DisplayPort is a digital video interface. It has been around longer than HDMI, and it’s commonly used for video transmission, but it can also be used with audio. DisplayPort and HDMI can transmit 4k video at 60 frames per second (FPS). The difference between them is in the bandwidth they use. DisplayPort uses a higher bandwidth than HDMI, which means it can transport more information than HDMI.

Related: Mini HDMI vs. Micro HDMI

Benchmark for a suitable gaming cable connector

• Bandwidth
• Resolution
• Refresh rate
• Compatibility
• Physical connectivity

Is using DP better than HDMI?

Both connectors have pros and cons and are suitable depending on the need. Most devices like monitors and TVs are compatible with HDMI, while DP is ideal for multi-monitor setups and PC gaming.

Let’s look at the 3 primary differences in detail:

Physical connectivity

The display port is asymmetrically containing 20-pin connectors. The plugs include a mechanical latch system to secure the cables from accidentally disconnecting—you need to press the latch to unplug the cable. Display Port cables rarely exceed 15 feet, which may deteriorate the resolution and refresh rate.

On the flip side, HDMI connectors have a symmetrical shape holding 19-pin connectors. It lacks the latch mechanism but uses friction to stay plugged. Therefore, continuous use or jostling causes the HDMI cable to become loose over time. Fortunately, HDMI cables can deliver 4K resolutions at 60Hz with a 50+ foot cable length.

Variable refreshing rates (VRR)

VVR adjusts the refreshing rate to match the frame rates from your PC or game console. Therefore, you need a connector in sync with your PC or console box; otherwise, you’ll experience screen tearing frequently.

Most gaming monitors like AMD and NVIDIA display technologies are only supported in Display Ports. Unfortunately, HDMI is incompatible with most NVIDIA and AMD graphics cards and only supports Freesync.

Compatibility

Most home audio/video devices like smart TVs, game consoles, projectors, and other streaming devices come with HDMI ports. HDMI was initially built for HD TVs, but it’s currently supported by almost all displays, from small portable devices to vast 8k TVs.

DisplayPort, on the other hand, was primarily designed for monitors and PCs to replace DVI and VGA connectors. DisplayPort allows for daisy-chaining multiple monitors or projectors to achieve a higher resolution than would be possible. This is because each monitor requires only one cable to connect it to its source device—no other cables are required. For example, suppose you have an Xbox One X connected to two screens via a DisplayPort connection. In that case, two separate sources are connected twice over two different cables instead of just one source.

Is DisplayPort or HDMI better for gaming?

Related: HDMI 2.2 Vs. 2.1

If you’re looking to play games on your TV, the answer is that both DisplayPort and HDMI are suitable for gaming. However, in terms of gaming performance, DisplayPort is better than HDMI.

DisplayPort supports higher refresh rates, which are essential for fast-paced games. The DisplayPort standard also offers higher bandwidth and has a broader color gamut than HDMI. This means that DisplayPort can display more colors in the same amount of space or bandwidth, which makes for a more vivid experience when playing games with high-resolution graphics.

Additionally, DisplayPort is the more popular choice for gaming because it has lower latency than HDMI. This means that when you’re playing a game, you get less lag between what’s happening on the screen and what’s happening in your ears.

HDMI was designed to work with TVs and other devices with limited processing power, but it doesn’t always meet the needs of high-speed data transfers like DisplayPort does. For example, when playing games on a PC with a DisplayPort connection, you’ll get more detailed images and smoother animation because they’re being sent directly from the GPU rather than through an intermediary device like an HDMI cable first.

However, HDMI can also be used for gaming (especially with a receiver/amplifier), although it does tend to have a bit more latency than DisplayPort.

Related: Best Gaming Monitor: The Top 6 Displays in 2023

Can I use an HDMI cable in a DP port?

Yes, you can use an HDMI cable in a DP port.

DisplayPort is an interface that allows you to connect multiple monitors and will enable them to share data. It’s commonly used for high-end home theater PCs but can also use for computer monitors and televisions. HDMI is a type of video connector that is typically used for digital video signals.  

A DisplayPort cable can transfer video and audio signals in high-definition resolutions to provide the same quality as an HDMI cable. Because of this, you can use a DisplayPort cable to connect your computer or TV to a monitor with either an HDMI or DVI port.

The DisplayPort and HDMI standards are both used for high-definition video and audio. However, they differ in the size of the data channels that each signal can carry. The DisplayPort standard has four lanes of data information, while HDMI is limited to two lanes. The additional lane in the HDMI specification allows it to carry more information, allowing for higher-quality video transmission than possible with a single data channel.

Because of this difference in capabilities, there are some cases where it’s impossible to use a DisplayPort cable in an HDMI port. The disparity will only occur if you use a monitor or projector that doesn’t support DP signals.

For example, the maximum resolution supported by DisplayPort is 4096×2160 at 30Hz with 8 bits per color channel and an audio bandwidth of 32-bit/192kHz. If you want to use your computer’s graphics card for gaming purposes (which requires more intense graphics), you will need to get a monitor with an HDMI port. The port needs to support higher resolutions like 4096×2160 at 60Hz with 12 bits per color channel and an audio bandwidth of 24-bit/192kHz.

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To use the ARC feature, you’ll need to make sure both your TV and audio equipment support it and that you have connected them using an HDMI cable. Once connected, you can enable ARC in your TV’s settings menu. The specific steps to do this will depend on your TV brand and model.

Note that not all HDMI ports on a TV support ARC and some TVs may only have one ARC-compatible port. Make sure to check your TV’s manual or specifications to determine which HDMI ports support ARC.

Related: HDMI vs. DisplayPort vs. DVI vs. VGA: Quick Comparison

HDMI ARC Definition

HDMI ARC stands for High Definition Multimedia Interface Audio Return Channel. It provides two-way communication between devices using one HDMI cable. In other words, it lets you use the HDMI cable as input and output. This way, you don’t need any additional composite optical or audio cable to connect to your TV. 

HDMI ARC was introduced to the market in 2009. The introduction of HDMI 1.4 has made ARC available on televisions. Besides, it is also available in soundbars. It is supported in all devices compatible with HDMI 1.4. 

Related: Best Soundbar for Projector: Top 7 Options to Consider in 2023

How ARC Works

Regular HDMI cables can transmit video signals only. However, the HDMI ARC allows you to connect and transmit video signals and audio from a TV to a soundbar or receiver. You only need one cable to transmit audio and video signals in your home theater system.

In summary, connecting your TV to an audio system using the HDMI ARC lets you do the following functions:

• Transmit audio signals from the Television to the audio device.
• Use a single remote to control several features and compatible devices.
• Seamlessly watch movies on your TV set while listening to the audio on the connected audio system. 

Note that for an HDMI ARC connection between an ARC-compatible TV and an ARC-compatible audio system, you should connect a high-speed HDMI cable from the TV HDMI (ARC) IN port to the HDMI (ARC) OUT port on the sound system.

Related: HDMI 2 vs. 2.1: What Are The Differences?

How to Set Up an HDMI ARC Connection

Connecting an HDMI ARC cable between a TV and an audio system involves plugging one end of the cable into the HDMI input in your TV and the other end into the HDMI ARC output on the soundbar. Fortunately, most HDMI cables are ARC-compatible. 

There are two ways of connecting your home theater system using ARC. Assuming you have a soundbar, TV, game console, receiver, and Blu-ray player, you can connect using the HDMI ARC in either of the following ways.

1. Using the TV as an HDMI switch

Using your TV as the HDMI switch allows you to use the TV as the central hub for your system.

Use the steps below to make the connection.

1. Connect the Blu-ray player to your TV.
2. Also, connect the game console to the V.
3. Using the HDMI ARC cable, plug in one end in the HDMI OUT of the TV and connect the other end to the HDMI IN of the soundbar. 

You can switch between the game console and Blu-ray player sources using your TV remote in this setup. In addition, you can use the TV remote to control the soundbar’s volume. However, you can not play 5.1 or more surround sound, especially if you use more surround receivers than soundbars. 

Related: Learn about HDMI RF Modulators

2. Using a soundbar/receiver as an HDMI switch

This setup lets you use the soundbar or receiver as the central hub of your home theater system.

Use the steps below to make the connection.

1. Connect the Blu-ray player to your soundbar/receiver.
2. Similarly, connect the game console to the receiver/soundbar.
3. Using your HDMI ARC cable, connect the soundbar to your TV.

However, most budget soundbars don’t have enough HDMI ports for this setup. In this case, you’ll have to connect your home theater system using procedure (1) above.

The receiver/soundbar being the system’s central hub, you’ll use the soundbar’s remote to switch between the game console and Blu-ray player sources. This remote also lets you adjust the volume. The TV’s remote only comes into play when turning on the TV and accessing in-built apps.

Follow the procedure below in both instances (1) and (2).

1. Locate and insert a high-speed HDMI cable on your TV’s HDMI ARC OUT port.
2. Power on your Television using the TV remote.
3. Similarly, power on the audio device.
4. Connect the other end of the HDMI ARC cable to the HDMI ARC port of your soundbar.
5. Open your TV’s settings and disable the TV Speakers.
6. Establish the ARC/HDMI CEC on the televisions and enable it.
7. Play a sound to test if the TV’s sound plays on the soundbars.

Related: Best HDMI Cables for Apple TV 4K

What Is the Difference Between HDMI and HDMI ARC?

HDMI ARC cables are essentially the same as regular HDMI cables. Nearly all HDMI cables work with HDMI ARC and HDMI ports. However, outdated HDMI versions won’t work with HDMI ARC ports due to the high-quality audio formats.

The main difference between HDMI and HDMI ARC cables arises from their functionalities. A regular HDMI cable would transmit video signals only. On the other hand, the HDMI ARC cable, other than transmitting video signals, also transmits audio signals from the TV to a soundbar. This feature allows you to transmit video and audio signals in a two-way communication manner as input and output.

What Does HDMI ARC Port Do? FAQs

HDMI ARC lets you connect the audio system and Television using one High-Speed HDMI cable. The connection is between an ARC-compatible TV and an ARC-compatible audio system and allows you to:

• Listen to TV’s audio from the soundbars.
• View movies and listen to audio on your TV sent from your audio system.
• Control multiple functions using one remote. 

Can Any HDMI Port Be Used for ARC?

Yes, any HDMI Port can be used for ARC. Nearly all versions from HDMI 1.4 can be used for HDMI ARC port connection. To connect, input one end of the cable to your TV ARC-compatible HDMI input in your TV and the other into the HDMI ARC output on your soundbar.

Can I Use HDMI ARC as Regular HDMI?

Yes, you can use HDMI ARC as regular HDMI. When plugging the HDMI ARC cable into an ARC-incompatible device, it should work as a regular HDMI cable. 

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