UK DisplayPort and HDMI in brief
DisplayPort and HDMI are the two main digital video connections on computers and displays today. Both carry video and multichannel audio, both support HDCP copy protection, and at the resolutions most industrial systems use, both give an identical picture.
The difference is mostly in where they come from. HDMI was created in 2002 by a group of consumer electronics companies to connect DVD players and set-top boxes to televisions, and it is now developed by the HDMI Forum and licensed through HDMI Licensing Administrator. DisplayPort was published by VESA, the Video Electronics Standards Association, in 2006 as a royalty-free replacement for VGA and DVI on computers. That heritage still shows: HDMI has features for living rooms, DisplayPort has features for desks and control rooms.
Bandwidth by version
Comparing the two only makes sense version by version. A DisplayPort 1.2 port is slower than an HDMI 2.1 port, and DisplayPort 2.1 is faster than both.
| Version | Year | Maximum link rate | Typical maximum without compression |
|---|---|---|---|
| HDMI 1.4 | 2009 | 10.2 Gb/s | 1080p120 or 4K30 |
| HDMI 2.0 | 2013 | 18 Gb/s | 4K60 |
| HDMI 2.1 | 2017 | 48 Gb/s | 4K120 at 10-bit, 8K30 |
| DisplayPort 1.2 | 2010 | 21.6 Gb/s | 4K60 |
| DisplayPort 1.4 | 2016 | 32.4 Gb/s | 4K120, 8K30 |
| DisplayPort 2.1 | 2022 | Up to 80 Gb/s | 4K240, 8K60 |
Display Stream Compression (DSC), supported by DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.1 and later, raises these limits further. HDMI 2.2, announced in 2025, doubles HDMI’s link rate to 96 Gb/s. For a 1080p or 1920 × 1200 industrial monitor, any version from HDMI 1.4 or DisplayPort 1.2 upwards has bandwidth to spare.
Features that set them apart
Beyond bandwidth, a handful of features decide which connection suits a job.
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Locking connector. Full-size DisplayPort plugs usually have a latch that clicks into the socket, so the cable cannot be knocked out. Standard HDMI is held by friction alone.
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Daisy chaining. DisplayPort Multi-Stream Transport (MST) drives several monitors from one port, through a hub or monitors with a DisplayPort output. HDMI has no equivalent.
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TV and AV control. HDMI-CEC lets one remote control several devices, and ARC or eARC returns audio from a TV to a soundbar or receiver. DisplayPort has neither.
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Device support. Almost every television, projector and large-format display has HDMI. DisplayPort is common on PC monitors and graphics cards but rare on TVs.
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USB-C. DisplayPort runs natively over USB-C through DisplayPort Alt Mode. HDMI over USB-C needs a converter in the cable or dock.
Picture quality, HDR and refresh rate
At the same resolution and refresh rate, DisplayPort and HDMI deliver the same pixels, so there is no difference in sharpness or colour. Both support HDR from HDMI 2.0a and DisplayPort 1.4, and both support variable refresh rate: VESA Adaptive-Sync on DisplayPort and HDMI VRR from HDMI 2.1. Differences appear only at the edge of a version’s bandwidth, where one link may have to drop to 8-bit colour or chroma subsampling to reach a refresh rate the other carries in full. For monitoring and HMI screens running at 60 Hz, that limit is rarely reached.
Cable length and adapters
Neither standard sets a maximum cable length, but passive cables reach their limit sooner at higher data rates. In practice, a passive DisplayPort cable carries full DisplayPort 1.4 bandwidth up to about 3 m, and a passive HDMI cable is typically reliable to around 5 m at 4K60 and 10 to 15 m at 1080p. Beyond that, use active or fibre cables, or a video extender.
Converting is easier in one direction. Most DisplayPort outputs are dual-mode (marked DP++), so a cheap passive adapter turns them into HDMI. Going from an HDMI output to a DisplayPort monitor needs an active, usually powered, converter.
Both standards define certified cable grades, and buying to the grade is more reliable than buying by length or price. For HDMI, look for a cable certified for 18 Gb/s for 4K60, and the Ultra High Speed label for HDMI 2.1. For DisplayPort, VESA certifies cables as DP40 or DP80 for DisplayPort 2.1 rates, and DP8K for DisplayPort 1.4.
Which to use in industrial systems
Many of our embedded box PCs have both HDMI and DisplayPort outputs, and our industrial monitors mostly take HDMI, with DisplayPort on some models, so the choice usually comes down to the job rather than the hardware.
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Choose DisplayPort for operator stations, control rooms and machines that vibrate, where the latch keeps the cable in, and for multi-monitor desks using MST.
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Choose HDMI for televisions, projectors and large-format screens, which is why most digital signage players lead with HDMI outputs.
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For capture match the source. HDMI capture cards cover cameras, medical equipment and most AV sources, while DisplayPort capture cards take a computer’s DisplayPort output directly, up to 8K30 on DisplayPort 1.4a.
Quick answers on DisplayPort vs HDMI
DisplayPort vs HDMI: common questions
Is DisplayPort better than HDMI?
For computer monitors, usually slightly. It has a latch, daisy chaining and, in DisplayPort 2.1, more bandwidth. For TVs and AV equipment HDMI is the better fit, and at 1080p or 4K60 the picture is identical.
Is DisplayPort the same as HDMI?
No. They are separate standards with different connectors and signalling, although a dual-mode DisplayPort output can send an HDMI signal through a passive adapter.
Is HDMI 2.1 better than DisplayPort 1.4?
On bandwidth, yes. HDMI 2.1 runs at 48 Gb/s against 32.4 Gb/s, so it can carry 4K120 with fuller colour detail. DisplayPort 2.1 overtakes both.
Can you convert HDMI to DisplayPort?
Yes, with an active converter. DisplayPort to HDMI is simpler and usually works with a passive adapter.
Do DisplayPort and HDMI both carry audio?
Yes. Both carry multichannel digital audio alongside the video, so a monitor with speakers needs no separate audio cable.
We match the outputs, cables and any extenders or capture cards to your displays and sources as standard, and test the full video chain on each system before it ships.