Quick Answer: Use DisplayPort for a PC-to-monitor connection whenever both ends support it — it’s the native output on most graphics cards, DisplayPort 1.4 carries up to 32.4Gbps for 4K@240Hz or 8K@60Hz, and it supports daisy-chaining multiple monitors. Use HDMI when the source is a console — the PS5 and Xbox Series X have no DisplayPort output at all — or when the monitor simply doesn’t have a DisplayPort input. HDMI 2.1 matches DisplayPort’s bandwidth on paper at 48Gbps, so for a TV, console, or HDMI-only monitor it’s just as capable, not a downgrade.
DisplayPort and HDMI both move a video signal from a source to a monitor, and on paper their latest versions are close: DisplayPort 1.4 tops out at 32.4Gbps, HDMI 2.1 at 48Gbps. The real difference isn’t raw bandwidth — it’s which devices actually give you a choice. GPUs and PC monitors are built around DisplayPort first; TVs, consoles, and AV receivers are built around HDMI exclusively. Here’s how to pick the right one for your setup.
DisplayPort vs HDMI at a glance
| Factor | DisplayPort 1.4 | HDMI 2.1 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max bandwidth | 32.4Gbps (HBR3) | 48Gbps | HDMI |
| Native GPU output | Standard on desktop GPUs | Usually one port, if any | DisplayPort |
| Console support | None (PS5, Xbox lack it) | Required — only option | HDMI |
| Daisy-chaining | Yes, via MST | Not supported | DisplayPort |
| Adaptive sync history | VESA Adaptive-Sync since 2014 | VRR added in 2017 spec | DisplayPort |
| TV / AV receiver support | Essentially none | Universal | HDMI |
| Audio return (eARC) | Not supported | Yes | HDMI |
Where DisplayPort wins
It’s the GPU’s native language. Desktop graphics cards from NVIDIA and AMD typically ship with two or three DisplayPort outputs and only a single HDMI port, because DisplayPort is the connector the display pipeline is designed around. Gaming monitors follow the same pattern — the highest refresh-rate mode is frequently DisplayPort-only, with HDMI capped lower on the same panel.
Daisy-chaining. VESA’s Multi-Stream Transport (MST) standard lets one DisplayPort output feed a chain of monitors through a single upstream cable, which is common on productivity-focused displays with a DisplayPort-out passthrough port. HDMI has no equivalent standard — every HDMI monitor needs its own cable run back to the source.
Longer track record with variable refresh rate. DisplayPort has supported VESA’s Adaptive-Sync standard, the basis for FreeSync and G-SYNC Compatible, since version 1.2a in 2014. HDMI didn’t gain native VRR until the HDMI 2.1 spec in 2017, and only displays and GPUs from roughly 2020 onward actually implement it — so an older monitor is far more likely to have working VRR over DisplayPort than over its HDMI port.
Cable Matters VESA Certified DisplayPort 1.4 Cable (6ft) — Best DisplayPort Cable
- 32.4Gbps (HBR3), VESA-certified to actually hit the DisplayPort 1.4 spec rather than just labeling it.
- Supports 4K@240Hz uncompressed or 8K@60Hz with DSC, plus FreeSync/G-SYNC and HDR pass-through.
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Where HDMI wins
It’s the only option for consoles. Sony and Microsoft built the PS5 and Xbox Series X around HDMI 2.1 because HDMI, not DisplayPort, is the standard for TVs and AV receivers — the displays both consoles are primarily designed for. Neither console has a DisplayPort output at all, so for console gaming HDMI isn’t a choice, it’s a requirement. See our best monitor for PS5 Pro and best monitor for Xbox Series X guides for HDMI 2.1-first picks.
Universal TV and receiver compatibility. Every TV, soundbar, and AV receiver made in the last two decades uses HDMI. If a monitor doubles as a living-room display or runs through a receiver for audio, HDMI is the only connector every device in the chain will actually have.
Audio return channel (eARC). HDMI carries eARC for passing high-quality audio back from a TV or monitor to a soundbar or receiver over the same cable. DisplayPort has no audio-return equivalent.
UGREEN 8K HDMI 2.1 Cable (6.6ft) — Best HDMI Cable
- 48Gbps with official "Ultra High Speed HDMI" certification, supporting 4K@120Hz or 8K@60Hz.
- eARC, HDR10, and HDCP 2.2/2.3 — the direct match for a PS5, Xbox Series X, or HDMI-only monitor.
Which should you use?
- Building or upgrading a PC gaming setup → DisplayPort. It’s the GPU’s native port, supports daisy-chaining, and has the longer, more reliable VRR track record. See our best 4K gaming monitor and best 240Hz monitor picks.
- Gaming on a PS5 or Xbox → HDMI, no choice involved. Prioritize a monitor with a full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 port, not just an HDMI port — see our best gaming monitor for PS5 guide.
- Multi-monitor productivity desk → DisplayPort, so MST daisy-chaining is on the table — see our triple monitor setup guide.
- Monitor doubles as a TV or runs through a receiver → HDMI, for universal compatibility and eARC audio return.
- Laptop with only USB-C → neither directly — use a USB-C to DisplayPort cable or dock instead; see our best USB-C monitor picks.
- Not sure which cable to buy either way → our best monitor cable guide ranks certified picks for both DisplayPort and HDMI, plus USB-C alternatives.
DisplayPort vs HDMI by the numbers
- 32.4Gbps vs. 48Gbps. VESA’s DisplayPort 1.4 spec tops out at 32.4Gbps (HBR3); HDMI 2.1 is rated higher on paper at 48Gbps by HDMI Licensing Administrator — but both comfortably exceed what 4K@144Hz or 8K@60Hz actually needs, so bandwidth alone rarely decides which port to use.
- 2014 vs. 2017. VESA introduced Adaptive-Sync (the basis for FreeSync and G-SYNC Compatible) in the DisplayPort 1.2a spec in 2014; HDMI didn’t add native VRR until the HDMI 2.1 spec in 2017, three years later. Shop VESA-certified DisplayPort cables →
- Zero DisplayPort ports on the PS5 or Xbox Series X. Per each console’s published port specifications, both rely entirely on HDMI 2.1 for video output — there is no DisplayPort alternative on either machine.
- 18,100 monthly searches for this exact comparison, reflecting how often buyers hit this decision when a new GPU, monitor, or console makes them choose a cable for the first time.
- 80Gbps for DisplayPort 2.1, VESA’s newer spec that roughly doubles DisplayPort 1.4’s ceiling — still rare on monitors and GPUs as of 2026, but it closes the bandwidth gap with HDMI 2.1 well before most buyers need to think about 8K or 240Hz-at-4K-uncompressed.
The bottom line
There’s no universal winner — DisplayPort and HDMI solve different problems. For a PC gaming monitor, DisplayPort’s daisy-chaining and longer VRR track record make it the default choice whenever the GPU and monitor both offer it. For a console, a TV, or an HDMI-only monitor, HDMI 2.1 is just as fast on paper and simply the only option that exists. Once you know which port you need, match it with a properly certified cable — see our best monitor cable picks for VESA-certified DisplayPort and Ultra High Speed HDMI options, or compare panel types next in our OLED vs IPS monitor breakdown. Seeing a cropped or shrunken desktop after connecting over HDMI specifically? Our monitor overscan guide covers why that happens and the one-minute GPU fix. And if either connector wakes up with a black screen after the PC comes back from sleep rather than staying reliably connected, our monitor won’t wake from sleep guide covers the handshake fixes for both cable types.