VGA and DVI cables

VGA cable — an analogue connection

A VGA cable has a 15-pin D-Sub connector and carries an analogue signal. You will find it on projectors, office monitors, older computers and servers. A VGA cable carries video only, with no audio, and in practice works well up to Full HD. With longer cables and higher resolutions an analogue picture can lose sharpness, so VGA works best over short and medium distances.

DVI cable — DVI-D and DVI-I

DVI is a mainly digital connector, common on older monitors and graphics cards. It comes in two variants worth telling apart:

• DVI-D (24+1) — digital signal only. A dual-link DVI to DVI cable will drive a 2K monitor.
• DVI-I (24+5) — has extra analogue pins. A DVI to VGA cable only works from this type of port.

An HDMI to DVI cable connects the two without converting the signal, because HDMI and DVI transmit video in the same digital format. It works both ways but usually does not carry audio — speakers need to be connected separately. An older DVI monitor without HDCP support may not display a picture from a console or streaming services.

HDMI to VGA adapter and DisplayPort adapters

Connect a new laptop with HDMI to an old projector or monitor with an HDMI to VGA adapter. This adapter converts a digital signal into an analogue one, so it only works in one direction: from HDMI on the computer to VGA on the screen. Adapters with an audio output have an extra 3.5 mm jack that sends sound to speakers, and some of them draw extra power over USB. VGA to HDMI adapters work the other way, connecting an older computer with a VGA output to a screen with HDMI, while mini DisplayPort adapters come in handy for older MacBooks. DisplayPort to DVI, DisplayPort to VGA and mini DisplayPort to DVI cables are also one-way — the DisplayPort plug always goes into the computer.

If the screen has an HDMI input, choose HDMI to HDMI cables; if it has DisplayPort, go for DisplayPort cables. A computer with DP and a TV with HDMI are connected by DisplayPort to HDMI cables. You will find the full range in the video cables category.

Frequently asked questions

Will a VGA to HDMI cable work without an adapter?

A plain cable with VGA and HDMI plugs cannot convert the signal, because VGA is analogue and HDMI is digital. To connect a laptop with HDMI to a VGA monitor, you need an active HDMI to VGA adapter.

Which cable for a monitor with a DVI input?

If your computer has HDMI, choose an HDMI to DVI cable. For a graphics card with DisplayPort, a DisplayPort to DVI cable will do, and for an older computer with DVI, a standard DVI to DVI cable.