Tips for Display selection

Unfortunately, selecting a display isn't easy to do as it depends on so many factors! Size, resolution, refresh rate, colours, and interface are all factors to consider.

We can give you the following general tips to help you select a monitor, though:

• ​If you are unsure, select an HDMI monitor. It will work with Pi, computers, cable boxes, and many other applications. There is a wide variety of sizes, resolutions and refresh rates. Raspberry Pi won't use resolutions above 4k at 60Hz, though.
• If you want a specific size, you may find a DSI display sufficient. Those are connected to the display port on the Pi and with Pi 5 will need a special display cable. They work in ways like HDMI monitors, but with a proprietary connection. They are usually smaller and of lower resolutions than most HDMI monitors.
• Next are DPI displays that connect to the Pi's GPIO. They use ALL GPIO pins. They usually are small, have a high resolution and good refresh rate. Example: Pimoroni HyperPixel series.
• Then, there are SPI and I²C displays. Those are usually small, have a limited refresh rate and can have limited colors or be monochrome. E-paper displays are in this category.

Once you've determined the size and resolution you desire, focus on the refresh rate you need. This will likely determine what interface you require and reduce the available choices.

In some cases, selecting the display type you desire (like ePaper Display, or ePD) will thin out your choices drastically.

We hope these tips will help you select the perfect monitor for your project! Remember that if you have further questions, don't hesitate to contact us and we'll do our best to assist you!