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Definition: Mini DisplayPort


A version of the DisplayPort interface introduced by Apple in 2008. Mini DisplayPort uses a smaller plug and socket than the full-size DisplayPort. Also used on some Windows PCs, the Mini DisplayPort (Mini DP) was the foundation for the Thunderbolt interface. See DisplayPort and Thunderbolt.

Version 1.4a
Introduced in 2018, the latest version added improvements to compression, error correction and multi-stream transport (see VESA Display Stream Compression, forward error correction and MST).

               Maximum      Maximum
              Bandwidth    Resolution
 DP Version    (Gbps)    Single Monitor

 1.4a 2018     32.4       7680x4320  8K
 1.4  2016     32.4       7680x4320  8K
 1.3  2014     32.4       7680x4320  8K
 1.2a 2010  See adaptive sync.
 1.2  2009     17.28      4096x2160  4K




DisplayPort Plugs
The Mini DisplayPort is also used for the Thunderbolt interface, which adds PCI Express capability (see Thunderbolt). (Image courtesy of Amazon.com.)






Support for HDMI
With passive cables, "dual-mode" DP (++ logo) connects to TVs via HDMI. However, earlier Mini DP interfaces did not support HDMI audio. To connect Mini DP to an HDMI TV required a split cable that merged DP video and USB audio into a single HDMI plug. See HDMI.