

These older HDMI 2.0 4K monitors will save you some money, but you’ll also lose out on some features. HDR content is limited to static metadata (the HDR 10 standard) compared to 2.1, which supports dynamic metadata (including HDR10+ and Dolby Vision). You’ll also be limited to 44.1 kHz and 16-bit pass-through audio with only two uncompressed audio channels (5.1 audio channels are compressed).įor gamers, HDMI 2.0 doesn’t support the FreeSync standard. This means it’s limited to outputting a 4K signal at 60 frames per second in 8-bit color. While HDMI 2.1 is very capable, watch out-it’s possible your 4K monitor only supports the older HDMI 2.0 standard.
#USB C TO HDMI FOR NEW MAC UPGRADE#
HDMI cables are cheap, but keep in mind you’ll need to upgrade them to be compatible with the 2.1 standard if you want to make full use of the feature set. It can also use FreeSync (or VESA AdaptiveSync) to eliminate screen-tearing. HDMI 2.1 has a few extra tricks up its sleeve, including limited power delivery (uncommon) and the ability to act as an Ethernet adapter (with the right cable). Monitors that support this are quite rare, however, and you can only daisy-chain two displays at once. Because we’re talking about 4K displays, HDMI 2.1 is more than adequate.ĭaisy-chaining-connecting a computer to a monitor, and then connecting that monitor to another monitor-is possible with HDMI 2.1. That’s enough to drive a 10K display at 60 frames per second in full 10-bit color. HDMI 2.1 is the latest standard adopted by device manufacturers, supporting a throughput of 48 Gbps. It provides a stable digital signal that can be hot-swapped (unplugged and plugged in without turning devices off) at will. It’s used in televisions to connect games consoles and Blu-ray players. This pricing is not out of the ordinary for Microsoft, which charges the same $39.99 for all its Surface-branded adapters.High Definition Multimedia Interface, or HDMI, is the most common display interface today. At $40, it is easily one of the most expensive adapters you can buy for this functionality. The big issue with the Microsoft Surface USB-C to HDMI adapter comes down to price.

#USB C TO HDMI FOR NEW MAC TV#
Running UHD YouTube videos or content from Microsoft Movies & TV went without a hitch, with excellent color reproduction and full audio. The Microsoft Surface USB-C to HDMI adapter connected to my 4K OLED LG TV just fine with sound. While I still don't love the split-port setup, overall, running WMR on the Surface Book 2 with this adapter is great. Combined with the power of the NVIDIA GTX 1060 video card on the Surface Book 2 15, the whole experience was outstanding. Scenes were crisp with no odd image pulsing. I ran a Dell WMR headset, and the experience was fantastic. Luckily, the Microsoft Surface USB-C to HDMI adapter had no such problems. At the time, all I had was an HP USB-C to HDMI converter, but Microsoft assured me that it was likely the converter not the laptop causing the problem. That means the cable needs to split and have enough slack to hit both sides of the Surface Book 2, which is larger on the 15-inch model.Īdditionally, I experienced a flickering issue when I ran WMR with the Surface Book 2 at first. Placement is problematic, too, since the secondary USB-A plug needed for power delivery to the WMR headset is on the opposite side of the USB-C port. I expect to see that shift over the next few years with USB-C connections instead.

Would a full HDMI port have been warranted? Probably not, but it would have helped since WMR headsets exclusively use HDMI adapters for the current generation. The reason for the claim was port choice and placement. During my review of the Surface Book 2, I noted that support for WMR seemed like an afterthought for Microsoft.
