I'm looking to connect my Lenovo Legion monitor (R27Q-30) to my graphics card (5060 Ti 16GB). My GPU supports both DisplayPort 2.1 and HDMI 2.1, but the monitor only has DisplayPort 1.4a and HDMI 2.1. I've heard that DisplayPort is great for daisy-chaining multiple monitors, but HDMI offers higher bandwidth. My monitor supports up to 165Hz and can technically be overclocked to 180Hz, though I don't plan on overclocking it. So, which should I choose: DisplayPort 1.4a or HDMI 2.1?
4 Answers
If the ports on your monitor have enough bandwidth for the resolution and refresh rate, it shouldn’t be a big deal which one you choose. DisplayPort 1.4a can easily support 1440p at 180Hz, so you should be covered with either option. Plus, G-Sync should be compatible with both DisplayPort and HDMI 2.1!
Honestly, just go with whichever one works best for you. That monitor handles 1440p at 180Hz, and DisplayPort is often favored for multi-monitor setups. If you’re just using one monitor, either option should work fine!
DisplayPort generally offers better support for Adaptive Sync, which is great if you want to use G-Sync with your FreeSync monitor. Essentially, if your GPU can only get around 120 FPS, having Adaptive Sync helps smooth out the experience at your monitor’s 180Hz refresh rate. It helps you avoid that choppy feeling when the frame rates vary.
For your setup, it really won’t matter that much. Just use the cable that comes with the monitor and you should be good. The faster connections only really become important when you’re dealing with 4K monitors at high refresh rates, like 4K at 120Hz and above.
Just a heads up, my monitor’s max is actually 165Hz normally, and I won’t be overclocking it to 180Hz.