The DP interface is a display standard introduced by the VESA organization, primarily designed for computers and professional monitors; it typically leads HDMI by half a generation to a full generation in terms of high refresh rate support.
| Version | Maximum bandwidth | Performance | Applications | |
| DP 1.2 | 21.6 Gbps | 4K@60Hz / 2K@165Hz | Older-generation gaming monitors | |
| DP 1.4 | 32.4 Gbps | 4K@120Hz / 8K@60Hz（DSC） | Mainstream High-Refresh-Rate Gaming Monitors | |
| DP 2.1 | 80 Gbps | 4K@240Hz / 8K@120Hz | Flagship graphics card + flagship monitor |
DP 1.2 — The Gateway to High Refresh Rates
Release Year: 2010
✅ Maximum bandwidth: 21.6 Gbps
✅ Supports 4K@60Hz
✅ Supports 2K@165Hz, the benchmark for high refresh rates at the time
DP 1.4 — The Mainstay of Esports
Release Year: 2016
DP 1.4 increases bandwidth to 32.4 Gbps and introduces a game-changing technology—DSC (Display Stream Compression):
✅ Maximum bandwidth: 32.4 Gbps
✅ Native support for 4K@120Hz (with lossless DSC compression)
✅ Supports 8K@60Hz (DSC must be enabled)
What is DSC? DSC is a “visually lossless compression” technology, similar to H.265 in video encoding. While the human eye cannot detect any difference, the amount of data transmitted is significantly reduced, allowing low-bandwidth interfaces to support high resolution and high refresh rates.
DP 2.1 — A Future-Proof “Game-Changer”
Release Year: 2022 (Gradual adoption on graphics cards and monitors starting in 2023)
DP 2.1’s bandwidth jumps to 80 Gbps—2.5 times that of DP 1.4—to meet next-generation display demands:
✅ Maximum bandwidth: 80 Gbps (UHBR 20 mode)
✅ Supports 4K@240Hz without compression
✅ Supports 8K@120Hz (with DSC 1.2a enabled)
✅ Theoretically supports 16K@60Hz (high compression)
✅ Full support for USB-C Alt Mode; Type-C ports also achieve full bandwidth
✅ DSC 1.2a upgraded compression for higher efficiency
