Version matters more than the connector

Every DisplayPort connector has looked the same since 2006, so the version is the only thing that tells you what a cable will carry. DisplayPort 1.2 covers 4K at 60 Hz. DisplayPort 1.4 adds the bandwidth for 8K at 60 Hz and 4K at 120 Hz with Display Stream Compression. DisplayPort 2.1 is the current standard, and VESA-certified DP54 cables are the ones to buy for 10K at 60 Hz, 8K at 144 Hz or 4K at 240 Hz. A cable rated below the mode you are driving will not simply run slower — it will drop out, flicker, or fail to link at all, and that is the single most common cause of a monitor that works intermittently.

Mini DisplayPort and adapters

Mini DisplayPort still appears on a great many business laptops and docks. Electrically it is identical to full-size DisplayPort, so a Mini-to-full-size lead is a cable rather than a converter and carries the same signal. Going the other way — DisplayPort out to HDMI or DVI in — is a conversion, and needs an active adapter if the source does not support dual-mode output.

Locking connectors

DisplayPort plugs latch. That is a genuine advantage in a hot-desking bench or a meeting room where leads get pulled, and an irritation if nobody in the office knows the release catch has to be pressed. Locking-specific leads are worth specifying for fixed installations, digital signage and anywhere a cable being tugged out is an incident rather than an inconvenience.

Brands

StarTech.com, Cables Direct, Mercodan and Lenovo, alongside DisplayPort leads from the major monitor and workstation manufacturers.

Trade pricing and business accounts are available for UK organisations, and bulk orders are welcome — request a quote.