HDMI 2.1 brought a ton of improvements and additions, most importantly support for VRR (Variable Refresh Rate). Unfortunately for us mere mortals, HDMI 2.1 is gated behind modern tech. Its licensing is also a headache to deal with, and is reduced to a gimped version on Linux.
It’s also a pain to get certified hardware for, and the HDMI Forum has always been notoriously restrictive about what it can and cannot support. And so we return to the age-old DisplayPort, an existing standard that has incorporated an alternative to VRR for years, is an open standard, and is compatible with most PCs. There’s just one tiny problem — it is nowhere near as universal as HDMI.
DisplayPort’s Adaptive Sync is basically VRR without the licensing nightmare
DisplayPort has supported this for a long, long time
VRR on HDMI 2.1 might be a novel concept, but DisplayPort has supported an equivalent for years. Also known as Adaptive Sync, it is functionally identical to VRR and dynamically adjusts a screen’s refresh rate to the GPU’s output frame rate. This prevents screen tearing and gives you the illusion of a smoother frame rate.
DisplayPort is also a completely open, royalty-free standard. In contrast, HDMI has always been characteristically restrictive. It is a proprietary, commercial standard that requires each manufacturer to pay an annual royalty fee.
That’s also why HDMI 2.1 is less common on the budget end than HDMI 2.0, since it’s much more expensive to implement. Since VRR is restricted to HDMI 2.1, you’ll lose out on compatibility if you switch to a more inexpensive standard, which is quite unfortunate.
Adaptive Sync works on DisplayPort 1.2a and above, which is pretty old tech now. Modern implementations of the connector have full support baked in, so there’s little tinkering involved as long as your monitor isn’t ancient.
DisplayPort also has many other advantages over HDMI
It’s a much more capable connector
DisplayPort might be a more open standard, but it still enjoys first-class support. HDMI has been far more restrictive, especially following the rather unfortunate “blackout” in 2021, which restricted public access to its technical specifications.
Linux’s HDMI 2.1 implementation was entirely rejected by the HDMI Forum in 2024 (even though HDMI 2.1 FRL now works with AMD GPUs), which is why most PC users, including myself, swear by DisplayPort, which poses no such restrictions.
It also has other advantages. The biggest advantage is its total bandwidth capacity. DisplayPort can carry a massive amount of data, which naturally translates to higher display resolutions and/or refresh rates — with version 2.1 supporting a whopping 80 Gbps or 4K at 240 Hz (uncompressed, 10-bit color).
HDMI 2.1, in comparison, only goes up to 48 Gbps, and this restriction is painfully obvious when you try to push into 8K gaming or some higher-refresh-rate 4K gaming. DisplayPort also has a few niceties, such as daisy-chaining, which lets you connect multiple monitors over a single cable and has been a lifesaver.
The only downside is compatibility
HDMI is a lot more common
As much as I like DisplayPort, it isn’t the universal standard. HDMI is still the de facto connector for most non-monitor displays. HDMI is everywhere, even if the version in use is a much older standard.
Most devices are still stuck on HDMI 2.0 (or, in some cases, HDMI 1.4b!), which makes plugging a computer into a TV much simpler. It also doesn’t help that most consumer devices and game consoles use only HDMI as their output connector.
In other words, as good as DisplayPort is, it isn’t taking over HDMI any time soon, and that’s unfortunate. It is the superior standard, after all.
DisplayPort to HDMI adapters can help in some cases
If you’re willing to delve into the rabbit hole of sketchy adapters, there might still be a workaround. You can find plenty of DisplayPort to HDMI adapters on sites like Amazon and AliExpress, and they aren’t all that expensive either.
Simply plug the adapter into a DisplayPort output on your PC, connect an HDMI cable to the other end of the adapter, and that’s it! The adapter handles everything automatically and is pretty much plug-and-play.
Of course, not all adapters work well enough. For best results, use an “active” adapter, and some can even support compatible HDMI 2.1 TVs. There’s also USB-C input, which is a bit less common. VRR support is a hit or miss, unfortunately.
USB-C alt-mode is essentially DisplayPort, so you can connect a USB-C to DisplayPort cable (or a compatible USB-C to USB-C cable to your laptop’s Type-C port) to your PC, and it should perform like a native connection.