The DisplayPort and USB interfaces are getting closer and closer together. The release of the new USB4 V2.0 specification goes hand in hand with an upgrade of the DisplayPort video interface from version 2.0 to version 2.1.
First things first: all of them so far Products certified according to DisplayPort 2.0 should also support DisplayPort 2.1 despite the extended requirements.
As with USB4 V2.0 aka USB 80Gbps, DisplayPort 2.0/2.1 offers a maximum bit rate of 80 Gbit /s at 4 lanes. The DisplayPort protocol can be used via alternate mode via the USB-C connector. Therefore, there needs to be close coordination between the two standards.
Innovations with DisplayPort 2.1
With DisplayPort 2.1, the requirements have been tied more closely to the specifications of USB-C and the physical interface (PHY) of USB4, explains the responsible video electronics Standards Association (VESA) in their press release. Also new is a function for managing the DisplayPort bandwidth so that DisplayPort tunneling is more efficient with other I/O data traffic via USB4.
From certified DisplayPort cables to chips for docking stations and monitors to graphics processors, all devices that already conform to DisplayPort 2.0 should also support DisplayPort 2.1.
Cables in two classes
The new cables are divided into DP40 and DP80, with the name implying the maximum bit rate of 40 Gbps and 80 Gbps with full use of the four UHBR links. As with USB4, the maximum transfer rate is optional and not set. The new 80 Gbps Thunderbolt standard is expected to make speed the minimum requirement, at least that's how it was with its predecessors.
New DisplayPort cables (Image: VESA)Products with DisplayPort 2.1
AMD's Rembrandt APUs (Ryzen 6000) and also Intel's Arc graphics cards are specified according to DisplayPort 2.0 and should now also support DisplayPort 2.1 according to VESA information. To some surprise, Nvidia is still sticking with DisplayPort 1.4 for the GeForce RTX 4090. If the rumors are right, the Navi 31 GPUs from AMD will offer DisplayPort 2.1 for the Radeon RX 7000.
But this won't do much for the time being, because on pages PC monitors don't even have the new DisplayPort interface yet. Things are quite different with HDMI 2.1 with up to 48 Gbit/s.
Verification from multiple sources that @Radeon Navi 31 will support upcoming DisplayPort 2.1 specification. I am tremendously surprised that @NVIDIAGeForce 4090 only supports DP 1.4a. Props to @LinusTech for calling out the DP1.4/4090 shortcomings! https://t.co/eW84VicAZr pic.twitter.com/4fmOtcnlth
— Kyle Bennett (@KyleBennett) October 12, 2022