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Help with cable choice

S

solidify

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 12, 2018
26
3
I have a new 2018 Mac Mini base model. Which is the best way to connect a 4 year old ASUS PB278Q 27" with 2560X1440 resolution?

HDMI to HDMI?
USB-C to DisplayPort?
USB-C to HDMI?

I like the simplicity of HDMI to HDMI, but I am just curious if there is a difference.

Second question, can someone recommend a cable that I could buy on Monoprice or Amazon that will work for this resolution, be reliable, and also not be very thick? Due to my desk setup, having a flexible cable lay nicely would be better. I would also prefer it not having those big ferrite cores if possible.
 
solidify said:
I have a new 2018 Mac Mini base model. Which is the best way to connect a 4 year old ASUS PB278Q 27" with 2560X1440 resolution?

HDMI to HDMI?
USB-C to DisplayPort?
USB-C to HDMI?

I like the simplicity of HDMI to HDMI, but I am just curious if there is a difference.

Second question, can someone recommend a cable that I could buy on Monoprice or Amazon that will work for this resolution, be reliable, and also not be very thick? Due to my desk setup, having a flexible cable lay nicely would be better. I would also prefer it not having those big ferrite cores if possible.
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If you are just going to use 1 monitor, I think the best would be using HDMI to HDMI. Keep it simple. If you plan on adding a second monitor, get an HDMI to USB-C cable from Amazon, so you can still use HDMI to HDMI for one and HDMI (monitor) to USB-C on Mini.
 
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I would like straight HDMI. I have always purchased Monoprice HDMI cables in the past, but I have never had 1440p resolution before. $2 just seems too cheap. I would also like to avoid the ferrite cores if possible.
 
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Just get an AmazonBasics HL-007306 High-Speed HDMI Cable. It's $7. It supports 4K Video at 60 Hz which is specced higher than you even need.
 
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I'll take a slightly contrary point on this one - if the monitor has DisplayPort, use it. But use a DisplayPort CERTIFIED (not just "Compatible") cable.

My personal preference list, in descending order - use whichever your monitor supports that's highest on the list:

Thunderbolt 3
Thunderbolt
DisplayPort
DVI
HDMI
VGA (absolutely last resort)
 
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Fishrrman said:
I would spend a little extra for an HDMI 2.0 cable. Don't get "a cheapie".
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There is no such thing. There are standard and high speed cables. You just need a high speed HDMI cable. I have 10 year old high speed cables from monoprice for $2.50 that work fine, long before HDMI 2.0 specification existed.

https://www.cnet.com/news/4k-hdmi-cables-are-nonsense/

I would use HDMI port to keep USB-C ports free for other devices. The only thing you can use HDMI port for is your display, so why not do so?
 
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djc6 said:
There is no such thing. There are standard and high speed cables. You just need a high speed HDMI cable. I have 10 year old high speed cables from monoprice for $2.50 that work fine, long before HDMI 2.0 specification existed.

https://www.cnet.com/news/4k-hdmi-cables-are-nonsense/

I would use HDMI port to keep USB-C ports free for other devices. The only thing you can use HDMI port for is your display, so why not do so?
Click to expand...

When you get to 4K and HDR that article is complete nonsense. When the Oppo 203 came out, there were multiple daily HDMI problems on the AVS forum and it went on for months. There were enough problems with the cables that they started a testing and certification program so buyers wouldn't buy crap. Some old cables worked, some did not. There were people swearing their cables were $200 so they had to work. Nope, but a $3 certified Monoprice did.

https://www.hdmi.org/manufacturer/premiumcable/faq.aspx

Everyone came in there going on about how all cables are equal, resisted buying new ones, then when they did everything worked. This doesn't really apply to this OP, but for new 4K it's a real thing.

Regarding the OP, check to make sure that display can do full resolution via HDMI. I just ran into an issue with a Dell 1440p display from that era, where HDMI was 1080p only. Had to use Dual Link DVI or DisplayPort for full resolution.
 
I'm going to mostly agree with @FreakinEurekan - partly due to the Serenity theme, and I can go one step further. I'd offer that DP 1.2 and TB3 cabling are on-par with each other due to the latter's compliance with DP 1.2. I'll differ or disagree with that post due to TB 1/2 being compliant with DP 1.1a - its throughput IMHO being around one-quarter of DP 1.2's maximum throughput.

OP, for your display I'd offer staying away from any HDMI cables as they're HDMI 1.4 - IMHO a bottleneck.

So, my recommendation? There's pretty much only one cable for you to consider - I've purchased them, and they work. The Accell Cable's USB-C to DisplayPort Cable (no personal affiliation, links to Amazon/Staples on that product page - I buy them from Amazon) connects my base iMP via its USB-C port to my P2715Q display or LG 4k display. Accell is one of the few makers of certified (not the lame "compatible" claimed cables) and I've personally checked/verified Accell's throughput claim of 5.4Gbps per lane (their 2-year warranty should be good enough, regardless...).

A solid product, IMHO. I've been using that cable since May with my iMP - over 7 months of flawless use. I'll buy them again when my 2018 Minis show up early next year.
 
solidify said:
What negative effects does the bottleneck cause for a 2560 x 1440 60hz display?
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Lack of DisplayID. HDMI does not convey all capabilities of the computer and display to each other - color range, full range of resolutions, display device technology type(s), video timing details, video color depth and dynamic range, and manufacturer information. There's more about what DisplayID conveys, version dependent, over at the Wiki page...

I connect my 2012 Mini Server via HDMI or DP to a 32" display or a 1440p display - it travels with me to my offices - DP connections offer several more options, and the displays aren't seen as a "television".
 
USB-C to DisplayPort. I suggest getting a cable with a locking DisplayPort connector. Especially if it has to plug straight into the back of the monitor. The ones they sell at the Apple Store do not have the locking connector.

I like the "Amazon's Choice" CableMatters cables. I use one to connect an iMac Pro to a Samsung monitor with similar specs as yours.

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matter...45862124&sr=8-3&keywords=usb-c+to+displayport

"System Report" actually says "Cable Matters USB-C Video Cable" in the USB report.

They come in 3, 6, or 10 foot. I ordered a 3 and a 6, turns out the way I arranged the monitor (to the left of the iMac Pro) I needed the 6 foot. The Samsung input is to the far left of a very wide monitor, and the iMac Pro USB-C ports are to the right.
 
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No offense related to the latest post, I disagree with that choice from personal experience and binning them. CableMatters products aren't on the DisplayPort product portal - they're listed as "compatible" on their product pages, not "certified". I tested them myself, they (all 9 of them) conveyed power over Pin 20, posted about it here around 2-3 years ago. For a few more bucks get a product that works properly and went through a certification procedure.

They'll seem to work fine, before pulling the trigger or clicking on that "buy" button use a web search of "power over pin 20" relative to EDID and DisplayID. To me, having educated myself a few years ago about this matter, "compatible"="junk".
 
campyguy said:
No offense related to the latest post, I disagree with that choice from personal experience and binning them. CableMatters products aren't on the DisplayPort product portal - they're listed as "compatible" on their product pages, not "certified". I tested them myself, they (all 9 of them) conveyed power over Pin 20, posted about it here around 2-3 years ago. For a few more bucks get a product that works properly and went through a certification procedure.

They'll seem to work fine, before pulling the trigger or clicking on that "buy" button use a web search of "power over pin 20" relative to EDID and DisplayID. To me, having educated myself a few years ago about this matter, "compatible"="junk".
Click to expand...

Can you expand on why this matters? I had literally a 3 minute research window before I bought this cable for my kid, or he wouldn't have had a working cable for his new video card until after the holidays.

As you mention, it seems to work fine for his new Nvidia 2070 to an old Dell 1440p display.

And yes, I'm doing my own research..
 
campyguy said:
No offense related to the latest post, I disagree with that choice from personal experience and binning them. CableMatters products aren't on the DisplayPort product portal - they're listed as "compatible" on their product pages, not "certified". I tested them myself, they (all 9 of them) conveyed power over Pin 20, posted about it here around 2-3 years ago. For a few more bucks get a product that works properly and went through a certification procedure.

They'll seem to work fine, before pulling the trigger or clicking on that "buy" button use a web search of "power over pin 20" relative to EDID and DisplayID. To me, having educated myself a few years ago about this matter, "compatible"="junk".
Click to expand...
It may be "junk", but what is the real world difference?

The cable you recommend is $36 plus shipping. That's a lot of money when so many hundreds of thousands of people say that the cheap cables work just as well.

I am not trying to be a rabble rouser here, I am genuinely curious.

I ended up ordered a BlueRigger HDMI cable from Amazon because it had 6,000 positive reviews from people who said it worked well for them. If I am going to actually get something better from a more expensive cable, I will purchase it. But I need know what that "better" thing is going to be. Just knowing that it is "Certified" will not benefit me in any way. If the fact that it is certified means that I will get a better picture, less eye strain, etc. then I would definitely go for it.
 
solidify said:
It may be "junk", but what is the real world difference?

The cable you recommend is $36 plus shipping. That's a lot of money when so many hundreds of thousands of people say that the cheap cables work just as well.

I am not trying to be a rabble rouser here, I am genuinely curious.

I ended up ordered a BlueRigger HDMI cable from Amazon because it had 6,000 positive reviews from people who said it worked well for them. If I am going to actually get something better from a more expensive cable, I will purchase it. But I need know what that "better" thing is going to be. Just knowing that it is "Certified" will not benefit me in any way. If the fact that it is certified means that I will get a better picture, less eye strain, etc. then I would definitely go for it.
Click to expand...

The difference (after a bunch of research) is that there's a pin wired that shouldn't be. The end result can be power fed back to the video card when it shouldn't be, causing all sorts of problems with sleep and such.. and damage if you're really unlucky.
 
brentsg said:
The difference (after a bunch of research) is that there's a pin wired that shouldn't be. The end result can be power fed back to the video card when it shouldn't be, causing all sorts of problems with sleep and such.. and damage if you're really unlucky.
Click to expand...
Could this "pin 20 problem" be the cause of monitors waking up to blank screens after sleep?
 
solidify said:
It may be "junk", but what is the real world difference?
Click to expand...
Did you follow up on reading about power return over Pin 20 or bother to read my earlier posts via a forum search? "Cheap" cables don't work properly, it's an issue that goes back several years. Seriously, in the time you took to reply to my post you should have been able to figure out that there's a bunch of idiots that don't have an issue until they have an issue but don't know why. There's a couple of posts that follow mine that echo that sentiment.

Look. I've offered my help, you've purchased an expensive computer. Apple doesn't resell any "compatible" products anywhere in their stores or their web portal. I'm pretty much finished here and I'm done with this thread - go buy some duct tape and aluminum foil - it's "compatible". :rolleyes:
 
campyguy said:
Did you follow up on reading about power return over Pin 20 or bother to read my earlier posts via a forum search?
Click to expand...
No, I did not. I asked the questions here, I did not know that I was supposed to search for and read other poster's full history of posts before asking a question.

"Cheap" cables don't work properly
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Yet you still haven't explained exactly why. I am am clearly asking for the real world reasons that would effect me.

it's an issue that goes back several years. Seriously, in the time you took to reply to my post you should have been able to figure out that there's a bunch of idiots that don't have an issue until they have an issue but don't know why. There's a couple of posts that follow mine that echo that sentiment.
Click to expand...
Yes, everyone except for you is a bunch of idiots. Everyone who hasn't spent dozens and dozens of hours researching a cable is an idiot.

With that statement you have shown your true colors, just a snob.

Here is a USB-C to displayport connection on the left from yesterday, and the HDMI connection I just made today with my new cable on the right. Everything is the same, the end result is the same.

If my monitor stops working then I will research it further, but it won't because hundreds of thousands of people use this type of connection, while it's only you telling me to buy a $36 cable because "it's certified and I say it's better.

dyapsi.png
 
There is a small difference, look at the refresh rate. I doubt that will make any practical difference. I suppose the presumption when using HDMI is you are connecting to a TV.

I suppose I'm the one being berated over the "pin 20" problem. I was not aware. It is true that the Cable Matters cable is not certified, and unclear though about pin 20. I searched through the comments on Amazon, and found a VERY OLD Q&A about pin 20. Somebody asked if it had pin 20 connected and the answer was simply "yes". So, ambiguous as to whether it actually creates a problem. I see no significant complaints on Amazon about the cable, and is an "Amazon's Choice" which is usually a good bet.

I had the $36 cable, which I got from the Apple Store. I took it back because it lacked the locking pin on the DP end. I've found in the past the locking pin is needed if the connection is horizontal, because otherwise the plug will sag down at an angle and eventually work it's way out or (worse) damage the socket. The lack of the locking pin made it seem "cheap" to me - it's all relative!

So, I got the "less expensive" $24 cable. It "works for me" though that doesn't mean it will work for others.

Since I have no HDMI out on the iMac Pro, HDMI would need an adapter or a USB-C to HDMI cable which would be silly...

I have a late 2012 Mac Mini as well. It's currently connected to an ASUS bog-standard 1080p monitor with a mini-DP to DP cable. The mini-DP on the Mini is probably damaged, I have to fiddle, and no locking tabs possible on mini-DP. Good riddance to mini-DP! I had a heavy adapter dongle on it for years, and it's taken it's toll! I can go to the HDMI if needed to connect the no-frills monitor.

Any certified cables WITH the locking pin?
 
Club3D makes certified cables without the issue. The 2M one was like $15 I think, for DP to DP. I’m not sure about for the mini.
 
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