2024 Mac mini: M4 DisplayPort 1.4 vs M4 Pro DisplayPort 2.1

[EugW]

Would having DisplayPort 2.1 matter to you guys and gals, vs. DisplayPort 1.4?

I'm considering a new Mac mini and I am leaning toward the M4 due to cost, but I note the M4 Pro offers DisplayPort 2.1.

I know that DisplayPort 1.4 includes HDCP 2.2, so that's covered.

 

[enc0re]

DisplayPort 2.1 is the number one reason to get the Pro in my opinion. If you intend to get a high resolution monitor down the line, you'll kick yourself for being stuck on DP1.4.

Now if you know for sure that you'll only even use HDMI, then it doesn't matter. Even base M4 now supports 4K high refresh, which is awesome!

 

[EugW]

DisplayPort 2.1 is the number one reason to get the Pro in my opinion. If you intend to get a high resolution monitor down the line, you'll kick yourself for being stuck on DP1.4.

Now if you know for sure that you'll only even use HDMI, then it doesn't matter. Even base M4 now supports 4K high refresh, which is awesome!

Well that’s just it. The base mini can support the XDR monitor already and other high res monitors.

 

[enc0re]

Well that’s just it. The mini can support the XDR monitor already.

Sure, that's a 5-year-old, 60Hz display. But a base M4 Mac mini and a 5-year-old, $5K+ display strike me as an unusual combination. Who actually runs that?

 

[EugW]

Sure, that's a 5-year-old, 60Hz display. But a base M4 Mac mini and a 5-year-old, $5K+ display strike me as an unusual combination. Who actually runs that?

I’d be happy with 6K HDR 60 Hz. The thing is to get DisplayPort 2.1, it would cost me CAD $600 extra. Ouch. Anyhow it will be interesting to see if any new Apple monitors get released soon.

 

[EugW]

I've been looking around and it seems most of the DisplayPort 2.1 compatible monitors are gaming monitors, basically 4K or whatever, but at super high refresh rates that are unnecessary for general desktop usage. There are some non-gaming monitors that advertise DisplayPort 2.1 compatibility, but which also function fine with DisplayPort 1.4.

I also came across this:

How Apple's Pro Display XDR takes Thunderbolt 3 to its limit

fabiensanglard.net

THUNDERBOLT 4
What future for 6K+ displays? Thunderbolt 4 was released in 2020 along with Intel's 8000-series controllers called Maple Ridge. It did not increase the bandwidth, which stayed at 40 Gbps, but it made support for DisplayPort 1.4 (and therefore DSC) mandatory.

This version allows supporting display configuration such as 8K@60Hz.

THUNDERBOLT 5
Thunderbolt 5 was announced in September 2023. We should start seeing Barlow Ridge (series-9000) controllers in 2024.

The combination of 120 Gbps "Bandwidth Boost", DisplayPort 2.1, and PCIe Gen4x4 will allows multiple 8K display, up to 540Hz refresh rates, and up to three 4K@144Hz

 

[ekwipt]

There's some great OLED gaming monitors and some new 8K monitors being released next year, with high display sppeds, i'd go for the Mini Pro, for this reason alone!, that and Thunderbolt 5