VESA Tackle Short Cable Problem with Updated DisplayPort 2.1b Spec and Active Cables up to 3m

VESA today announced that they are looking to to tackle the problem of cabling for DisplayPort 2.1 connections by introducing a new certification for longer active cables. We highlighted the current challenges with using passive cables in our video covering the 5 big problems with DisplayPort 2.1. At the moment these passive cables for the top-tier UHBR20 speeds are very restrictive in length due to the high bandwidths that need to be transmitted across them making them quite impractical for many PC setups.

VESA are now working with members to introduce new “DP80LL” cables (DisplayPort 80 Low Loss) that enable up to four-lane UHBR20 link rate support – a maximum throughput of 80 Gbps – over an active cable up to 3m in length. The spec for these new cables will be a key highlight of DisplayPort version 2.1b, which will be released in the spring of 2025 they say. As a result, the DisplayPort 2.1b update will provide for up to 3X the cable length for UHBR20 GPU-to-display connections compared to existing VESA certified DP80 passive cables which are available up to 1m.

UHBR20 and DP80LL Product Demos at CES 2025

VESA will showcase samples of pre-certified DP80LL cables alongside product demonstrations of DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR20 capable displays at CES this week in Las Vegas.

“With VESA’s new DP80LL active cable spec, users are no longer limited to a one-meter cable connection between their DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR20 source and hub or sink devices. With more DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR20 products expected to roll out into the market this year, DP80LL active cables will provide consumers with more options and greater flexibility in their gaming or workstation setup to take full advantage of the highest video performance enabled by DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR20,” stated James Choate, compliance program manager for VESA.

NVIDIA and VESA Collaboration – DP 2.1 coming soon

According to the VESA press release today NVIDIA has “been actively collaborating with VESA to ensure optimal performance and compatibility between NVIDIA GPUs and the upcoming DisplayPort 2.1b technologies, including UHBR20 across DP80LL cables”. At the time of writing NVIDIA haven’t formally announced any graphics cards with DP 2.1 connections at all, although this is widely expected to be included as part of their keynote event at CES which takes place this evening (6th Jan) in Las Vegas. This VESA press release all but confirms this will be featured on the new cards coming this year.

It goes on to say that Justin Walker, Director of GeForce Product Management at NVIDIA, commented, “With UHBR20’s ultra-high bandwidth of 80 Gbps, users can experience stunning HDR visuals, ultra-high resolutions, and smoother gameplay. VESA Certified DP80LL cables are critical for ensuring reliable connections between GPUs and monitors, enabling maximum performance in gaming and professional setups.”

DP80LL Release Schedule

VESA certified DP80LL cables are expected to roll out into the market within the next several months.

Source: VESA

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