Display port vs. DVI vs. HDMI

[dgposton]

My Latitude E6400 has Display Port and DVI, I believe. No HDMI. Can someone explain why Display Port and which external monitors it will be compatible with?

I am looking for a new monitor, the slimmest LED available, something like this:

Dell S2230MX 21.5" Ultra-Slim Monitor with LED

But it doesn't have Display Port, and I suspect many don't. What to do?

[sgogeta4]

Hdmi is a consumer port and this is a business laptop. It just needs a passive adapter to connect it with dp. Dp was supposed to replace vga.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

[dgposton]

Hdmi is a consumer port and this is a business laptop. It just needs a passive adapter to connect it with dp. Dp was supposed to replace vga.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

Two questions:
1. Is there any downgrade in quality by using an adapter to go from Display Port to HDMI?
2. Am I better off using DVI or Display Port --> HDMI?

[Robin24k]

No, single link DisplayPort and HDMI are pin-wise compatible so it's just a pin rearrangement.

Either cable will work, but you don't have DVI on the laptop (you'll need a docking station or DisplayPort to DVI adapter).

[dgposton]

I have the E-port docking station, so I have DVI there (and DisplayPort too methinks), and DisplayPort on the laptop. I guess I should just go with DVI?

[Robin24k]

If you would like to be able to connect the computer to the monitor without the docking station, go with DisplayPort.

Otherwise, if you always use the docking station, DVI is more common and many monitors come with the cable (UltraSharp monitors all come with one, don't know about consumer models).

[elpee_2001]

Off topic a bit.
Just saw a new MacBook Pro has 2 thunderbolt ports. What is it? Thanks.