I Spent $1100 on DisplayPort Cables… for Science!
0 up · 0 down · 0 ratings
Description
Learn more or pre-order Samsung The Freestyle today at: bit.ly Create your build at buildredux.com We’re at it again with the Total Phase Cable Tester – this time with Displayport, but with even MORE cables and some results we didn’t see coming. Discuss on the forum: linustechtips.com Results Spreadsheet: lmg.gg Results archive will be coming (see forum post) in the next few days
Promos
Check out this AWESOME cable bandwidth calculator: linustechtips.com Buy Monoprice 8K DisplayPort 2.0 Cable - 6ft Monoprice: lmg.gg Amazon: geni.us Newegg: geni.us Buy Monoprice Select Series DisplayPort 1.4 - 6ft Monoprice: lmg.gg Newegg: geni.us Buy Infinite Cables DisplayPort 1.4 - 6ft Infinite Cables: lmg.gg Buy Amazon Basics DisplayPort Cable - 6ft Amazon: geni.us Buy Silkland DisplayPort Cable 1.2 - 6.6ft Amazon: geni.us Newegg: geni.us Purchases made through some store links may provide some compensation to Linus Media Group. ► GET MERCH: lttstore.com ► AFFILIATES, SPONSORS & REFERRALS: lmg.gg ► PODCAST GEAR: lmg.gg ► SUPPORT US ON FLOATPLANE: floatplane.com FOLLOW US ELSEWHERE --------------------------------------------------- Twitter: twitter.com Facebook: @LinusTech Instagram: @linustech TikTok: @linustech Twitch: twitch.tv MUSIC CREDIT --------------------------------------------------- Intro: Laszlo - Supernova Video Link: youtube.com iTunes Download Link: itunes.apple.com Artist Link: soundcloud.com Outro: Approaching Nirvana - Sugar High Video Link: youtube.com Listen on Spotify: spoti.fi Artist Link: youtube.com Intro animation by MBarek Abdelwassaa @mbarek_abdel Monitor And Keyboard by vadimmihalkevich / CC BY 4.0 geni.us Mechanical RGB Keyboard by BigBrotherECE / CC BY 4.0 geni.us Mouse Gamer free Model By Oscar Creativo / CC BY 4.0 geni.us CHAPTERS --------------------------------------------------- 0:00 Intro 1:17 Why DisplayPort 2:31 What's left 3:08 Manufacturers and Testing 4:22 HDMI vs. DisplayPort 5:44 Takeaways 6:55 Interesting DisplayPort applications 7:25 Amazon's best sellers 7:57 Link Training 8:50 Bundled and General cables
The video undertakes a comprehensive, methodical test of DisplayPort cables from multiple brands to determine real-world performance versus rated specifications. The host explains the motivation behind the experiment, highlighting earlier HDMI testing and ongoing audience demand for DisplayPort scrutiny due to signaling instability and dead cables observed in the past. The team uses the Total Phase Cable Tester to benchmark cables at their rated speeds, then pushes them beyond spec to observe behavior under stress, capturing data across three test groupings for redundancy and to catch outliers. A key insight is that many cables, even those from well-known brands, pass at rating speeds but can drag link speeds down through a dynamic negotiation process called link training, which complicates diagnosis. The discussion also covers the three main DisplayPort generations that matter today, notes about bandwidth limits per lane, and the reality that DisplayPort 2.0 promises new modes to address throughput demands. The video then expands into real-world implications, such as the surprising reliability of many consumer cables and the practical economics of cost per foot, while also teasing future content like deeper dives into link speeds, eye diagrams, and related testing methodologies. Throughout, sponsor messages and calls to action accompany practical commentary on choosing cables for specific setups, including hints at broader testing follow-ups and community-shared results.
Topics · science & technology · hardware testing · consumer electronics · displayport · cables · tech reviews
Questions answered
- What is link training in DisplayPort and how can a cable affect it?
- Link training is the handshake process that determines the maximum safe data rate between devices. A cable can force a device to operate at a slower speed than its maximum capability if certain conductors or shielding introduce interference or insufficient signal integrity, causing renegotiation on the fly to a lower speed.
- Why do some cables pass at rated speeds but fail to deliver higher performance on later tests?
- Some cables are built to meet the minimum spec and pass basic tests, but they may not maintain signal integrity under higher demand, leading to speed renegotiation or degradation when pushed beyond standard testing, which is why testing across multiple speeds and scenarios is important.
- How does DisplayPort 2.0 aim to improve performance over the current standards?
- DisplayPort 2.0 introduces new per-lane bit-rate modes and higher aggregate bandwidth, enabling more data to be transmitted concurrently, which supports higher resolutions, higher refresh rates, and advanced features like display stream compression without sacrificing link stability.