Hardwiring grows more advanced beyond comprehension with each passing day as technology evolves faster than our minds can grasp. The adoption of the new DisplayPort 2.0 standard, which was announced in June 2019, provides an exciting advantage for customers, who now have a special connection over the now-outdated HDMI cable.
DisplayPort, on the other hand, is due to make a significant comeback with the release of DisplayPort 2.0. With massive bandwidth and compatibility for even higher resolutions, refresh rates, and HDR standards, this generation blasts away any prior video transmission standards.
This post will cover DisplayPort 2 and everything you need to know. Let’s get started.
What is DisplayPort 2
The DisplayPort 2 standard is the most recent version of DisplayPort. It is the successor to DisplayPort 1.4 and represents the highest increase in available bandwidth in the standard’s history, nearly tripling it in a single generation.
In comparison, DisplayPort 1.4 might use the High Bit Rate 3 (HBR3) transmission mode, which offers a maximum data rate of 35.92 Gbits per second.
With a maximum data rate of 77.37 Gbits per second, Ultra High Bit Rate 3 (UHBR3), Ultra High Bit Rate 2 (UHBR2), three additional transmission modes are supported by DisplayPort 2.0.
Bandwidth and Resolution
According to VESA, DisplayPort 2.0 boosts the maximum bandwidth to 77.37 Gbps. This is a major improvement over the prior version.
Compared to the previous DisplayPort version (DisplayPort 1.4a), DisplayPort 2.0 offers up to a 3X improvement in data bandwidth performance and additional features to support conventional displays’ expected performance needs in the future.
High dynamic range (HDR) and higher refresh rates support at higher resolutions, enhanced support for different display configurations, and a better user interface with augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR) displays, such as support for 4K-and-beyond VR resolutions, are a few of these.
DisplayPort 2.0 additionally provides a 10240×4320 (10K) resolution at 80Hz and up to 24 bpp without HDR. Compression is not required for this single-screen resolution.
Compatibility
The DisplayPort 2.0 connection form is unaltered and backward compatible with prior versions of the DisplayPort protocol.
Furthermore, DisplayPort 2.0 maintains compatibility with DP Alt Mode, which has been warmly appreciated due to its potential to be utilized on USB-C connectors.
Additionally, the new standard, like DisplayPort 1.4, supports ” DisplayPort Alt Mode” on USB-C connections. In this case, you may use a single connection for video and data, allowing for high-speed data transfer without sacrificing video performance.
Connector
DisplayPort 2.0 has the same standard DisplayPort connector. All prior DisplayPort standards are backward compatible. The new standard, like DisplayPort 1.4, is compatible with USB-C connections that enable “DP Alt Mode.”
The Thunderbolt 3 physical interface layer, a more unifying standard for the future, is used by DisplayPort 2.0 in addition to USB-C. By utilizing that physical layer, DisplayPort 2.0 can employ the more effective 128/132b encoding technique, which has significantly less overhead.
Power Saving
DisplayPort 2.0 features likely enhancements to functions along with gains in raw bandwidth, one being Panel Replay.
This increases the efficiency of the display by reducing its power consumption and minimizing its heat output. For example, a smaller device with a high-resolution display only updates items that change on-screen when Panel Replay is enabled.
This feature prevents the display from consuming extra power to update elements that aren’t now displayed, so while you stay on one webpage, it doesn’t continually refresh. It can also aid in accelerating system charging if the device is on while charging.
Multi-Stream Support and Compression
DisplayPort 2.0 is also tuned for multi-stream transfer, allowing you to daisy-chain many monitors, such as three 4K displays or two 8K displays, without sacrificing quality with each progressive connection.
Multiple visual streams are handled by a single DisplayPort 2.0 connection, which sends them to a hub before distributing the separate streams to different monitors.
Display Stream Compression, or DSC, is another DisplayPort 2 feature that will now be required of DisplayPort 2.0-certified devices. The extremely high-resolution and refresh rate options for DisplayPort 2.0 will be enabled by this near-lossless compression format.
Enhanced Audio Support
The increased audio capabilities in DisplayPort 2 are a significant improvement over earlier DisplayPort versions. It supports the most recent audio formats, like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, for an immersive audio experience that complements high-quality video.
The DisplayPort 2 can accommodate up to 32 audio channels and a sample rate of up to 1536kHz, resulting in a larger sound stage and more depth.
The enhanced audio support in DisplayPort 2 is useful in professional situations such as the music or film industries and for gamers that want realistic sound effects for a more immersive experience. DisplayPort 2’s increased audio capability is a key breakthrough leading to a better user experience.
Improved Security Features
Display Stream Compression (DSC) 1.2a, which compresses and encrypts video and audio data for safe transmission while decreasing necessary bandwidth, is one of the enhanced security elements of DisplayPort 2.
HDCP 2.3, which encrypts digital signals to prevent unlawful copying or distribution of copyrighted content, is also supported.
These options make DisplayPort 2 an appropriate interface for sensitive applications such as government or military contexts. They also help customers by securing their data.
DisplayPort 2’s enhanced security measures generally guard against unwanted access and hacking, giving it a more secure interface for sending video and audio information.
Should You Need to Upgrade?
If you play video games, you probably don’t have a high-resolution display screen. A faster refresh rate is more significant to gamers than a better resolution. Therefore, a DisplayPort 1.4 connection already covers the demands of most gamers.
If you wish to play games at a 144Hz refresh rate on a 4K display, a DisplayPort 1.4 connection will be sufficient. If you have one of those new high-end gaming monitors that may be testing the limitations of DisplayPort 1.4, you may get up a DisplayPort 2.0 cable and prepare for the future.
Conclusion
DisplayPort 2 is the most recent version of the DisplayPort interface. It has various enhancements over earlier versions, including increased bandwidth, compatibility for 8K monitors, better audio, and greater security measures.
DisplayPort 2 also supports USB-C connection and MST and is backward compatible with older standards, including HDMI and VGA (you will need a dongle).
