Side-by-Side Comparison
Display Cables
DisplayPort 1.2 vs. DisplayPort 2.1
Comparing 2 standards across 10 specifications. 10 key differences identified.
Comparing:
DisplayPort 1.2
DisplayPort 2.1
DisplayPort 1.2, released January 7, 2010, doubled maximum bandwidth to 21.6 Gbps via a new High Bit Rate 2 (HBR2) mode, enabling 4K at 60Hz for the first time. Its headline feature, Multi-Stream Transport (MST), lets multiple monitors daisy-chain from a single DisplayPort output.
DisplayPort 2.1, announced October 2022, is a certification-level refinement of the DisplayPort 2.0 specification VESA released back in June 2019. Its fastest UHBR20 mode delivers 80 Gbps raw bandwidth -- enough for a single 10K display at 60Hz uncompressed, or multiple high-refresh 4K/8K displays daisy-chained with compression.
Specification Comparison Table
10 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Max Resolution @ Refresh Rate
|
3840x2160 (4K) @ 60Hz, 10-bit color | 16K @ 60Hz (DSC) / 8K @ 120Hz / 4K @ 240Hz |
|
Release Date
|
January 7, 2010 | — |
|
Max Bandwidth, HBR2 4 lanes (raw / effective)
|
21.6 / 17.28 Gbps | — |
|
AUX Channel Bandwidth
|
up to 720 (up from 1.0's 1 Mbps) Mbps | — |
|
Max Bandwidth / Data Rate
|
— | 80.0 Gbps (UHBR20, 77.37 Gbps payload) |
|
Pin Count
|
— | 20 Pins (DP) / USB-C (DP40 / DP80 certified) |
|
Display Stream Compression (DSC)
|
— | DSC 1.2a Mandatory Support |
|
Variable Refresh Rate (VRR)
|
— | VESA Adaptive-Sync & Panel Replay |
|
Max Audio Channels
|
— | 32 Channels |
|
Max Recommended Cable Length
|
— | 1–2 Meters (Passive DP80) / 3m (DP40) |
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