I'm trying to use a Dell Pro 14 Plus PB14250 with a Core Ultra 7 268V and Intel Arc 140V graphics with my AOC CQ32G1 gaming monitor on Windows 11. The monitor is 2560×1440 and supports up to 144Hz through its second HDMI input and DisplayPort. I'm connected from the laptop's HDMI port to the monitor's HDMI 2 input with an HDMI 2.1 cable.
At 2560×1440, Windows only offers 60Hz. If I switch to 1920×1080, 120Hz becomes available. BIOS and graphics drivers have already been updated. IT suggested that Windows 11 now prevents laptops from using high refresh rates on an external display unless the display is running at the laptop's native resolution, but I can't find documentation supporting that. Is this more likely to be a limitation of the laptop's HDMI output, Intel graphics, the monitor connection, or something else? I'd prefer to solve it through settings or drivers rather than buying new hardware. The laptop also has Thunderbolt 4/USB-C with DisplayPort support, but the monitor's DisplayPort input is already used by my desktop.
2 Answers
This does not sound like a general Windows 11 limitation. 2560×1440 at 144Hz is normally within HDMI 2.0 bandwidth, so the important question is what HDMI standard the laptop’s physical port actually supports. An HDMI 2.1 cable cannot upgrade an HDMI 1.4 or otherwise bandwidth-limited source port.
Check the Dell specifications or service manual for the laptop’s HDMI output version and maximum supported modes. Also make sure the cable is connected to the monitor’s HDMI 2 input, that the monitor’s input mode is set appropriately in its on-screen menu, and that you are selecting the refresh rate under Windows’ advanced display settings. If the laptop port is limited to HDMI 1.4, 1440p at 144Hz will not be possible through that connection.
The most useful next test is USB-C/Thunderbolt to DisplayPort. The Intel Arc 140V can drive high-refresh DisplayPort modes, and the laptop’s USB-C port supports DisplayPort output. That would bypass the laptop’s HDMI implementation entirely. You do not necessarily need to replace anything: a DisplayPort switch or KVM can let both the desktop and laptop share the monitor’s single DisplayPort input, or you can temporarily swap the cable to confirm the diagnosis.
You can also check Intel Graphics Command Center and the monitor’s information page to see which modes are being detected. Custom resolutions may be worth testing only after confirming the hardware specifications, since forcing an unsupported mode can result in a blank display.
If USB-C to DisplayPort gives you 1440p at 144Hz, that confirms the monitor and panel are fine and isolates the issue to the laptop’s HDMI path, its firmware, or the mode information being reported to Windows. There is no need to change the laptop’s native resolution for this.
The cable’s advertised 4K/120 capability only describes what the cable can carry; both the laptop output and monitor input must also support the required bandwidth. Since 1440p/144Hz works through the monitor’s HDMI 2.0 input in principle, the laptop’s HDMI specification or its EDID/driver negotiation is the more likely constraint.