Does the brand of HDMI or DisplayPort cable matter?

Brand matters less than certification. Look for cables certified to the spec you need, such as Ultra High Speed HDMI for HDMI 2.1 or VESA-certified DP cables for DisplayPort 1.4 and above. Cheap uncertified cables frequently fail to sustain the bandwidth they advertise, which shows up as signal dropouts or a monitor stuck at a lower refresh rate.

Can I use a DisplayPort to HDMI adapter and keep my full refresh rate?

Passive adapters typically cap out at HDMI 2.0 speeds, which limits you to around 4K 60 Hz or 1440p 120 Hz depending on the adapter. Active adapters rated for HDMI 2.1 exist but are expensive and less reliable than using a native cable. If your monitor only has HDMI ports and your GPU only has DisplayPort, an active adapter is workable at lower resolutions but avoid it for high-refresh 4K.

Does DisplayPort or HDMI affect input lag?

Neither connection type adds meaningful input lag compared to the other under normal conditions. Input lag in gaming monitors is determined by the panel and the monitor's processing, not the cable. Focus on enabling your monitor's game mode and making sure you're actually hitting the refresh rate you paid for.

Will my monitor automatically switch to the highest refresh rate when I plug in a better cable?

Not always. Windows and your GPU driver may default to a lower refresh rate even with a capable cable connected. After swapping cables, go to Display Settings, then Advanced Display Settings, and manually set the refresh rate. On NVIDIA hardware you can also confirm the active resolution and refresh rate in the NVIDIA Control Panel under Change Resolution.

HDMI vs DisplayPort for a Gaming Monitor: Which Should You Use?

TL;DR: For most PC gamers, DisplayPort 1.4 or 2.1 edges out HDMI because it supports higher refresh rates at 1440p and 4K without compromises. HDMI 2.1 is a legitimate alternative, especially at 4K 120 Hz or for console-plus-PC setups. Check what ports your GPU and monitor actually have before buying a cable.

At a Glance

Spec	HDMI 2.0	HDMI 2.1	DisplayPort 1.4	DisplayPort 2.1
Max bandwidth	18 Gbps	48 Gbps	32.4 Gbps	80 Gbps
1080p 240 Hz	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
1440p 144 Hz	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
1440p 240 Hz	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
4K 120 Hz	No	Yes	Yes (with DSC)	Yes
4K 144 Hz+	No	Yes	Compressed only	Yes
Variable refresh (VRR)	Limited	Yes (HDMI VRR)	Yes (G-Sync/FreeSync)	Yes
Daisy-chaining monitors	No	No	Yes	Yes

DSC = Display Stream Compression, a visually lossless codec most users won't notice in practice.

Why DisplayPort Has Been the Default Pick for PC Gamers

For the past several years, DisplayPort 1.4 has been the go-to on discrete GPUs. The reason is simple: it shipped on nearly every mid-range and high-end NVIDIA and AMD card before HDMI 2.1 became common. At 1440p and 165 Hz or 240 Hz, a single DisplayPort 1.4 cable handles the job cleanly, often without needing DSC at all.

DisplayPort also supports AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-Sync natively over the same cable. No adapter gymnastics. Variable refresh rate just works.

One underrated perk: DisplayPort can daisy-chain multiple monitors from a single GPU output using MST (Multi-Stream Transport). If you ever want a dual or triple-monitor desk, that matters.

DisplayPort (left) and HDMI (right) ports on a typical gaming monitor , checking which versions your devices support is the critical first step.

Where HDMI 2.1 Actually Competes

HDMI 2.1 flipped the script when it became standard on RTX 30-series and RX 6000-series cards. At 48 Gbps of bandwidth, it matches or beats DisplayPort 1.4 at every resolution up to 4K 120 Hz, uncompressed.

If you play on both a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X AND a gaming PC, HDMI 2.1 lets you use one cable type for both. Consoles don't output DisplayPort natively, so a monitor with HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 gives you the best of both worlds.

HDMI 2.1 also supports HDMI VRR, which works with consoles. AMD FreeSync supports HDMI broadly , including HDMI 1.4 and 2.0 on many monitors , while NVIDIA G-Sync Compatible also works over HDMI 2.1 on supported monitors. DisplayPort remains the most universally compatible path for VRR on PC.

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The Older Versions Are Where Trouble Hides

Here is where a lot of gamers get burned. The cable version and the port version both matter. A cheap "HDMI cable" bought off a shelf might only be rated for HDMI 1.4 (10.2 Gbps), which tops out at 4K 30 Hz or 1080p 120 Hz. Same issue with generic DisplayPort cables that claim DP 1.4 but aren't certified.

Always check:

The port version on your GPU (check the spec sheet, not just the port shape).
The port version on your monitor.
The cable's certified rating, not just the label on the packaging.

The limiting factor is always the weakest link in the chain. A DisplayPort 2.1 GPU connected to a DisplayPort 1.2 monitor over a DP 1.4 cable runs at DP 1.2 speeds.

How to Decide: A Simple Decision Flow

Check your GPU ports. RTX 40-series cards typically have DisplayPort 1.4a and HDMI 2.1. RX 7000-series has DisplayPort 2.1 and HDMI 2.1. Older cards may only have HDMI 2.0.
Check your monitor ports. Most 1440p 144-165 Hz monitors have both HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4. Budget 4K monitors sometimes only include HDMI 2.0, which limits you to 60 Hz.
Match the version. Use the highest version both devices share. If both support DisplayPort 1.4, use that. If both have HDMI 2.1, either cable type works well.
Playing at 1080p or 1440p up to 165 Hz? Any modern cable, HDMI or DisplayPort, handles this fine. Spend your energy elsewhere.
Targeting 4K 120 Hz or above? You need HDMI 2.1 or DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC (or DP 2.1 for uncompressed headroom).

Refresh Rate Payoff: What the Cable Actually Unlocks

This is where it gets real. Running a 240 Hz monitor at 60 Hz because you're using an HDMI 2.0 cable is like buying an RTX 4080 and running it at stock with a CPU bottleneck. You paid for the hardware. Get the frames.

At 1440p 240 Hz, HDMI 2.0 cannot carry the signal uncompressed , its 18 Gbps of bandwidth is insufficient at standard color depth without compression. Whether DSC can enable 1440p 240 Hz over HDMI 2.0 depends on the specific monitor and device implementation, and support is not universal. DisplayPort 1.4 handles it cleanly without that uncertainty. At 4K 144 Hz, you want DisplayPort 2.1 or HDMI 2.1 for uncompressed output. The monitors that support those refresh rates at 4K almost always include both ports.

If you're not sure whether your current cable is the bottleneck, check your monitor's OSD (on-screen display) settings. It will usually show the active resolution and refresh rate. If it's reporting lower than your monitor's max, start with the cable and port version before blaming the GPU.

Verdict

For a dedicated gaming PC at 1440p or lower, DisplayPort 1.4 remains the reliable default because it ships on virtually every discrete GPU made in the last five years and handles high refresh rates without fuss.

At 4K or if you're splitting the monitor between a PC and a current-gen console, HDMI 2.1 is a legitimate equal or better choice depending on your monitor's port lineup.

Either way, the spec on the cable and the port on the device matter more than the connector shape. Check both before spending money on a premium cable.

If you're building a new gaming rig and want to make sure your GPU, monitor, and cable are all matched properly from the start, the custom gaming PC wizard at Fix My PC Store can help you put together a build that doesn't leave frames on the table. If an existing setup is behaving oddly, like resolution or refresh rate not hitting its rated max, remote support can often diagnose it without you leaving your desk.

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