# item.guide
Side-by-Side Comparison Display Cables

DisplayPort 2.1 vs. HDMI 2.0

Comparing 2 standards across 7 specifications. 7 key differences identified.

Comparing:
DisplayPort 2.1
HDMI 2.0
DisplayPort 2.1 →

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.

View full DisplayPort 2.1 spec sheet →
HDMI 2.0 →

HDMI 2.0, released September 4, 2013, raised maximum bandwidth to 18 Gbps, finally enabling 4K resolution at 60Hz. It also increased maximum audio to 32 channels; HDR support followed later via the HDMI 2.0a update in 2015, not the original 2.0 release.

View full HDMI 2.0 spec sheet →

Specification Comparison Table

7 Parameters
Parameter / Spec
DisplayPort 2.1
HDMI 2.0
Max Resolution @ Refresh Rate
16K @ 60Hz (DSC) / 8K @ 120Hz / 4K @ 240Hz 4K @ 60Hz / 1440p @ 144Hz
Max Bandwidth / Data Rate
80.0 Gbps (UHBR20, 77.37 Gbps payload) 18.0 Gbps (TMDS)
Pin Count
20 Pins (DP) / USB-C (DP40 / DP80 certified) 19 Pins (Type A)
Display Stream Compression (DSC)
DSC 1.2a Mandatory Support Not Supported
Variable Refresh Rate (VRR)
VESA Adaptive-Sync & Panel Replay Vendor-specific (AMD FreeSync over HDMI)
Max Audio Channels
32 Channels 32 Channels (Standard ARC up to 5.1 lossy)
Max Recommended Cable Length
1–2 Meters (Passive DP80) / 3m (DP40) 5 Meters (Passive Premium High Speed)

Other Alternatives to Compare

Compare DisplayPort 2.1 vs. DisplayPort 1.0 → Compare DisplayPort 2.1 vs. DisplayPort 1.2 → Compare DisplayPort 2.1 vs. DisplayPort 1.4 → Compare DisplayPort 2.1 vs. DVI → Compare DisplayPort 2.1 vs. HDMI 1.0 → Compare DisplayPort 2.1 vs. HDMI 1.3 → Compare DisplayPort 2.1 vs. HDMI 1.4 → Compare DisplayPort 2.1 vs. HDMI 2.1 → Compare DisplayPort 2.1 vs. VGA →