Use DisplayPort 1.4 for 3440 x 1440 at 120Hz and keep HDMI 2.0 for a console or a second PC. DisplayPort 1.4 carries roughly 26Gbps against about 18Gbps on HDMI 2.0, and that headroom is exactly what a 21:9 panel at 120Hz asks for. Both sit on the R5,999 CU34B3E.
Both ports look identical enough on the back of a graphics card that it is easy to assume either one does the same job on a modern monitor. Choosing between HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4 for a 34-inch WQHD 120Hz panel is not a matter of preference, it is a bandwidth question with a clear correct answer for this specific combination.
Use DisplayPort 1.4 for 3440x1440 at 120Hz, and keep HDMI 2.0 for a secondary device such as a console or a second PC. DisplayPort 1.4 carries roughly 26Gbps against HDMI 2.0's roughly 18Gbps, and that extra headroom is exactly what a 21:9 panel at 120Hz needs to run both figures together. Both ports sit on the R5,999 AOC CU34B3E.
This is not a brand preference or a marketing distinction, it comes down to a real, measurable difference in data-carrying capacity.
3440x1440 at 120Hz requires roughly 24Gbps of bandwidth to transmit uncompressed, which sits comfortably within DisplayPort 1.4's approximately 26Gbps ceiling but exceeds HDMI 2.0's roughly 18Gbps capacity. Attempting to run this exact combination over HDMI 2.0 typically forces a compromise: either the resolution drops, the refresh rate drops, or the connection falls back to a compressed signal mode, none of which deliver the panel's true full specification.
Despite DisplayPort's bandwidth advantage for this specific use case, HDMI 2.0 remains the correct choice for other devices sharing the same monitor.
Games consoles overwhelmingly use HDMI rather than DisplayPort, so a console connected to this monitor should use the HDMI 2.0 input regardless of the PC's own connection method, even though that same 18Gbps ceiling means a console session typically tops out well short of the panel's full 120Hz. A second PC, particularly an older one without a DisplayPort output, is another legitimate case for HDMI 2.0, accepting a lower refresh rate or resolution on that specific connection as a reasonable trade for compatibility. Running your primary gaming or productivity PC through DisplayPort while keeping HDMI available for secondary devices uses both ports for what each does best.
Even with the correct port chosen, the physical cable itself needs to actually support the bandwidth the port is capable of.
A DisplayPort cable rated for DisplayPort 1.4 or higher is needed to actually reach the full bandwidth; an older or lower-rated DisplayPort cable, sometimes one inherited from a DisplayPort 1.2 monitor bought several years earlier, can bottleneck the connection despite both ends technically being DisplayPort. Look for cables explicitly stating DisplayPort 1.4 support, or a certified high bit rate rating, rather than assuming any DisplayPort-labelled cable performs identically, particularly on a cable longer than 2 metres where signal quality matters more.
Knowing the practical symptom helps you diagnose a mismatched connection quickly rather than assuming a fault elsewhere.
Connecting via HDMI 2.0 when DisplayPort was needed for full performance typically shows as a lower available refresh rate option in Windows display settings, commonly capped somewhere around 85Hz to 100Hz at full resolution, or 60Hz if the display falls back to a more conservative signal mode. This is not a fault with the monitor or the graphics card, simply the bandwidth ceiling of the connection type in use, and switching to a DisplayPort cable resolves it within a couple of minutes.
A properly rated DisplayPort 1.4 lead lives in cable solutions, the panel itself sits in the office monitor range, and monitor accessories covers any other connection pieces you might need.
It works, just not at the full 3440x1440 and 120Hz combination together. Expect either a reduced refresh rate or resolution over HDMI 2.0 specifically.
HDMI, since consoles almost universally use HDMI outputs rather than DisplayPort.
No. Only cables specifically rated for DisplayPort 1.4 or higher reliably reach the full bandwidth needed. Older or unrated cables can bottleneck the connection.
Check the refresh rate option available in Windows display settings; if 120Hz is missing or the resolution has dropped, the connection is likely the limiting factor rather than the monitor.
For this specific resolution and refresh rate combination, yes. For other setups, such as console gaming, HDMI remains the correct and often only available choice.
Ready to get the full 120Hz your monitor is capable of? Confirm you are using a properly rated DisplayPort 1.4 cable for your PC before troubleshooting anything else.
It works, just not at the full 3440x1440 and 120Hz combination together. Expect either a reduced refresh rate or resolution over HDMI 2.0 specifically.
HDMI, since consoles almost universally use HDMI outputs rather than DisplayPort.
No. Only cables specifically rated for DisplayPort 1.4 or higher reliably reach the full bandwidth needed. Older or unrated cables can bottleneck the connection.
Check the refresh rate option available in Windows display settings; if 120Hz is missing or the resolution has dropped, the connection is likely the limiting factor rather than the monitor.
For this specific resolution and refresh rate combination, yes. For other setups, such as console gaming, HDMI remains the correct and often only available choice.
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