I have ports for both so I'm just curious if there's a real advantage to one over the other, assuming a monitor supports both. Or if monitors that only support HDMI might be cheaper.
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14" MBP: Is it better to connect a display over Thunderbolt or HDMI?
- Thread starter izzy0242mr
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Depending of the monitor, Thunderbolt can charge your MacBook with the same cable for video transfer, so you can always have only one cable solution to connect to a monitor. HDMI doesn’t provide power to the host computer. Also, Thunderbolt has more bandwidth than HDMI (assuming you don’t have HDMI 2.1 on your monitor), and the port is just more versatile in general than HDMI. I’d go with Thunderbolt
That's what I'm leaning, too. Charging ability is nice.
The MBP doesn't have HDMI 2.1, just 2.0, so I'm assuming that a monitor with HDMI 2.1 can't realize those benefits?
What's the benefit of "more bandwidth," exactly? Faster response times? I'd be using the monitor mostly for office work, but also some videos and gaming.
Well I haven't bought one yet, so I can get one that supports either or both. I'm trying to figure out if there's a significant advantage to one over the other.
Like @fwmireault stated, the only advantage a Thunderbolt connected display might bring if it allows pass thru charging. Other than that, none.
One thing to also consider, a Thunderbolt/USB-C monitor can be connected from either side of your Mac, unlike the HDMI. The cable is also reversible (no up and down side) so it's easier to plug in. HDMI cables also tend to be thicker. As others have said, USB-C monitor can also charge your Mac.
Agreed, but the monitor has to support the standard of pass-thru charge for it to happen. Which, if my memory serves right it's almost all.
Yeah, if I go that route I'll just have to confirm that functionality works on the monitor.
do u mean hdmi using the hdmi port of the mbp 14 ?
if so,you're better off using tb . why ? because the hdmi port on these macs does not support DDC.meaning u cant change brightness nor sound from your mac . when i had the mbp 14 i was forced to use a usb-c to hdmi adapter because of this crap
also yes hdmi-only monitors can be found at a cheaper price ,u nailed it
if so,you're better off using tb . why ? because the hdmi port on these macs does not support DDC.meaning u cant change brightness nor sound from your mac . when i had the mbp 14 i was forced to use a usb-c to hdmi adapter because of this crap
also yes hdmi-only monitors can be found at a cheaper price ,u nailed it
Thunderbolt is great for all in one. If you get a display that charges the host computer over TB, it’s really convenient. And, of course, if you even need to hook up to a conference room or an hDTV on the fly, the HDMI port is always there
Thunderbolt/USB-C if you can! Just for the charging alone (assuming it has power delivery & the power delivery is at least 67 watts). HDMI 2.1 is nice but are there any monitors that have HDMI 2.1?
I've seen a number of displays that explicitly say "USB C with power delivery" (including some with up to 67 watts), but they don't advertise Thunderbolt. What's the downside of something like that? I understand that USB C is just the port style so I assume if they're not using Thunderbolt they're using some other connection technology, but idk how significant that is if it does display + data/audio + power.
I use HDMI because my display at home does not support USB-C but my monitor at work does and it’s so nice to just use a single cable to charge and drive the display.
I also find the HDMI port/connection on the new MacBook pros to be kind of loose in a way and not as satisfying as the “click” when using USB-C.
I also find the HDMI port/connection on the new MacBook pros to be kind of loose in a way and not as satisfying as the “click” when using USB-C.
OK, super quick, not very detailed summary. There are two basic video signals in common use for computer monitors. Displayport and HDMI. Both Thunderbolt and USB-C are actually sending video through Displayport, with extra bandwidth available for charging and data (if you want to use extra ports on the monitor or daisy chain devices etc). The biggest difference between Thunderbolt and USB-C is Thunderbolt has higher bandwidth.
This would be the order of what you should be looking for when buying a new monitor from best to worst:
Option 1) A USB-C or Thunderbolt Monitor. Both these support charging, data transfer etc. The 14" MacBook Pro supports both Thunderbolt 4 and USBC-4 so you can use either one. If you are getting a 4k monitor and don't plan on connecting a bunch of external hard drives to the monitor or something, you won't notice any difference between a USB-C or Thunderbolt monitor. They both will suit your needs just fine. This option is the best option and will give you the most flexibility.
Option 2) Dispayport Monitor. This will provide the same video quality as option 1, but it doesn't support charging, or data transfer. Some older or cheaper monitors are Displayport only, and that is OK if you find something you like (picture quality wise) within your budget. You simply plug the Displayport cable directly from the monitor to one of your Thunderbolt ports. The computer will automatically detect it is a Displayport cable with usb-c type connector and send the video signal. Obviously, you will need to charge your laptop with Magsafe.
Option 3) HDMI Monitor. This is the worst option. It uses more system resources for the same video quality. In general it tends to have worse display quality (although again, if you throw enough resources at it, you can usually get pretty close). Like option 2, it doesn't support charging or data transfer. This port is really only included for convenience in connecting your computer to a TV for entertainment, or a projector in the office conference room, etc. Also worth noting that the HDMI 2.0 on the MBP only supports 4K signal at 60 frames per second in 8-bit color. For your main monitor, you probably should avoid HDMI, unless you need all three Thunderbolt ports available on your Mac or happen to have an HDMI only monitor laying around or something.
Hope that helps.
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Bingo. It will depend on what your monitor can support. HDMI is more common on low-mid external displays and even then, most are capable of 4K @60Hz.
The blog post at https://singhkays.com/blog/apple-silicon-m1-hdr-10bit-billion-colors/ shows that using M1 Mac Mini connected via HDMI is able to output 10-bit video signal.
But from this thread, it seems to conclude M1 Macbook Pro 14/16 do not support 10-bit output via HDMI.
Not an expert here, can anyone confirm which conclusion is right?
But from this thread, it seems to conclude M1 Macbook Pro 14/16 do not support 10-bit output via HDMI.
Not an expert here, can anyone confirm which conclusion is right?