I want to get more serious about competitive games such as CS2, but my ASUS VivoBook 15 (F1504VAP-BS54T with a Core 5 120U) cannot run them locally. I currently use GeForce NOW Ultimate and am considering a 27-inch 1440p 320Hz IPS monitor. My laptop has HDMI 1.4, three USB ports, and a USB-C port that supports data and charging only—not video output. It has no DisplayPort, Thunderbolt, or Ethernet port.
Windows currently allows 120Hz with my 240Hz monitor, which seems to be the limit of the laptop's HDMI output. Would buying an HDMI 2.1 cable increase the available refresh rate, or would the laptop's HDMI 1.4 port remain the bottleneck? Could I actually use 320Hz at 1080p through GeForce NOW, assuming the streaming service and monitor support it? I typically see around 320–400 FPS reported in CS2 through GeForce NOW, but I am unsure whether that translates into seeing 320Hz on the monitor.
3 Answers
An HDMI 2.1 cable cannot upgrade an HDMI 1.4 port. The connection will still operate at the laptop's supported HDMI version and bandwidth. With this type of output, 1080p at around 120Hz is a realistic limit, while 1440p will generally be limited to about 60Hz. Check the laptop's manual and the monitor's input specifications to confirm the exact modes, but the cable itself will not unlock 320Hz.
Before buying the monitor, verify the refresh-rate table for its HDMI inputs. Some high-refresh monitors only reach their advertised maximum through DisplayPort, while HDMI may support a lower rate. Since this laptop has no DisplayPort output, a different cable or passive adapter will not solve the limitation. A newer laptop or desktop with a suitable DisplayPort or HDMI 2.1 output would be needed to make practical use of a 320Hz display.
GeForce NOW also has its own display and streaming limitations, so the game's reported FPS is not the same thing as the refresh rate reaching your screen. Even if CS2 reports 320–400 FPS on the cloud machine, your laptop still has to receive and output a 320Hz video signal. With HDMI 1.4 and no DisplayPort-capable USB-C port, this laptop is unlikely to do that, especially at 1440p.
Would 320Hz at 1080p still be possible if GeForce NOW supports it? The game reports roughly 320–400 FPS for me.