DisplayPort is one of the most advanced ports for multimedia interfaces. However, this is a port that finds most of its use cases in the PC ecosystem as supposed to gaming consoles.
So that begs the question, Does Xbox Series X have DisplayPort? After all, if you have a good gaming monitor, then it is most likely to have a DisplayPort connectivity option.
Unfortunately, though, the simple answer to the question is a no! Xbox Series X DOES NOT come equipped with a DisplayPort. But don’t let this dampen your spirits.
The absence of DisplayPort does NOT equate to a sub par gaming experience. This is because the Xbox Series X comes with an equally powerful HDMI 2.1 port.
In all honesty, having an HDMI port as the primary port for connectivity makes more sense for gaming consoles if you look at the economics of it. The vast majority of display devices have HDMI ports as supposed to DisplayPort.
Let’s take a deeper dive into this question now.
Xbox Series X Offers the HDMI 2.1 Port
While the Xbox Series X may lack a DisplayPort, it makes up for that by having the latest HDMI 2.1 port.
The beauty of the HDMI 2.1 interface is that it can offer support for up to 8K @ 120Hz refresh rate.
Of course, Xbox Series X is throttled to work only at a maximum of 4k @ 120Hz. This is because there are literally no games out there that can work at 8K resolution.
Even 4K @ 120Hz (120 FPS) is too much of an ask.
The HDMI 2.1 port on the Xbox Series X is located on its backside:
One of the best things about the HDMI interface is that it is backwards compatible with ports that belong to the older version.
All HDMI ports including version 1.4. 2.0 and 2.1 all have the same form factor. So you can connect your Xbox Series X to a TV or a monitor with the older HDMI ports.
However, connecting the Xbox Series X to an older port will bottleneck the overall performance. The following table explains the maximum resolution and refresh rate supported by each HDMI port version:
HDMI Version | Max Resolution | Refresh Rate | HDR |
---|---|---|---|
1.2 | 1440P | 1080P = 60Hz 1440P = 30Hz | No |
1.3-1.4 | 4K (4096 x 2160) | 1080P = 120Hz 1440P = 60Hz 4K = 30Hz | No |
2.0 | 4K (4096 x 2160) | 1080P = 240Hz 1440P = 144Hz 4K = 60Hz | Yes |
2.1 | 8K (7680 x 4320) | 1440P = 240Hz 4K = 144Hz 4K = 240Hz (DSC) 8K = 120Hz (DSC) | Yes |
You can see here that:
- Connecting Xbox Series X to a monitor or a TV with HDMI 2.1 port will result in support for up to 4K @ 120Hz
- Connecting it to the display device with HDMI 2.0 port will support a maximum of 4K @ 60Hz
- Connecting it to the display device with HDMI 1.4 port will support a maximum of 4K @ 30Hz
The bottlenecks also apply to other resolutions including 1440P and FHD.
So Does Xbox Series X Have Displayport?
No, it does not. Xbox Series X DOES NOT have a DisplayPort.
However, if you absolutely HAVE to use a DisplayPort for connectivity, you can invest in an ACTIVE HDMI to DisplayPort adapter for interfacing with your display device.
Active adapters are often more expensive than passive adapters, but they are much more reliable in carrying the signals. They also have a much higher compatibility rate.
Active adapters require a separate power source as can be seen above, the extra USB Type-A port provided in the adapter above is used for powering it up.
These adapters can particularly come in handy when your monitor has an inferior HDMI port but a superior DisplayPort.
Meaning if you have a monitor like the Benq XL2411P which has an HDMI port with maximum support for 60Hz (60FPS) but a DisplayPort that can support up to 120Hz (120 FPS), then it would be better to use the DisplayPort instead.
Of course, the only issue is that Active DisplayPort adapters can get quite expensive.
Why Doesn’t Xbox Series X Have a DisplayPort
The economics of having a DisplayPort doesn’t really quite make sense.
Having a DisplayPort adds to the overall cost of the Xbox Series X since it involves adding a separate chip and firmware into the console.
But DisplayPort would ONLY benefit a handful of the gamers that have a high-end gaming monitor since TVs almost certainly haven’t adopted this interface yet.
However, gaming monitors with DisplayPort almost certainly have an HDMI port as well.
This is because the HDMI port is perhaps the most widely used port for multimedia interfaces. Hence it is unfrugal to have a DisplayPort that would only benefit a few out there.
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