VGA monitors are pretty outdated pieces of hardware, but that doesn’t mean they’re useless. For example, if you have an old VGA monitor, all you have to do to use it with a modern computer is convert the VGA signal to either HDMI or USB. But how do you do this?
To use a VGA monitor with a device that doesn’t use VGA, all you have to do is purchase a proper converter cable. These cables can be found online for cheap, and they can convert VGA to HDMI and even USB if your device doesn’t have another output port.
Now that you know that converting a VGA signal is possible and generally how to do it, you likely want some more detail. For example, what converter cable should you buy? Let’s break down the topic of converting your VGA monitor into a usable format to get more use out of your old monitor.
What is VGA?
VGA is a port available on most monitors that allows you to plug in a new source for the display. VGA was widely popular before the advent of DVI, DisplayPort, and the latest most popular option: HDMI.
A VGA (Video Graphics Array) cable is a cable that specifically carries visual display data from the computer to your monitor. The cable’s design itself is rather simple. A VGA cable features two connectors with a cable running between them.
One of the best parts of the VGA cable is its reversibility. As we mentioned before, both sides of the cable feature a connector. What we didn’t mention is these connectors are the same, meaning either side can function as both the input signal and the output signal.
The Different Types of VGA Cables
There are two kinds of VGA cables: regular and SVGA (Super Video Graphics Array) cables. Regular VGA cables usually support video resolutions up to 640 x 480. However, the SVGA cable does the same thing but better, supporting video resolutions up to 800 x 600.
There also exists another type of VGA cable known as the mini-VGA cable.
The mini-VGA is precisely what it sounds like: a smaller version of the VGA cable. However, the mini-VGA didn’t take off in the same way the original did, meaning you won’t usually run into the port this cable uses very often, if at all.
What’s the Difference Between VGA and HDMI?
The HDMI cable, or the High Definition Multimedia Interface cable, is a cord that can transfer visual data from an input source (ex: your computer) to an output source (ex: your monitor).
At first, it may seem like VGA and HDMI do the same thing. However, given that the HDMI is much newer than the VGA cable, the HDMI cable beats it in almost every category.
VGA was created in 1987 and served as the standard video cable for several years. The HDMI cable was created in 2002 and was officially produced for consumer products in late 2003. However, it was not until around 2010 or 2011 that the HDMI connection became something consumers expected on their devices.
Just like the VGA cable, the HDMI cable is a cable with two connectors at the end. However, these connectors are capable of input and output, meaning there is no way to plug in the cable backward.
Audio and Visual Data
The main thing setting HDMI definitively above the VGA cable is that while the VGA cable can only move visual data, the HDMI cable can move visual and audio data.
That’s right; the VGA cable is not capable of transferring audio, meaning you would need to use a separate cable to get audio on whatever device you connect to using a VGA cable.
Resolution Potential
Another critical difference between VGA and HDMI is their resolution potential. As we mentioned, a VGA cable’s maximum resolution is 640 x 480. Meanwhile, an HDMI cable’s maximum resolution is 1920 x 1080. As a result, using HDMI will give you a much clearer and better-looking display than a VGA cable.
These factors have led to HDMI becoming the standard output cable for many modern devices. These include Blu-Ray players, modern game consoles, and most computers. This has further led many consumers to prefer HDMI cables to VGA cables.
Input Delay
In the battle between VGA and HDMI, HDMI does not have a flawless victory. However, there is one area where VGA is superior: input delay.
Input delay is the amount of time it takes for your device to react to input from the user. This is mainly a problem with video games.
The reason why input delay is an issue with HDMI cables is they take time to apply post-processing on the video that flows through the cable. This post-processing applies filters to your video, such as motion blur and color correction. This leads to more input delay than you would experience with a VGA cable.
Can You Convert VGA into HDMI?
Let’s say you have a modern computer that uses HDMI, and you want to pair it with an older monitor with a VGA connection. Is this possible? Can you convert a VGA signal into HDMI and vice versa?
It is possible to transfer video between an HDMI computer and a VGA monitor. It is also possible to transfer video between a VGA computer and an HDMI monitor. To do this, you need the proper cable.
There are HDMI to VGA cables that exist for this exact purpose. Like regular visual cables, this cable features a cord between two connectors. In this case, these are two different connectors: an HDMI connector and a VGA connector.
So all you have to do is plug the VGA side of the cable into your VGA device and the HDMI side of the cable into your HDMI device. But just how well does this work?
Possible Issues
First off, the audio is likely going to be a problem. As we mentioned, VGA cables only carry video data, not audio data. So if you want audio, you must get a cable that converts the HDMI into VGA and audio.
This conversion will also limit your display. The resolution output of a VGA cable is less than an HDMI cable. This means that your resolution will be that of a VGA cable rather than an HDMI one.
Can You Convert VGA to USB?
Let’s say you have a VGA monitor, but instead, you have a computer with no VGA or HDMI ports this time. How are you supposed to connect the monitor? Is it possible to connect a VGA monitor to a computer using the USB ports?
Connecting a VGA monitor to your computer through USB ports is possible. Once again, all you need to do this is to get your hands on a cable that can convert VGA to USB.
Like before, these cables feature a cord with a connector on each side. In this case, one side of the cord has a VGA connector, while the other has a USB one. This will allow you to connect the two easily.
These cables are also not very expensive. Usually, a VGA to USB cable can be found for somewhere between $10 and $20. For example, a standard USB to VGA cable by BENFEI (on Amazon) is about $15.
The Best VGA to HDMI Converters on the Market
You’ll quickly realize that there are many different options if you try to look for your own VGA to HDMI converter. So how are you supposed to know which one to get? Let’s quickly go through some of the best converters on the market to help you pick the right one.
NewBEP VGA to HDMI
This cable should probably be the go-to for converting a VGA signal to HDMI. The NewBEP adaptor (on Amazon) includes an HDMI connector, a VGA connector, and a 3.5mm audio cable.
This means you can use this cable to carry not only video feed but audio as well.
The one unexpected thing with this cable is it needs to be charged. However, this means you need to plug it into your computer to charge while using it. Thankfully, the cable also has a USB cable that allows it to be charged.
PeoTRIOL HDMI to VGA Cable
The PeoTRIOL HDMI to VGA cable (on Amazon) is another great option. This cable is as simple as a converter can get: it’s just a cable with a VGA connector on one side and an HDMI connector on the other.
However, the one major problem is this cable is not reversible. Therefore, this cable can only convert HDMI signals to VGA signals. On the other hand, this makes the cable suitable for converting signals from a computer to a projector.