other devices to displays such as monitors, TVs, and projectors.
Display Port vs HDMI Port
While they share many similarities, there are also some key differences between the two standards.
| Display Port | HDMI Port |
| Display Port is able to support higher resolutions and refresh rates than HDMI. For example, Display Port 1.4 can support resolutions of up to 8K at 60Hz. | HDMI 2.0 can only support resolutions of up to 4K at 60Hz. |
| Display Port 1.4 can support refresh rates of up to 120Hz | HDMI 2.0 is limited to 60Hz |
| Display Port can support up to 4 channels of audio. Display Port can support more advanced audio formats such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. | HDMI can support up to 3 channels of audio. |
| Display Port uses a 20-pin connector. | HDMI uses a 19-pin connector. |
| Display Port cables also have the ability to transmit data, power and audio over a single cable. | HDMI cables are typically limited to video and audio transmission. |
| Display Port cables can be daisy-chained to connect multiple displays to a single source. | HDMI cables cannot. |
| Display Port also has a feature called Multi-Stream Transport (MST) which allows you to connect multiple displays to a single Display Port output. This can be useful in situations where you want to use multiple displays with a single computer or laptop. | HDMI, on the other hand, doesn’t have this feature. |
| Display Port is more commonly found in professional and computer-related devices such as graphics cards, laptops, and monitors. | HDMI is more widely used in consumer electronics and is supported by a wide range of devices such as TVs, Blu-ray players, and gaming consoles. |
| Display Port doesn’t have this feature, and therefore some devices such as cable and satellite boxes may not work with Display Port. | HDMI is that it is compatible with HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection), which is a technology used to prevent the unauthorized copying of digital content. |
Conclusion
Display Port and HDMI are both digital interface standards that are used to connect computers, laptops, and other devices to displays. While they share many similarities, there are also some key differences between the two standards.
Display Port can support higher resolutions and refresh rates, more advanced audio formats, and has the ability to transmit data, power and audio over a single cable, while HDMI is more widely used in consumer electronics and is compatible with HDCP.
Display Port also has a feature called Multi-Stream Transport which allows you to connect multiple displays to a single Display Port output. The choice between Display Port and HDMI will depend on the specific requirements of the device and display you’re trying to connect.