I finished utilizing HDMI, nevertheless it wasn’t by alternative

HDMI and DisplayPort are two of the major players on the subject of sign codecs. For TVs, HDMI is your solely possibility, however PC homeowners have some selections to make. For years, I used HDMI, primarily as a result of it was the usual and I had a number of further cables mendacity round. It wasn’t till I obtained extra into the weeds and began caring about greater resolutions and framerates that I found the world of DisplayPort.

It turned abundantly clear that GPU producers have been attempting to push me in direction of DisplayPort as effectively, as a result of my 3070 Ti GPU has three DisplayPort ports with only a single HDMI 2.1 port. If I wished so as to add extra screens, I would need to do it with a DisplayPort cable. Because it seems, that is not a nasty factor, and I do not suppose I will be going again to HDMI. HDMI 2.2’s release might definitely change that, however I am high quality with DisplayPort in the intervening time.

DisplayPort quietly turned the usual

HDMI was pressured out

DisplayPort tends to have a fame within the PC gaming group as being superior to HDMI, however there’s extra to it than that. Utilizing my 3070 Ti for example once more, it is geared up with three DisplayPort 1.4 ports, so it provides much less bandwidth than the one HDMI port included. Regardless of that, I am not utilizing the HDMI cable, nevertheless it’s not like I even had the choice within the first place.

I have been utilizing an HP X34 ultrawide monitor for a couple of years now, and meaning I now not use all of the ports on my GPU. Nevertheless, HP does not give me even an phantasm of alternative, as the one port it has is a DisplayPort 1.4 slot. In terms of proudly owning a PC, it feels prefer it’s DisplayPort or nothing in quite a lot of instances. My GPU might need an HDMI 2.1 slot, however I am unable to use it with if I need to get essentially the most out of my construct.

My monitor is able to 1440p at 165 FPS in a 21:9 side ratio, so whereas it is demanding, it isn’t pushing the super-high refresh charges or decision ceilings that different screens demand. I usually lock the framerate to 120 FPS, so I even depart efficiency on the desk once I play video games. This makes DisplayPort 1.4 completely high quality for this use, and whereas I’ve a couple of further HDMI 2.1 cables mendacity round, I haven’t got any motive to change my cables or screens as a result of I do not suppose I would see any enhancements with it, even when my monitor might take it. If my efficiency was struggling, then certain, I would look into altering issues, however I do not really feel the necessity to mess with something proper now.

It may not really feel prefer it, however HDMI 2.1 was launched again in 2017, and its efficiency is best than DisplayPort 1.4. On paper, you’d suppose that might imply folks would transfer again to HDMI, nevertheless it hasn’t occurred. My monitor was launched years after HDMI 2.1, nevertheless it nonetheless caught with DisplayPort, regardless of it being the inferior format. I am not complaining as a result of it nonetheless works simply high quality, however I feel it is fascinating to take a look at how prevalent HDMI is for TVs, nevertheless it’s the alternative for screens. In 2025, it is tough to get HDMI 2.1 running for lots of PC homeowners.

HDMI 2.2 can flip the tides

The ebb and movement

HDMI Discussion board

Very similar to Intel dominating AMD CPUs till the discharge of the Ryzen line, DisplayPort’s time on the high could also be coming to an finish with the discharge of HDMI 2.2. This new format guarantees speeds of up to 96 Gbps, surpassing DisplayPort 2.1’s 80 Gbps, so these on the lookout for the very best efficiency have fairly a bit to look ahead to on the horizon.

From my standpoint, I nonetheless do not see a motive to improve, particularly since nothing I exploit proper can reap the benefits of HDMI 2.2 speeds. Because it slowly turns into the usual and a pair of.1 ports get upgraded to 2.2, I am going to give it one other look. I’ve requested myself what these speeds are for, as a result of I’ve a troublesome time justifying it. I’ve a house theater setup in my front room full with a Dolby Atmos, so I profit from the additional bandwidth HDMI 2.1 gives with audio there. HDMI 2.2 will push these boundaries even additional, in order that’s excellent news for audiophiles.

For PC customers, the features aren’t as clear. I do not want cutting-edge audio or visuals from my PC. I play World of Warcraft with removed from maxed out graphics, regardless of me having a Ryzen 7800x3D and 3070 Ti. These efficiency features are largely misplaced on me, and I perceive that it is an odd stance to have, however that is why I do not worth these adjustments in format as a lot. Apart from G-Sync needing my DisplayPort cable, I am unsure if I’d’ve even upgraded to HDMI 2.1 on my PC.

I like new expertise as a lot as the following individual, nevertheless it’s tiring to see one thing new and glossy come round just for producers to take endlessly to make it really feel like an improve was even value it. The PS5 console technology had quite a lot of its advertising and marketing push mentioning 4K 120 FPS gaming, and it made me exit and choose up a Sony Bravia X90J so I might get in on the motion. Because it seems, solely a choose few video games can push these boundaries, and hardly something is even native 4K 60 FPS.

These gradual adjustments have led me to stay with codecs like DisplayPort 1.4 longer than I anticipated. DisplayPort 2.1 got here out in 2022, however the RTX 4000 collection playing cards did not ship with it. Though the format was able to go, it wasn’t till 2025 {that a} new technology of Nvidia graphics playing cards adopted it. The good factor is that every one HDMI and DisplayPort cables are backwards appropriate, so you can also make an improve even when your {hardware} does not reap the benefits of it but. I am not operating out to purchase an HDMI 2.2 cable simply but, however you are able to do that so that you may be ready for when GPUs begin using it — hopefully it does not take till 2028.