USB-C to HDMI or USB-C to DisplayPort: Which Cable for Your Laptop and Monitor?
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Short answer: if the monitor has a DisplayPort input, buy a USB-C to DisplayPort cable. It carries the laptop's native DisplayPort signal with no conversion, supports the highest refresh rates and resolutions your port allows, and works with daisy-chaining on Windows. Buy USB-C to HDMI when the display only has HDMI: a TV, a projector, or a budget monitor. Both cables require a USB-C port that supports DisplayPort Alt Mode; a port without it shows a black screen with either cable.
One signal, two connectors
A laptop's USB-C port does not have an "HDMI mode." When it outputs video it does so as DisplayPort, using a feature called DisplayPort Alternate Mode that reassigns some of the USB-C pins to carry DP lanes. A USB-C to DisplayPort cable simply wires those lanes to a DisplayPort plug. A USB-C to HDMI cable contains a small converter chip that translates the DisplayPort signal into HDMI on the way through, which is why those cables are directional (USB-C end into the computer) and why their capabilities are capped by the chip rather than by the port.
Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 ports all include DisplayPort Alt Mode. Plain USB-C ports on laptops usually do, but not always: look for a small DisplayPort or lightning-bolt symbol next to the port, or check the specifications. Charge-only USB-C ports and the USB 2.0 ports on many phones cannot output video at all.
Side by side
| USB-C to DisplayPort | USB-C to HDMI | |
|---|---|---|
| Conversion | None; native DP signal | Active DP-to-HDMI converter in the cable |
| Typical maximum | 4K 60 Hz on DP 1.2 ports; 4K 120 Hz or 8K on DP 1.4 ports | 4K 60 Hz on most cables (HDMI 2.0 class) |
| High refresh gaming monitors | Best choice; carries adaptive sync reliably | 1440p 144 Hz works; 4K 120 Hz needs a specific 8K-rated cable |
| Daisy-chaining two monitors (MST) | Yes, on Windows with DP-out monitors | No |
| TVs and projectors | Rarely have DisplayPort | Native fit |
| Audio | Yes | Yes, including ARC-capable TVs |
Choose by what is on the other end
Office or gaming monitor with both inputs: USB-C to DisplayPort. Many monitors deliver their full refresh rate only on the DisplayPort input, and the DP path avoids the converter chip entirely. Our 4K 60 Hz USB-C to DisplayPort cable covers 4K office monitors and 1440p gaming monitors at 144 Hz.
TV, projector or HDMI-only monitor: USB-C to HDMI. A 4K 60 Hz cable handles every 4K TV and every HDMI monitor up to 4K 60 or 1440p 144. It also carries audio, so the TV speakers or soundbar work without extra cables.
Two external monitors from one laptop: on Windows, USB-C to DisplayPort to the first monitor, then DisplayPort out of that monitor to the second (MST). On a Mac, MST is not supported; each display needs its own port or a dock, and some MacBook models support only one external display in the first place.
Charging at the same time: neither cable passes power. Use a dock or a hub with power delivery, such as a USB-C 3-in-1 adapter with HDMI, USB-A and 100 W pass-through, and accept the hub's own video limit (often 4K at 30 Hz on compact hubs).
Adapter or cable?
A USB-C to HDMI or DisplayPort adapter (USB-C male to a female port) lets you reuse an HDMI or DisplayPort cable you already own and is handy in a laptop bag. A single-piece cable has one fewer connection to work loose and is tidier on a fixed desk. Electrically they are the same; buy whichever matches how you work.
Common questions
Why does my USB-C to HDMI cable show a black screen? Usually the port has no DisplayPort Alt Mode: try another USB-C port, ideally one marked with a Thunderbolt or DisplayPort symbol. If the monitor briefly shows a picture then drops it, lower the refresh rate; the cable or port is being asked for more bandwidth than it supports.
Is USB-C to DisplayPort better than USB-C to HDMI for gaming? Yes when the monitor has a DisplayPort input. It carries higher refresh rates, works with adaptive sync more reliably, and adds no conversion. Use HDMI only when the display has no DP input.
Can I use these cables with a phone or tablet? Only on devices with DisplayPort Alt Mode: recent Samsung Galaxy phones, iPad Pro and iPad Air with USB-C, and iPhone 15 and later. Phones with a USB 2.0-only port cannot output video over USB-C.
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