DisplayPort 1.2 vs. DisplayPort 1.4 vs. DisplayPort 2.0

There are different versions of the growing video interface DisplayPort; DisplayPort 1.2, 1.4, and 2.0 are the most popular. But people often get confused with different versions because they all have different specifications.

Don’t worry; in this post, I will tell you about these 3 versions in simple words, so let’s look at and differentiate the versions. Before that, if you want to know the similarities and dissimilarities of various DisplayPort, you can check that too.

DisplayPort 1.2

A digital display interface standard called DisplayPort 1.2 was released in 2010. It offers several enhancements and new features over the preceding DisplayPort 1.1 standard. Three years after DP 1.0’s original market release, DisplayPort 1.2, the third version of the DisplayPort, was released.

The first DisplayPort version to have a backward-compatible feature is this one. The integration was used in all four subsequent releases, turning the configuration into a standard. Manufacturers believed that this was a wise decision to avoid alienating customers.

Users may not be willing to purchase a product if outdated models are routinely eliminated or if hardware upgrades are required all the time. The most extensively used and broadly embraced version of DisplayPort is 1.2.

It offers consumers high-quality video and audio, enhanced power management, and more flexibility for multi-monitor systems, making it a considerable upgrade over prior DisplayPort versions.

While most devices use HDMI connections to transmit video and audio, utilizing a DisplayPort is preferable when using a PC. Speaking of DisplayPort 1.2, it offers a total data throughput of roughly 17.28 Gbps while using four lanes to carry a maximum bandwidth of 21.6 Gbps, which is relatively fast for a technology that is ten years old.

Aside from access to improved refresh rates and features like adaptive sync that help with problems like screen tearing and other difficulties, the DisplayPort 1.2 has a lot of other benefits because of its high data speeds.

However, many more functions in the more recent iterations of DisplayPort have been enhanced since then. As a result, the maximum bandwidth available over the four lanes of DisplayPort 1.2 is 21.6 Gbps.

The following are some of the main enhancements and features of DisplayPort 1.2:

1. Increased visual resolution: DisplayPort 1.2 provides up to 3840×2160 pixels, four times the full HD resolution (1920×1080 pixels).
2. Faster refresh rates: DisplayPort 1.2 allows refresh rates as high as 120Hz, which results in more fluid and spherical video playing.
3. Multi-stream Transport (MST): DisplayPort 1.2 adds Multi-stream Transport (MST), which enables daisy-chaining of several screens to a single DisplayPort output. Multi-monitor systems are simpler to set up thanks to this capability.
4. Enhanced Audio: DisplayPort 1.2 supports compressed audio formats like DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD and better quality audio formats like 8-channel LPCM.
5. Better Power Management: DisplayPort 1.2 has better power management capabilities that reduce power usage and let laptops and other portable devices have longer-lasting batteries.

I’ve comapred the most important features, resolution and refresh of different DisplayPort versions, to know more about that check this post.

DisplayPort 1.4

The DisplayPort 1.4 standard was initially released in March 2016. It retained the excellent performance from DisplayPort 1.3 while not adding any new transmission modes or increasing the bandwidth or data rate. The highest total bandwidth and data rate for DisplayPort 1.4 is 32.4Gbps and 25.92Gbps, respectively.

With so much bandwidth, it can handle a 4K UHD broadcast with up to 120Hz and 24-bit/px color or a 5K display with up to 60Hz and 30-bit/px color. Even 8K video can be played, but owing to the high bandwidth needs, it can only do so up to 30Hz.

Display Stream Compression Support A more substantial update to DisplayPort 1.4 is 1.2. (DSC). Being a visually lossless encoding technique, DSC is an excellent way to get the most out of your connection.

It can support either 4K at up to 120Hz with 30-bit/px color and HDR-enabled or 8K at up to 60Hz with DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC. Support for DVI and HDMI adapters operating in dual mode, which enables the connection of an HDMI or DVI display to a DisplayPort source, is another advantage of DisplayPort 1.4.

Additionally, it offers enhanced HDR10 metadata compatibility and forward error correction (FEC) for noiseless transmission. With DisplayPort 1.4, the maximum audio sample rate increased from 768kHz to 1,536kHz, which significantly improved. The maximum number of audio channels was also extended from 8 to 32.

The following are some of the main enhancements and features of DisplayPort 1.4:

1. Higher Video Resolutions: DisplayPort 1.4 provides 16 times the resolution of full HD, or 8K (7680×4320 pixels), in terms of video resolution (1920×1080 pixels).
2. High Dynamic Range (HDR): DisplayPort 1.4 supports HDR displays, which offer a broader spectrum of colors and brightness levels for a more immersive viewing experience.
3. HBR3: HBR3 (High Bit Rate 3) is a new data rate that DisplayPort 1.4 adds. It offers a greater maximum data transmission rate of 32.4 Gbps, enabling better resolution and refresh rate displays.
4. DSC (Display Stream Compression): DisplayPort 1.4 introduces DSC (Display Stream Compression), which enables high-quality video transmission over a single connection, lowering the necessary bandwidth for high-resolution screens.
5. Forward Error Correction (FEC): FEC is a feature of DisplayPort 1.4 that lowers the possibility of visual artifacts and other mistakes while enhancing the dependability of the video stream.

I’ve comapred the most important features, resolution and refresh of different DisplayPort versions, to know more about that check this post.

DisplayPort 2.0

The newest advancement in DisplayPort technology, DisplayPort 2.0 cables and connections, compatibility for Display Stream Compression (DSC), HDR, and Forward Error Correction, similar to earlier DisplayPort standards, to permit audio and video communications over a single connection.

However, the fact that it also significantly boosts bandwidth by around 300% makes a difference in this case. Displaying ultra-high resolutions at previously impractical refresh rates is now possible thanks to DisplayPort 2.0 connections’ 80 Gbps capacity.

Without using any picture compression, DisplayPort 2.0 can support up to two 8K displays at up to 85Hz or up to two 4K displays at 144Hz.

DSC can increase the functionality of DisplayPort 2.0 by supporting up to three 10K panels operating at 60 Hz with HDR over a single DisplayPort 2.0 connection. Additionally, it will handle a single 16K display at 60Hz with HDR and 30 bpc, as well as two 8K, monitors running up to 120Hz with HDR.

The following are some of the main enhancements and features of DisplayPort 2.0:

1. Higher Video Resolutions: The maximum video resolution supported by DisplayPort 2.0 is 16K (15360×8640 pixels) at 60 frames per second, which is 64 times the resolution of full HD (1920×1080 pixels).
2. Faster Data Transport Rates: DisplayPort 2.0 supports better resolution and refresh rate displays thanks to its faster data transfer rate of 80 Gbps.
3. DisplayPort 2.0 still supports the Multi-Stream Transport (MST) function, which enables several monitors to be daisy-chained together and linked to a single DisplayPort output.
4. Enhanced Audio: DisplayPort 2.0 supports enhanced audio, which includes high-resolution audio up to 24-bit/96kHz and audio formats with up to 32 channels.
5. Enhancements to Power Management: DisplayPort 2.0 has enhanced power management capabilities that cut down on power usage and help prolong the life of the laptop and other portable device batteries.

I’ve comapred the most important features, resolution and refresh of different DisplayPort versions, to know more about that check this post.