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

DisplayPort 2.1 vs. HDMI 2.1

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

Comparing:
DisplayPort 2.1
HDMI 2.1
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 2.1 →

HDMI 2.1 increases total bandwidth to 48 Gbps via Fixed Rate Link (FRL). It mandates Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable certification and supports Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), and eARC.

View full HDMI 2.1 spec sheet →

Specification Comparison Table

7 Parameters
Parameter / Spec
DisplayPort 2.1
HDMI 2.1
Max Resolution @ Refresh Rate
16K @ 60Hz (DSC) / 8K @ 120Hz / 4K @ 240Hz 8K @ 60Hz / 4K @ 120Hz (10K with DSC)
Max Bandwidth / Data Rate
80.0 Gbps (UHBR20, 77.37 Gbps payload) 48 Gbps (FRL 4 lanes)
Pin Count
20 Pins (DP) / USB-C (DP40 / DP80 certified) 19 Pins (Type A)
Display Stream Compression (DSC)
DSC 1.2a Mandatory Support DSC 1.2a Supported
Variable Refresh Rate (VRR)
VESA Adaptive-Sync & Panel Replay HDMI Forum VRR & Quick Media Switching (QMS)
Max Audio Channels
32 Channels 32 Channels (eARC up to 192kHz / 24-bit uncompressed)
Max Recommended Cable Length
1–2 Meters (Passive DP80) / 3m (DP40) 3 Meters (Passive Ultra High Speed) / 100m+ (Active Optical AOC)

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 2.0 → Compare DisplayPort 2.1 vs. VGA →