Mini-VGA

Mini-VGA connectors are proprietary and non-standard alternative video connectors that were used on some laptops and other computer systems in place of a standard VGA connector. Apple, HP, and Asus each introduced separate connectors using the same moniker of "mini-VGA", but which are otherwise physically incompatible with each other (though all of them are compatible with standard VGA using the correct adapter).

Apple's mini-VGA ports may be found on some older Apple computers, including iBooks, eMacs, certain PowerBooks (e.g.: 12-inch), and some iMacs (e.g.: the iMac G5). In addition to a more compact form-factor, Apple's mini-VGA ports also have the added ability to output composite as well as S-Video, in addition to VGA signals, through the use of EDID. When used for S-Video, S-Video's chrominance (C) and luminance (Y) signals replace VGA's red (R) and green (G) channels, while for composite video, the signal is output through VGA's blue (B) channel. (The horizontal and vertical sync pins of VGA are left unused.)

HP's version of mini-VGA can be found in HP Minis and HP TouchSmarts. Samsung Chromebooks, as released in June 2011, feature their own implementation of mini-VGA. Various other Samsung laptops, such as the Series 7 and Series 9, also featured this new connector. Mini-VGA ports can also be found on several laptops previously manufactured by Sony.

With the introduction of mini-DVI, as well as Mini DisplayPort, mini-VGA connectors were largely superseded in favor of these newer, more versatile connector types.