Abstract

• HDMI 2.1 is a strong all-rounder with help for 4K at 120Hz, or 8K at 60Hz. HDMI 2.0b is a strong alternative for 4K 60Hz, too, and is out there on most cheaper screens.
• DisplayPort 2.1 presents as much as 80Gbps throughput and daisy-chaining help however is proscribed to PC and screens (no TVs), plus most GPUs and screens within the wild will nonetheless be utilizing the slower DisplayPort 1.4 normal (akin to HDMI 2.0, however worse than HDMI 2.1).
• USB-C is handy for laptops that help DisplayPort Alt Mode and supply energy supply, whereas Thunderbolt is nice for daisy-chaining and Mac customers at a premium worth level.

In case you’ve purchased a brand new 4K monitor lately, you might need been puzzled by the array of ports on the again. HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C, and Thunderbolt are all commonplace now, however which is the perfect, and why?

HDMI 2.1: The All-Rounder

Excessive Definition Multimedia Interface, or HDMI, is the commonest show interface immediately. It is utilized in televisions to attach recreation consoles and Blu-ray gamers, and plenty of pc screens and graphics playing cards additionally use it. It gives a secure digital sign that may be hot-swapped (unplugged and plugged in with out turning gadgets off) at will.

HDMI 2.1 is the present normal adopted by machine producers, supporting a throughput of 48Gbps. That is sufficient to drive a 10K show at 60 frames per second in full 10-bit colour. As a result of we’re speaking about 4K shows, HDMI 2.1 is greater than sufficient.

HDMI 2.1 has a number of further methods up its sleeve, together with restricted energy supply (unusual) and the power to behave as an Ethernet adapter (with the precise cable). It might probably additionally use FreeSync or HDMI-VRR (often called VESA AdaptiveSync) to allow variable refresh fee help, which locks the refresh fee of the monitor to the body fee of the output machine to eradicate display screen tearing.

HDMI cables are low-cost, however older HDMI 2.0 or 1.4 cables will not work if you wish to use HDMI 2.1 options like 4K output at 120 frames per second.

Whereas HDMI 2.1 could be very succesful, many older screens solely helps the HDMI 2.0b normal. This is able to imply limiting the output to 4K decision at 60 frames per second in 8-bit colour. You may even be restricted to 44.1 kHz and 16-bit pass-through audio with solely two uncompressed audio channels (5.1 audio channels are compressed).

For players, HDMI 2.0 does not help the FreeSync normal. HDR content material is proscribed to static metadata (the HDR 10 normal) in comparison with 2.1, which helps dynamic metadata (together with HDR10+ and Dolby Imaginative and prescient). Older HDMI 2.0 4K screens will prevent some cash, however you will additionally lose out on some options. In case you’re purchasing for a monitor and it seems unusually low-cost, it is potential that the shortage of HDMI 2.1 help is why.

In case you’re rocking a 4K monitor with HDMI 2.1, you are unlikely to hit any severe bottlenecks at this stage. In case your monitor solely helps HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort may present a greater expertise when it comes to total options, particularly if you wish to daisy-chain greater than two shows.

Simply keep in mind that HDMI 2.1 will should be supported on each the output machine and the monitor receiving the sign.

Whereas HDMI 2.1 is the present normal, HDMI 2.2 was announced at CES 2025 and is due for launch a while in 2025. The brand new normal doubles the obtainable bandwidth from 48Gbps to 96Gbps, however requires using new “Ultra96” cables.

This bandwidth can be utilized to attain refresh charges of as much as 480Hz in 4K, 240Hz in 8K, and 120Hz in 10K.

DisplayPort: A Connection for PCs and Screens

DisplayPort is a connection kind that is commonest on pc graphics playing cards (GPU), although its reputation has waned over latest years. Whereas HDMI 2.1 caps out at 48Gbps, the DisplayPort 2.1 can handle 80Gbps.

Previous to the arrival of the NVIDIA RTX 50 series in early 2025, the world’s hottest graphics card producer was utilizing the DisplayPort 1.4a normal. This capped out at 32.4 Gbps, sufficient for 8K decision at 60 frames in true 10-bit colour, however solely with show stream compression. Uncompressed efficiency was much like HDMI 2.1 with help for 4K/120/8-bit, although 10-bit efficiency caps out at 4K at 90Hz.

Fortunately, the DisplayPort 2.1b normal is lastly trickling right down to customers, providing help for 320Hz at 4K decision in 8-bit colour or 240Hz at 4K in 10-bit colour.

With DisplayPort, you may join as much as two shows by way of daisy-chaining, supplied your screens help it. You too can make use of NVIDIA’s G-SYNC and AMD’s FreeSync (which makes use of VESA’s AdaptiveSync) VRR know-how, although which you select will depend upon what GPU you’re utilizing,

DisplayPort 1.4a onwards helps dynamic metadata for HDR content material, which implies Dolby Vision and HDR10+ help for wider brightness and colour gamut. Your monitor’s capabilities would be the limiting issue right here, although, not DisplayPort.

Not like HDMI, DisplayPort lacks any sort of Ethernet help. That is primarily as a result of DisplayPort is usually used for computer-to-monitor connections. HDMI, then again, has broader purposes, together with connecting AV receivers, TVs, and different shopper digital gadgets.

DisplayPort presents some good benefits over HDMI, with the largest being the power to daisy-chain two screens collectively. Since DisplayPort is proscribed to computer systems and screens, it is not used for tv connections. The limiting issue right here shall be whether or not you’ve a GPU and monitor that helps the DisplayPort normal you need to use.

Owing to the restricted rollout of DisplayPort 2.1 on the time of writing, HDMI 2.1 connections will be the better option for a lot of

USB-C: Preferrred for Laptop computer Homeowners

USB-C has a broad range of uses. The flexibility to hold a show sign over USB-C depends on a know-how known as USB-C Alt Mode. In essence, that is simply DisplayPort by way of a USB-C plug. The uncooked throughput and supported resolutions depend upon the DisplayPort normal getting used (which can range, however most gadgets within the wild are nonetheless utilizing the 1.4a normal).

Which means that all of the technical facets of USB-C DisplayPort over Alt Mode mirror these of normal DisplayPort 1.4. With show stream compression, it is theoretically potential to get an 8K sign at 60 frames with 10-bit colour, or an uncompressed 4K 8-bit sign at 120Hz.

One of many essential causes to decide on USB-C is ease of use since USB-C ports are commonplace on fashionable laptops. Nevertheless, you will want to ensure your laptop computer helps show output over USB-C Alt Mode. This may probably be included within the technical specs or on the producer’s web site.

USB-C Alt Mode show output must also present help for USB Power Delivery (USB-PD). In case your laptop computer helps USB-PD (and plenty of do), you may cost your laptop computer and output to a monitor with a single cable. Additionally, you will want a USB-C cable that helps DisplayPort mode.

You may must do your analysis first to ensure your monitor gives the precise energy output in your laptop computer. For instance, the BenQ PD2706U presents USB-C connectivity, with 90 W of USB-PD. That is greater than sufficient to cost a MacBook Air or a Dell XPS 13 laptop computer. Nevertheless, it falls barely wanting the 96 W “required” by a 16-inch MacBook Professional (though the machine hardly ever sucks up that a lot energy).

USB-C is a superb alternative in case your laptop computer is suitable with it, notably should you transfer round the home or office so much. USB-PD means you will not need to carry a charger with you to plug right into a monitor. You may additionally get all the advantages of whichever DisplayPort iteration is at work underneath the hood (which remains to be a extremely succesful normal).

There’s some rivalry over whether or not daisy-chaining a number of 4K screens is feasible over USB-C, although. If that is necessary to you, you are higher off going with DisplayPort or choosing a Thunderbolt monitor, as an alternative.

Thunderbolt: Nice for Daisy-Chaining and Macs

Thunderbolt additionally makes use of the USB-C port and is frequent on Apple computer systems but additionally PCs. Although we’re specializing in shows right here, Thunderbolt can be a strong alternative for knowledge switch on account of its excessive speeds. Thunderbolt 5 is the newest iteration, providing as much as 80Gbps symmetric throughput by way of using a Thunderbolt 5 cable.

Thunderbolt 3 and 4 provided a most throughput of half this, with Thunderbolt 4 having a number of advantages over the earlier iteration like help for extra screens and extra ports per accent.

The largest limitation for Thunderbolt shall be machine compatibility. Regardless of being a longtime normal, the variety of Thunderbolt screens out there may be restricted. You may additionally discover that these are restricted to older applied sciences like Thunderbolt 3 or 4, although since Thunderbolt 5 only arrived in 2024. CES 2025 noticed some bulletins, like an LG 32-inch 6K monitor which prices simply shy of $2,500.

This hits upon one other huge downside that many Thunderbolt equipment encounter: worth (the energetic cables required to drive them aren’t low-cost, both). The know-how’s greatest benefit is the power to daisy-chain not solely different shows, however different gadgets like exterior storage arrays, docks, and even exterior GPU enclosures. Thunderbolt 5 is set to reignite the eGPU market, because of its huge leaps in bandwidth.

Like USB-C, Thunderbolt may present energy to cost your laptop computer. In case you’ve already acquired the aptitude, Thunderbolt is certainly price it—especially if you wish to daisy-chain a number of 4K, 5K, or 6K screens. Simply remember that no matter iteraton of Thunderbolt utilized by your Mac or PC would be the figuring out issue.

Which Is Proper for You?

Which choice you need to select finally is dependent upon what you are hoping to attain, and which applied sciences can be found to you. Since HDMI 2.1 is already available on the market, gives sufficient throughput for 8K at 60Hz, and the cables are cheap and plentiful.

DisplayPort 2.1 is a strong alternative you probably have the {hardware} and desire a daisy-chaining answer. DisplayPort 1.4 can be nonetheless preferable to HDMI 2.0 as a consequence of its superior throughput, however should you aren’t working a number of screens, the 2 are pretty evenly matched.

USB-C finally is dependent upon whether or not your laptop computer helps USB-C Alt Mode with DisplayPort, and whether or not the monitor delivers sufficient energy to cost your laptop computer. In case your laptop computer has each of these capabilities, USB-C is a handy alternative.

Thunderbolt is the quickest connection obtainable on many computer systems, and it gives energy for charging. For daisy-chaining two 4K screens or connecting a 5K show, it is just about unbeatable. You’ll be able to join different gadgets, too, which is neat. Nevertheless, you will want help on each the monitor and pc facet and a dear cable or two.