This Port Comparison Table shows the USB, Thunderbolt, Displayport and HDMI standards… Each port has its advantages, limitations and certain (in)compatibilities. Even though EVERYONE struggles with the immense complexity of distinguishing these ‘standards’ properly, I couldn’t find any site with a proper comparison table.
So, -at best effort- I went to work. Now, before I present my ultimate port comparison table, there’s a small disclaimer: I am not 100% sure if all the information is correct, as some official websites contradict each-other or some information could simply not be found.
Last update: January 23rd 2024 (added Thunderbolt 5 and Displayport 2.1)
Port comparison table: USB versus HDMI versus Displayport and Thunderbolt
| Version | Connector | File transfer | Video-out | Audio Channels | eGPU | Max Bandwidth (gbit/s) | HDR | Power Delivery | |
| HDMI | 2.1 & 2.1a | HDMI | No | Yes | 32 | No | 48 | Yes (2.1a introduces SBTM****) | No update: Yes – introduced in HDMI 2.1a****** |
| 2.0a 2.0b | HDMI | No | Yes | 32 | No | 18 | Yes | No | |
| 2.0 | HDMI | No | Yes | 32 | No | 18 | No | No | |
| 1.4 | HDMI | No | Yes | 8 | No | 10,2 | No | No | |
| 1.3 | HDMI | No | Yes | 8 | No | 10,2 | No | No | |
| Thunderbolt | 5 | USB-Type-C | Yes | Yes (DP 2.1) up to 3x 4k@ 144hz, multiple 8K… | 32 (?) | Yes (PCI Express Gen4x4, double compared to TB4) | 80 (up to 120 Gbps boost for Diplays) | Yes | Optional/Varies – 140 and up to 240w |
| 4 | USB-Type-C | Yes | Yes | 32 (?) | Yes | 40 | Yes | Optional/varies – Up to 100w Update: 250w with USB-C Release 2.1*** | |
| 3 | USB-Type-C | Yes | Yes | 32 (?) | Yes | 40 | Yes | Optional/varies – Up to 100w Update: 250w with USB-C Release 2.1*** | |
| USB | 4 | USB-Type-C | Yes | Yes USB 4.0 v2.0 even contains DP 2.1 | 32 (?) | Yes | 20 or 40 and 80 gbps with USB 4: v2.0 (even 120gbps(!) if data goes only one way) | Yes | Optional/varies – Up to 100w Update: 250w with USB-C Release 2.1*** |
| Type-C | USB-Type-C | Yes | Optional* | Optional* | No | 10 | Opt* | Optional/varies – Up to 100w Update: 250w with USB-C Release 2.1*** | |
| 3.2 Gen 2 (Superspeed) | USB Type-A | Yes | Software (Displaylink**) | Software (Displaylink**) | No | 10 | No | Optional/varies | |
| 3.2 Gen 1 (Superspeed) | USB Type-A | Yes | Software (Displaylink**) | Software (Displaylink**) | No | 5 | No | Optional/varies | |
| Displayport | 2.1 | USB-Type-C or Displayport | No | Yes | 32 (?) | No | 80 (DP80 cable) 40 (DP40 cable) | Yes | Optional through USB Type-C connector |
| 2.0 UHBR (Ultra-high Bit Rate)***** | USB-Type-C or Displayport | No | Yes | 32 | No | 80 (of which 77.4 for media) | Yes | Optional through USB Type-C connector | |
| 1.4(a) | USB-Type-C or Displayport | No | Yes | 32 | No | 32.4 (of which 25.92 for media) | Yes | Optional through USB Type-C connector | |
| 1.3 | Displayport | No | Yes | 8 | No | 32.4 (of which 25.92 for media) | No | No | |
| 1.2(a) | Displayport | No | Yes | 8 | No | 21.6 (of which 17,28 for media) | No | No |
| *Optional with ‘HDMI-Alt‘ or MHL (or software-based with Displaylink: ** This is not entirely recommended, as the image quality can be compressed and be experienced as laggy) DisplayLink also has a significant “Virtual display” overhead on your CPU and lacks certain acceleration. You’ll also need to install specific drivers first, and these aren’t exactly known for their stability. So I would not recommend using a DisplayLink monitor/system, unless there is absolutely no alternative. ***USB Type-C 2.1 will require a ‘Extended Power Range’ (EPR) cable in stead of the ‘Standard Power Range’ (SPR)-cable in order to reach 250watts power delivery. So the EPR cable will eventually allow you to charge much more powerful devices like workstations. Today it’s perfectly fine for a home-office monitor to power a laptop through USB–C **** SBTM is Source Based Tone Mapping and will automatically adjust the HDR-source to match the HDR capabilities of your screen. This should also show a more correct image when your screen shows both HDR and SDR content at the same time. Luckily, the HDMI 2.1a standard can be implemented through a firmware upgrade of your source/device manufacturer, so maybe there’s no need to buy new gear… yet. (source) ***** Displayport 2.0 UHBR cables will be labeled as DP40 and DP80, supporting either 40 or 80gbps. ****** “HDMI Power Cables” will work with source devices that support it, but when connected to a source device without HDMI power delivery, the cable will require an external power source, probably via USB-C or micro-USB. |
Which resolutions and refresh rates are supported by USB-C, Thunderbolt, Displayport and/or HDMI?
This is a tricky one. Do you need a single monitor? Dual monitors? Do you require HDR? is 30Hz okay? Or do you need 120 or even 144Hz?
The best way to have an idea of what’s possible is to fill in your desired resolution and bit-depth in this calculator. You can then compare the required bandwidth with the bandwidth of the port you’re willing to use. But keep in mind this calculator is limited to video signal only and does not include audio signal or any additional data you’d want to send through the cable.
When comparing ports, some things should be kept in mind:
- Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 are logo certification programs from Intel that cost manufacturers time and money. So, while a USB 4 fitted computer could work with 40 Gbps devices and/or even those labeled as Thunderbolt, it may not be listed as Thunderbolt if it they didn’t pay to go through certification.
- Thunderbolt 3 and 4 devices are always compatible with USB-C devices, but NOT necessarily vice-versa. This means you can have USB-C ports which won’t work with Thunderbolt 3 or 4 devices, even if they have the same connector!
- USB 4 devices are required to support at least 20 Gbps. They will often support 40 Gbps if they use a shorter 0.8 meter Gen 3 cable.
- Is there a D-symbol (DisplayPort) next your USB-C port? This usually means you can use this port to transfer a DisplayPort video signal and connect a monitor.
- Warning: Cables matter! Always make sure you have the correct type of cable. Also the length of your HDMI or USB-C / Thunderbolt cable can have an impact on throughput! So if you need to bridge a longer distance, don’t cheap-out on the quality of a cable and doublecheck if all requirements are met at said length. This is the reason why most USB-C/Thunderbolt docks have such tiny cables. And as mentioned above(***), there’s a difference between EPR and SPR Usb-c cables.
However: If you need to cross longer distances with e.g. Displayport, there are optical solutions as well. This will be your safest bet to reach maximum bandwidth and no loss of signal.
I hope my comparison table helped you out! Feel free to make a small donation.
Please, àlways link back to this post if you should copy it to your own website.
If you should spot any mistake or would like to add anything I missed, please let me know in the comments below.
1 thought on “Complete port comparison table: HDMI 2.1 vs Displayport 2.1 vs Thunderbolt 5, 4, 3 vs USB-type-C & USB 4”
I was looking for a comparison like this. Extremely helpful. Thanks!