I moved my monitor to a higher shelf and had to replace my DisplayPort cable because the old one was too short. I later noticed that the new cable is only rated for 144Hz at 1440p and higher resolutions. My PC and monitor are supposed to support 240Hz, so how can I confirm what refresh rate the display is actually running at, and whether the cable is limiting it?
3 Answers
Keep the terms separate: FPS is the number of frames your GPU renders, while Hz is how many times the monitor refreshes each second. A game might report 240 FPS while the monitor is running at 144Hz, meaning only up to 144 refreshes can be shown. For the actual display rate, trust the monitor OSD or Windows’ advanced display information rather than an in-game FPS counter.
A cable usually won’t quietly convert 240Hz to 144Hz. If the connection can’t handle the bandwidth, selecting 240Hz may cause flickering, a black screen, or loss of signal. Check whether 240Hz is available and stable in the monitor and Windows settings. A refresh-rate test such as the UFO test can also help confirm the browser is receiving the expected rate.
Check the monitor’s on-screen display first; many monitors show the current input refresh rate. You can also verify it in Windows under Settings > System > Display > Advanced display, or in your GPU control panel. The game’s FPS counter is separate—it shows what the GPU is rendering, not necessarily what the monitor is displaying.
Got it—I’ll check the monitor’s OSD and Windows settings, and replace the cable if 240Hz isn’t available or stable.