Difference in quality between DVI, HDMI, and Display Port

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PowerHaus930 Oct 1, 2013 @ 9:57pm

I was wondering what is the difference in quality is between DVI-I, DVI-D, HDMI, and Display Port connections? I have a monitor right now that only has VGA and DVI connections on it and I use a DVI-D cable. My GPU has DVI, HDMI, and Display Port outputs. I was wondering if I had three monitors using the three different outputs would I be able to tell the difference in quality between the three connections? As far as I know HDMI is the best quality but i'm not sure how the others rank. Thanks

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Showing 1-15 of 28 comments

Spyhop Oct 1, 2013 @ 10:00pm

There's no difference in video quality between the 3. There's bandwidth differences, none of which matter for common resolutions.

PowerHaus930 Oct 1, 2013 @ 10:28pm

So I wouldn't get any better picture quality if I upgraded to a monitor with an HDMI input?

Spyhop Oct 1, 2013 @ 10:42pm

Well, a better monitor than whatever you have now would certainly yield better picture quality. But it would have nothing to do with the HDMI. The major difference between DVI and HDMI is that HDMI carries audio.

Veristä mössöä Oct 1, 2013 @ 11:23pm

If you have ATI brand card, one monitor has to be connected to displayport in order to have three monitors connected.

I would prefer DP anyways if monitors support it directly. Slimmest cabels ;)

But yeah, no difference in image quality.

Last edited by Veristä mössöä; Oct 1, 2013 @ 11:23pm

Long Ago [Linux] Oct 2, 2013 @ 8:08pm

DVI digital and HDMI are same video signal. The only difference between those and VGA is that VGA "might" be less automatic and require some adjustment to match DVI and HDMI.

Do not have and never used anything with DP.

Spyhop Oct 2, 2013 @ 9:52pm

Not true. VGA is analog. Potentially much worse quality than anything digital (DVI, HDMI, Displayport)

Space Monkey Oct 3, 2013 @ 5:29am

DisplayPort is technically superior to HDMI and DVI since it offers more bandwidth and is more flexible in terms of implementation. I personally use DP for my monitor since I have it, and I leave the HDMI and DVI connectors for other devices. In common resolutions, it will be difficult to tell a real difference between the three, though at extreme resolutions eg. 4K, DP has a significant advantage of being able to drive 4K @ 60Hz instead of HDMI's 30Hz. DP also supports multi-streaming which allows you to run 2 monitors off a single DP connection. HDMI is only more popular than DP...but it is not better. Many HDMI implementations in TV's actually suffer from Latency, (which is why many TV's offer a game mode).

Spyhop Oct 3, 2013 @ 7:57am

"In common resolutions, it will be difficult to tell a real difference between the three,"

No, it will be completely impossible to tell the difference, since there wouldn't be any. All 3 are ostensibly data cables. Your monitor receives the data in time or it doesn't.

It's true DVI and HDMI don't have the bandwidth to handle 4K, though. But HDMI 2.0 will.

Dr. Koks Feb 19, 2015 @ 12:29am

Update, since this still comes up as one of the top pages on google and some info here is incorrect/outdated:

1. HDMI 2.0 now supports 4k @ 60p.
2. There is absolutely ZERO difference in quality of supported resolutions between dp/dvi/hdmi.
3. Latency of TVs has nothing to do with "HDMI implementation", but is related to various "improvement/smoothing/etc." algorithms that are used on the TV picture (since for TV input lag does not matter). Game mode turns all that off, again, nothing to do with HDMI.

Cheers

mirisbowring Feb 19, 2015 @ 12:31am

Originally posted by Space Monkey:
DP also supports multi-streaming which allows you to run 2 monitors off a single DP connection.

no...
you can connect three monitors on a single DP Output...

#10

mirisbowring Feb 19, 2015 @ 12:31am

Originally posted by King of KS:
Update, since this still comes up as one of the top pages on google and some info here is incorrect/outdated:

1. HDMI 2.0 now supports 4k @ 60p.
2. There is absolutely ZERO difference in quality of supported resolutions between dp/dvi/hdmi.
3. Latency of TVs has nothing to do with "HDMI implementation", but is related to various "improvement/smoothing/etc." algorithms that are used on the TV picture (since for TV input lag does not matter). Game mode turns all that off, again, nothing to do with HDMI.

Cheers

DVI doesn't support 4k

#11

Sir Dookface McFerretballs Feb 19, 2015 @ 1:52am

HDMI is stuck at 60hz and 1080p but carries internet and sound as well as video signals. Displayport can do everything HDMI can and better I believe 4k resolutions and much higher refresh rates as well, and dvi is old and only old people use it. lol

This video should likely explain it a bit better:

http://youtu.be/xMVDejZH4kw

#12