Gaming is all about responsiveness, and when you are having a great experience, it is because the equipment provides the best responsiveness. There are several hallmarks of great responsiveness with visuals. Whether it is a high HD resolution or a high frame rate you won’t have worry that your game is lagging and you’re not seeing the whole picture. Unlike the human eye, monitors can only process so much information at a time, so it is imperative to not only have a great monitor, but to have a great connection as well.
One of the key questions that comes up with gamers is trying to figure out how to connect their monitor. Many gamers wonder, is DisplayPort better than HDMI?The answer is not necessarily a simple yes or no. Instead, gamers have to consider different advantages and disadvantages of each technology.
is DisplayPort better than HDMI :
The first step to determining which technology is greater is to understand the benefits and drawbacks of each.
1# HDMI
Many folks are familiar with HDMI technology because it is how you easily connect your computer to your TV for streaming purposes. HDMI actually has lots of applications for games too, and with new monitors HDMI connections are prominently featured. There are lots of excellent reasons to choose HDMI as the port for your gaming display. The biggest reason is cost – HDMI cables are fairly inexpensive and available nearly everywhere.
Digging into the technical specifications of HDMI connections, there are some things to be aware of. Assuming you have a 4K monitor, the current HDMI’s are HDMI 1.4. This means your pixel resolution can reach a maximum of 3,820 x 2,160. The frame rate is 30 frames per second. There is talk of HDMI 2.0 coming out soon, and supposedly on a 4K monitor you will be able to get up to 60 fps.
The other problem is HDMI 1.4 is currently 30 Hz and the maximum bandwidth for this connection is 10.2 Gbps. While these are not necessarily bad specs, what it tells us is that HDMI definitely has limitations and unless you have HDMI 2.0, these limitations are baked into whatever display system you have.
The good news about the 4K display systems is that most come ready for HDMI 2.0. This means as HDMI 2.0 rolls out to the market, it will be easier to pair new equipment with existing equipment. One of the last features that HDMI offers that’s a benefit is the audio return channel. If you have a system with superior audio, you can use the audio return channel to get the sound to the proper system. This two-way audio flexibility is one of HDMI’s biggest benefits.
#2 DisplayPort
Unlike HDMI, DisplayPort was developed by PC and chip manufacturers with the intention of providing a better display platform on their monitors. There are a lot of advantages to this growth – specifically DisplayPort should work with greater effectiveness to provide gamers with better screen resolution and frame rate in an effort to make the gaming more realistic and responsive.
The most common DisplayPort available today, DisplayPort 1.2, supports resolution at the same peak level as HDMI, 3,820 x 2,160. The difference is this same DisplayPort also offers a frame rate of 60 fps. This changes the game because the higher frame rate makes the motion on the monitor appear smoother and more natural. The gaming will be better because there won’t be a response time. For some games, this makes a big difference.
DisplayPort can also transport audio, however unlike HDMI it does not have the same audio return channel. Depending on the audio output on your computer, you can get audio to your sound system in different ways. For people who choose DisplayPort, this is not much of a concern. Speaking of audio outputs, another limitation of DisplayPort is that it’s only available on one television model.
Another benefit of DisplayPort is having the ability to run multiple displays off of one cable. For gamers who are working on different monitors but collaborating in a single place, this makes DisplayPort a great option. However, if you are a solo gamer, then this is a moot point.
#3 The Case for HDMI
If you decide that HDMI is the preferred option, then that assumes your gaming doesn’t need a more responsive rate. It is also available for many different uses including television sets. There is a lot of flexibility with how to use HDMI, so if you are running it off of a television or a 4K monitor, most gamers will be happy with this system.
#4 The Case for DisplayPort
The two advantages DisplayPort has over HDMI are the frame rate along with the multiple monitor support. The frame rate is especially important to gamers. Having a frame rate that’s double what is available on HDMI allows gamers to have a more responsive experience. With the movement being more realistic and having the ability to react to situations quicker, gamers will experience greater proficiency when playing their games. Since DisplayPort offers the same resolution, there is no loss of picture quality if you switch to DisplayPort from HDMI.
As 4K monitors become the standard, the DisplayPort will continue to be something that gamers come to rely on. Considering the ability to have multiple monitors work off of one cable, this is another example of the versatility of this particular connection mode.
#5 Conclusion
Gamers understand their needs for developing the proper system better than anyone else. Just as gamers work to identify the right processors, video cards, and graphic engines, they also pay attention to the small things, and this includes the type of connection between the computer and the monitor. Though HDMI and DisplayPort are very similar, it is wise for gamers to choose DisplayPort. The cables are at the same price point, but the increased frame rate is what puts DisplayPort over the top. That being said, as HDMI 2.0 rolls out and more devices become equipped for HDMI 2.0, this will make the choice more of a matter of preference. For now, stick with DisplayPort.
