DP versus MiniDP

[Magic Carpet]

Ya know... been reading some old stuff here. Here's a quote by Ryan Smith:

While NVIDIA has used DVI and HDMI ports for quite some time, this is the first time NVIDIA has included DIsplayPort on a reference design. Unfortunately we find that this ruffles our feathers a bit, although this isn’t strictly NVIDIA’s fault. As we’ve covered in the past, DisplayPort comes in both a full size and miniDP configuration – AMD in particular has used miniDP since the Radeon HD 6800 series in 2010. And while we’re happy to see DisplayPort finally make it into an NVIDIA reference design, the fact that it’s a full size DisplayPort is less than encouraging because at this point in time DisplayPort has largely been replaced by miniDP.

Ultimately the fault for this lies more with the VESA than NVIDIA, but it’s indicative of a larger problem in the DisplayPort community in that both full size DP and miniDP are equally valid and equally capable ports. While full size DisplayPort has the distinction of coming first, thanks in large part to Apple it has largely been displaced by miniDP as the most common variant on source devices. The problem with this is that both miniDP and DisplayPort are now in wide use; wide, redundant use.

At this point desktop computers and video cards coming with full size DisplayPorts is silly at best, and frustrating at worst. The laptop guys aren’t going to give up miniDP due to the space savings, and there’s no significantly good reason to use DisplayPort on desktops when miniDP offers the same functionality. We would rather see the PC industry standardize on miniDP across all source devices, and thereby eliminate any ambiguity with regards to what cables or adaptors are necessary. DisplayPort adoption has been slow enough – having 2 variants of the port on source devices only makes it more confusing for everyone.

The pun is, three years later, we still have the full-size DisplayPorts on the reference 980 and apparently, this is no longer an issue for Ryan, lol. Here is a snippet:

Meanwhile starting with GTX 980, NVIDIA is introducing their new standard I/O configuration. NVIIDA has finally dropped the second DL-DVI port, and in its place they have installed a pair of full size DisplayPorts. This brings the total I/O configuration up to 1x DL-DVI-I, 3x DisplayPort 1.2, and 1x HDMI 2.0. The inclusion of more DisplayPorts has been a long time coming and I’m glad to see that NVIDIA has finally gone this route.

To hell with mini-DP on desktop graphics cards, that's right, I hate them too :thumbsup:

 

[Ares202]

Well Fully sized DP does come with those clips holding the cable securely in place, and space savings isn't really an issue for desktop users.

 

[Magic Carpet]

Well Fully sized DP does come with those clips holding the cable securely in place, and space savings isn't really an issue for desktop users.

Exactly. But look here, such cards do exist. Of course, those adapters must be bought separately, if you intend to drive 2+ monitors. Needlessly complicated setup, imo.

 

[Pneumothorax]

It's a bigger issue for blower reference coolers as multiple DP take up much more bracket space. I prefer miniDP as it's much easier to unplug

 

[Magic Carpet]

It's a bigger issue for blower reference coolers as multiple DP take up much more bracket space.

Could be, even though, none of the EVGA GTX 980 reference design cards feature MiniDPs in any shape or form.

I prefer miniDP as it's much easier to unplug

What do you have?

 

[Insert_Nickname]

I prefer miniDP as it's much easier to unplug

I don't. Because its easy to accidently unplug...

 

[xthetenth]

It seems pretty consistent that Ryan wants more displayport of any variety. Thus the last sentence of the first quote.

I'm not terribly bothered either way. Locking connectors are nice but so is more space efficiency.

 

[JimKiler]

My Gigabyte Radeon HD 7770 had minidisplay port then I bought a MSI R9 270 with full size DP. I prefer the smaller mini DP cable.

 

[ShintaiDK]

IGP is also full size. MiniDP have never been anything but a small niche.

 

[jacktesterson]

Why do we still use full size HDMI and not micro/mini?

 

[fleshconsumed]

I don't. Because its easy to accidently unplug...

It's a cable, not a tow rope. It's supposed to unplug easily.

 

[Smoblikat]

Cables that lock > ones that dont.

Im sure all the IT guys in here will agree with me. All too often I get called over to a users desk because they unplugged their own cable with their foot and the sky is falling 🙁

 

[Insert_Nickname]

It's a cable, not a tow rope. It's supposed to unplug easily...

...but not so easily that it falls out of the socket if you just look at the laptop... 😀

 

[itsmydamnation]

IGP is also full size. MiniDP have never been anything but a small niche.

except for like every apple laptop, lots of PC laptops and lots of recent radeons. The 290 having full sized display port pissed me off, i needed to by new adapters going from a 6970

 

[Ryan Smith]

I would have rather had everyone use mDP. But AMD and NVIDIA have finally settled on a single port, and that port is full size DP. At this point I'm just glad that DP in some form is common, and multiple DPs is now increasingly common on consumer cards as well.

 

[kasakka]

It's the same weirdness for all ports. Why are even the latest USB versions so big? Many cables also seem to be of that "fancy looking and thus huge ends that barely fit if there's another cable next to it" type.

It's not like you can't have locking along with small size and even without it I never managed to accidentally unplug the mini-DP from the Macbook Pro I used to have.

 

[Plimogz]

[...] The 290 having full sized display port pissed me off, i needed to by new adapters going from a 6970

same here. I hadn't needed (mini)DP up until my MSI TF3 7950s, which coincided with a many-monitor splurge, but now that I've got the requisite mini-DP cables I find myself needing full-size connectors to suit my XFX 290s.

All in all, it's par for the course as far as VGAs, display standards and their associated cables go -- but Ryan's earlier stance is entirely valid, in my view. Had he gotten his wish and the makers standardized to mini-DP, I could have gone about my merry way. A small annoyance, admittedly, but an annoyance none the less.