DisplayPort to DisplayPort cables

DisplayPort cable for your monitor — which one to choose

DisplayPort was designed with computers in mind, which is why almost every graphics card and gaming monitor has a DP port. Cables differ in bandwidth, and that determines resolution and refresh rate:

• DisplayPort 1.2 — 4K 60 Hz or QHD 144 Hz. Enough for an office monitor and most 60–75 Hz screens.
• DisplayPort 1.4 — 32.4 Gbps, QHD 240 Hz, 4K 144 Hz and 8K 60 Hz (the last two with DSC compression) plus HDR. The standard choice for a gaming monitor.
• DisplayPort 2.1 — up to 80 Gbps and 16K resolution. For graphics cards and monitors with DP 2.1, where a very high refresh rate at 4K counts.

The cables are backward compatible — a DP 1.4 or 2.1 cable will also work with an older monitor.

Which DisplayPort cable for 144 Hz and 240 Hz

A DisplayPort 1.2 cable is enough for a Full HD 240 Hz or QHD 144–165 Hz monitor, but for a QHD 240 Hz monitor and 4K above 60 Hz choose a DisplayPort 1.4 cable, also labelled DP 8K. If the cable lacks bandwidth, the monitor will not let you select a higher refresh rate or the picture will drop out. DisplayPort also supports Adaptive Sync, which FreeSync and G-Sync Compatible rely on, as well as daisy-chaining several monitors if the monitor has a DisplayPort output (macOS does not support this feature).

Mini DisplayPort, braiding and length

You will find mini DisplayPort on older MacBooks, some laptops and graphics cards. A mini DisplayPort to DisplayPort cable connects them to a monitor, and bidirectional versions also connect a computer with a DisplayPort output to a monitor with a mini DisplayPort input. For a desk setup with the graphics card under the desk, 1.5–2 m is usually enough. Longer 3 m and 5 m cables come in handy for a monitor on an arm or a computer inside a cabinet. Nylon-braided cables cope better with bending when you plug and unplug them often.

Connect a USB-C laptop with a USB-C to DisplayPort cable, and a monitor without a DP input with a DisplayPort to HDMI cable. Older screens with a DVI input are covered by VGA and DVI cables. All display cables are in the video cables category.

Frequently asked questions

Does every DisplayPort cable support 144 Hz?

At Full HD and QHD, yes — DisplayPort 1.2 already supports 144 Hz. For QHD 240 Hz and 4K 144 Hz you need a DisplayPort 1.4 cable or newer.

Does a DisplayPort cable carry audio?

Yes. DisplayPort carries both video and audio, so the speakers built into your monitor will play without a separate audio cable.