I'm working on deploying laptops in my organization and I've hit a snag with the new 27" monitors we're bringing in. The problem is that our docking stations are running into bandwidth issues since we're using USB-C docks, which have limited data transfer capacity. While two monitors mostly work fine, many of the options we have are 1440p with refresh rates of 100Hz and that's causing issues when people connect peripherals like mice and keyboards, making the monitors downscale. I would prefer to limit the refresh rate instead of lowering the resolution, which was a big part of our decision to upgrade. We manage everything with Intune, but I can't seem to find a way to set a limit on refresh rates using it. Is there a tool, group policy setting, or registry key I can use to set all monitors to a maximum of 60Hz? I'm really hoping for a solution here.
4 Answers
Check if your monitors have a setting for USB-C bandwidth prioritization. Some monitors let you choose between "High Resolution" and "High-Speed Data" modes. This could help manage the bandwidth better without needing to mess with group policies or registry settings, which can be a hassle.
Consider checking your BIOS settings. There might be an option that allows more USB-C bandwidth for the monitor, enabling better performance. Look for something called DP Alternate Mode or similar—might be worth a try!
DP alt mode is specifically for DisplayPort over Type-C. But some laptops have a setting that optimizes bandwidth for docking stations, which could help.
What models are your monitors and docks? I've seen that some Dell Thunderbolt monitors allow switching between high resolution and high data modes. It sounds like your monitors have features that could address the bandwidth issue, so let's dig into those options.
We're currently using MSI monitors because we must stick to specific price points due to our budget constraints. We're testing various brands, but the key is to find something that balances our needs.
You can try using a PowerShell script to set the refresh rate. Here's a quick command you can use:
Install-Module PSWinUtil
Set-WUMonitor -MonitorIndex 1 -RefreshRate 60
Give it a shot!
Awesome, I'm going to give that a whirl!
That's a solid suggestion! Most decent monitors have that option, and it's way easier than diving into the technical stuff.