Key takeaways:
- DisplayPort has been the default connection for PC gaming for a long time, because it reaches higher bandwidth ceilings, and DisplayPort 2.1 extends that lead with up to 80Gbps, enough for 4K 240Hz and beyond.
- HDMI 2.1 is the choice when your display is a TV or a console. It carries 4K 120Hz, and it’s the only option for a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X.
- When your graphics card offers both, use the matching port: DisplayPort for a PC monitor, HDMI for a TV or console. Skip the adapters, because they often cap you at lower refresh rates and can drop variable refresh rate.
- The availability of DisplayPort 2.1 should factor into your next GPU purchase for future-proofing considerations. DisplayPort 2.1 monitors are increasingly common, and allow for truly next-gen resolution and refresh rate combinations.
You’ve got the graphics card, the monitor, and two very different looking ports, and now you’re supposed to pick a cable. PC building veterans typically just plug into a DisplayPort port and move on. That’s still the right move for most gaming setups, but the differences between HDMI and DisplayPort are worth exploring. The two standards have different strengths, different ceilings, and different futures, and the right answer depends on what you’re connecting.
In this guide, we’ll walk through what HDMI and DisplayPort can each do, which one fits your setup, and why DisplayPort 2.1 ports are worth a little investment, both for your graphics card and your monitor.
What’s the difference between HDMI and DisplayPort?
HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) and DisplayPort are both digital interfaces for connecting devices to displays, and both provide standards for the ports and the cables. HDMI was born out of the general consumer electronics space, which is why TVs, soundbars, and game consoles all speak it fluently, but it remains a standard option in the PC space, as well. DisplayPort was designed more specifically for computers, and that’s why it has carried the highest bandwidth ceiling in PC displays for well over a decade. Both standards have evolved over time, with new generations bumping up the bandwidth and adding new features.
The practical upshot: for a PC and a monitor, DisplayPort is usually the better connection. For a TV, a soundbar, or a game console, HDMI is the only or the obvious choice. In almost any situation where you have a choice, both options will work. And while the experience with either one is functionally interchangeable when you’re connecting basic displays, they diverge at the ceiling. When you’re looking for the highest refresh rates, the biggest resolutions, and the newest features, your choice between HDMI and DisplayPort can be significant.
What can each version actually do?
| Version | Bandwidth | Practical ceiling | You'll find it on: |
|---|---|---|---|
| DisplayPort 1.4 | 32.4Gbps | 4K 144Hz (DSC) 1080p 240Hz | Most PC monitors Most graphics cards |
| DisplayPort 2.1 | Up to 80Gbps | 4K 240Hz 8K 120Hz (DSC) | GeForce RTX 50 Series Radeon RX 9000 Series High-end OLED monitors |
| HDMI 2.1 | 48Gbps | 4K 120Hz 8K 60Hz | Most modern TVs PlayStation 5 Xbox Series X Flagship graphics cards |
Two things to keep in mind. First, the “practical ceiling” depends on both ends of the connection and the cable in between. A DisplayPort 2.1 port on a graphics card can’t do 4K 240Hz unless the monitor also has a DisplayPort 2.1 input and the cable is rated for 80Gbps.
Second, notice the word DSC. Display Stream Compression is a compression method for fitting more pixels into the same bandwidth, and it’s what lets each generation of DisplayPort reach its highest resolutions and refresh rates. It runs in hardware as part of the signal path rather than something you configure, and at the ratios used for typical gaming setups the difference is generally hard to see. The one thing worth knowing: some top-end configurations need DSC to function. Without DSC enabled, you might not be able to reach the highest refresh rates that you monitor is able to reach at its native resolution.
Which is best for gaming?
If you’re connecting a gaming PC to a monitor, DisplayPort is the easy choice. It’s the primary input on most gaming monitors, variable refresh rate works over it out of the box, and every generation of the standard has outpaced HDMI on raw bandwidth. HDMI 2.1 has closed a lot of that gap, so it remains a viable choice for many high-end panels.
Your choice is easy when you’re connecting a game console. A PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X only outputs over HDMI, so if you want one monitor for both PC gaming and console, the console is going into the HDMI 2.1 port. That’s one reason why our gaming monitors almost always include both DisplayPort and HDMI inputs. That gives you the opportunity to plug both a gaming PC and a console into the same display, flipping inputs to switch from one to the other.
Which is best for a TV or living room setup?
HDMI. It’s the native language of consumer electronics, HDMI 2.1 supports eARC so audio can flow back to a soundbar, and it never needs an adapter. If your display is a TV, use the HDMI 2.1 input and a cable rated for 48Gbps (look for “Ultra High Speed” on the packaging) if you want 4K 120Hz out of a PC.
Which is best for a multi-monitor setup?
DisplayPort is the natural fit. It’s the standard input on most pro and gaming panels, some displays even let you daisy-chain a second monitor through the first over DisplayPort, and graphics cards with multiple DisplayPort outputs let you keep every screen running at high refresh without juggling adapters. Graphics cards don’t offer an endless selection of ports, though, so you’ll likely need to use an HDMI port or two for your multi-monitor setup unless you’re able to take advantage of daisy-chaining.
Why DisplayPort 2.1 is the future-proof choice
DisplayPort 2.1 is the current top of the standard, reaching 80Gbps, well past the 32.4Gbps ceiling DisplayPort 1.4 held for a decade. With four lanes of UHBR20, DisplayPort 2.1 moves up to 80Gbps, which is more than enough for 4K 240Hz.
That bandwidth can be yours right now. Our GeForce RTX 50 series and Radeon RX 9000 series graphics cards bring DisplayPort 2.1 to your build, with the flagship models offering up to three of the ports. Pair one with a DisplayPort 2.1 monitor like the ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM, and you’re looking at a 4K 240Hz setup with real headroom to spare.
This isn’t a bet on a draft spec. DisplayPort 2.1 is fully ratified and shipping in products today, so the headroom is real, not projected. HDMI’s next generation is on the roadmap, but you won’t find it in a graphics card or a monitor you can buy yet, which means that for the next several years, DisplayPort 2.1 is the steadier bet for the connection that matters most in a new build.
Do I need an adapter?
Ideally, no. Plug your display into the matching port, and you keep the full bandwidth and the full feature set. Adapters do exist, and they work, but they have ceilings. A passive DisplayPort-to-HDMI adapter is often capped at 4K 60Hz, and it can drop variable refresh rate entirely. If you’re stuck with one, buy an adapter rated for the resolution and refresh rate you actually want, and test VRR, because that’s the first thing to disappear.
And a word about cables, because the port is only as good as the cable in it. A DisplayPort 2.1 port with an older 32.4Gbps cable won’t reach 80Gbps, and a 4K 120Hz HDMI connection needs a 48Gbps cable. When you’re shopping, check the cable’s rating, not just the port’s label.