Mini DP Vs HDMI - 27 inch Monitor

[ttsoldier]

So I'm thinking about purchasing a monitor for my SP4 (https://www.amazon.com/Dell-UltraSh...ag=hawk-future-20&ascsubtag=UUwpUvbUpU3546164)

I noticed that this monitor has a Mini Display Port.

My question is, what's the difference between connecting the SP4 to the monitor via Mini DP to Mini DP as opposed to a Mini DP to HDMI cable.

Is there any difference?

 

[Chintan Gohel]

does the mini dp convert to hdmi? If yes, the converting part might fail. the more components, the higher the chances of failure.

however, getting the mini dp to hdmi has a benefit of working for many tvs and screens since so many have hdmi

 

[ttsoldier]

does the mini dp convert to hdmi? If yes, the converting part might fail. the more components, the higher the chances of failure.

however, getting the mini dp to hdmi has a benefit of working for many tvs and screens since so many have hdmi

I don't think it will fail as I currently have a mini dp to hdmi apater and plug in hdmi cables to it with no problem.

I'm also not concerned about other TV's/screens .

My question is really about the difference between mini dp to mini dp vis mini dp to hdmi

 

[packer_23]

Any docks have an HDMI port for the pro 4?

 

[ttsoldier]

Any docks have an HDMI port for the pro 4?

Why would you want the HDMI? The surface dock has the mini dp port.

 

[Chintan Gohel]

Why would you want the HDMI? The surface dock has the mini dp port.

most screens lie tvs have hdmi, and getting an adaptor is an extra cost? :eck:

 

[ttsoldier]

most screens lie tvs have hdmi, and getting an adaptor is an extra cost? :eck:

Yes but i'm just trying to get an answer to my original question. If there is a difference between mini dp to mini dp and mini dp to hdmi.

 

[jo-pa]

If a dock had an hdmi port it would save me from buying any mini dp port cables etc... as I already own HDMI cables I could plug into and hook into my tv

 

[Cleavitt76]

Jo-pa, open your own thread if you have a question. The poor OP can't even get an answer before you start hijacking his thread.

To answer the OP's question...

The short answer is that there really is no difference in practice in most cases.

The longer answer is that DisplayPort is a more modern and more capable standard than HDMI. DisplayPort supports higher resolutions, higher bit depths, and in some cases multiple monitors through 1 connection. Display port outputs tend to be more versatile because they can be converted to pretty much any other format via fairly cheap cables or adapters. The opposite is not always as easy. Having said that, HDMI is very capable and it's safe to assume that HDMI meets or exceeds the capabilities of the monitor (otherwise, it would come with a different input option, right?). Therefore, it is nice to have DisplayPort on the output device for better versatility and future proofing. On the input device, digital DVI, HDMI, and DP are all fine since they will be matched to the capability of the monitor anyway. Incompatibilities are possible, but they usually happen with older monitors that have analog DVI inputs or were based on early (probably not well proven at the time) DVI/HDMI standards.

 

[ttsoldier]

Jo-pa, open your own thread if you have a question. The poor OP can't even get an answer before you start hijacking his thread.

To answer the OP's question...

The short answer is that there really is no difference in practice in most cases.

The longer answer is that DisplayPort is a more modern and more capable standard than HDMI. DisplayPort supports higher resolutions, higher bit depths, and in some cases multiple monitors through 1 connection. Display port outputs tend to be more versatile because they can be converted to pretty much any other format via fairly cheap cables or adapters. The opposite is not always as easy. Having said that, HDMI is very capable and it's safe to assume that HDMI meets or exceeds the capabilities of the monitor (otherwise, it would come with a different input option, right?). Therefore, it is nice to have DisplayPort on the output device for better versatility and future proofing. On the input device, digital DVI, HDMI, and DP are all fine since they will be matched to the capability of the monitor anyway. Incompatibilities are possible, but they usually happen with older monitors that have analog DVI inputs or were based on early (probably not well proven at the time) DVI/HDMI standards.

Thank you.