When PC gamers plug their rig into a monitor, they have a choice: HDMI or DisplayPort? Power users may know that one of the main differences between HDMI and DisplayPort is that the latter has more bandwidth to support high frame rates at higher resolutions. HDMI has its advantages too, so it’s good to have the choice. However, game consoles don’t give you this choice. Consoles universally use HDMI instead of DisplayPort, and there’s a pretty reasonable explanation for this: smart TVs generally don’t support DisplayPort.
According to an FAQ published by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA), DisplayPort was designed specifically for PC, monitor and projector use. Adapting the technology to televisions as an alternative to HDMI was never considered by VESA. Since game consoles have always been designed with the living room experience in mind, there has never been a practical reason to implement DisplayPort compatibility if the living room TV doesn’t support it.
On the other hand, the group that owns HDMI is a consortium made up of companies involved in the manufacturing of televisions and game consoles. As a member of this consortium, Microsoft contributed to the HDMI 2.1 standard by improving transmission time to the TV, implementing a variable refresh rate, and improving TV latency. The result is a more optimized connection for Xbox Series X and other video game consoles.
Would game consoles be better if they used DisplayPort?
Ultimately, game consoles and HDMI standards evolved alongside each other, playing to the strengths of each. The same can be said of desktop computers and the DisplayPort standard. Even if an Xbox, PlayStation, or Switch console could use a DisplayPort connection, it wouldn’t necessarily improve the experience. Consoles simply aren’t designed to deliver the level of performance that a DisplayPort cable can handle.
If you’re disappointed with your console’s current performance, a few HDMI tips and tricks can improve the picture quality on your TV. HDMI cables also support Consumer Electronics Control (CEC), a convenient feature that allows connected devices to communicate with each other. That’s why your smart TV automatically turns on every time you turn on your gaming console. There are even more features your HDMI port has that you didn’t know about, and once you see all the ways it enhances your gaming experience, it will make sense that HDMI and DisplayPort would do well to be optimized for their respective platforms.
