General question re: video cards - does Displayport 1.4 drive older Displayport monitors?

peppergomez

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I own 2 HP ZR30w monitors and plan to keep them around until they die (which may be never, since they've been going strong for over a decade). They have just duallink-DVI and displayport inputs.

In the market for a laptop and note that most cards don't have duallink-DVI, but that they do have 1.4 displayport. Will these 1.4 displayport inputs work to drive my ZRs at their native 2560x1600 res?

Thanks.
 
My bad for not asking clearly. What I meant is are these newer 1.4 displayport inputs compatible with much older displayport cables to drive my old monitors.
 
Yes, DP is fully backwards compatible. I have HP LP2475w's which are the previous generation to your ZR30w and am running DP cables from my 1080ti with no problems whatsoever.
 
Yes, DP is fully backwards compatible. I have HP LP2475w's which are the previous generation to your ZR30w and am running DP cables from my 1080ti with no problems whatsoever.
Your monitors likely don't run 2560x1600, which I think was the concern. But yes, should work fine!
 
Your monitors likely don't run 2560x1600, which I think was the concern. But yes, should work fine!

Indeed, they're only 1920x1200, but they are DP1.1 from a DP1.4 source, which is what's at play here. Any IGP/GPU in the last 10 years will support 2560x1600 resolution, as will any DP cable made by a minimally reputable manufacturer shipped in that time.
 
Thanks folks.

My monitors are 2560x1600, in case there was any confusion about that.
 
Alrighty, so the laptop I am looking at is one for sale from an [H] member here, and it's an Alienware M15 laptop: https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/laptops/15/spd/alienware-m15-laptop

PORTS & SLOTS
1. (2x) SuperSpeed USB 3.1 Type A | 2. HDMI 2.0 Output | 3. Mini-Display Port 1.3 Output | 4. Thunderbolt™ 3 Port | 5. Alienware Graphics Amplifier Port | 6. Power/DC-In Port | 7. Noble Lock port (cable and lock sold separately) | 8. Killer™ Networks E2500 Gigabit Ethernet NIC | 9. USB SuperSpeed 3.1 Type-A with Powershare Technology | 10. Audio Out 1/8" Port (Compatible with inline mic headset)


It looks like the Thunderbolt 3 port will be compatible with the displayport input on the HP ZR30w. That takes care of 1 HP ZR30w monitor but I need to drive 2 for photo editing.
My understanding is that mini-displayport will not work with displayport.

Can anyone weigh in on this, and what my options are re: driving 2 HPZr30ws from this laptop if there's only the 1 compatible port on the laptop? (The HP ZR30ws only have displayport and dual-link DVI).
 
PS There are male to male Displayport to HDMI adapator cables, which I thought could solve the issue, but they all seem to be uni-directional, connecting a DisplayPort (DP, DP++, DisplayPort++) equipped computer to an HDTV, monitor, or projector with HDMI input, but I need to opposite:-HDMI laptop to Displayport monitor. I need a b-directional cable, not a uni-directional one. Don't appear to be any on Amazon.



https://www.amazon.com/DisplayPort-...d=1562086906&s=electronics&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1
 
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Thunderbolt supports video, so if you have 1 TB and 1 miniDP, seems like your in good shape. I run several computers on mDP->DP with no issue.

Also possible would be a HDMI->DP adapter, and running one from HDMI and one from DP?

TB3 can support daisy chaining, but I don't think your monitors have built-in MST. External MST hubs exist, but I've never used one to comment on how well it works. They are also pricey, just another option.

Finally a USB video adapter - it wouldn't be fast (no gaming), but it would be fine for standard desktop stuff.
 
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