I recently bought a GIGABYTE GS24F14 monitor, which supports up to 144Hz, but I can only select 120Hz when connecting it to my MSI GF63 laptop with a GTX 1650 Max-Q. Is there a setting, cable, or adapter I need to reach 144Hz, or is the laptop's HDMI output the limiting factor?
3 Answers
The manufacturer’s notebook display-output specifications confirm that this laptop cannot provide 144Hz through its HDMI port. You can use 120Hz without any issue, but reaching 144Hz would require a compatible video output from the laptop, not just a different HDMI cable.
A monitor can support 144Hz while still having an HDMI 1.4 input. The 144Hz rating may require a different connection, such as DisplayPort, while HDMI is limited to a lower refresh rate. Check whether your laptop has a USB-C port that supports DisplayPort output; otherwise, an adapter probably won’t help if the source itself is limited to 120Hz.
The laptop’s HDMI output is the likely limitation. This model uses an HDMI 1.4 connection, and its official specifications generally top out at 1080p and 120Hz. Since the display and laptop are both operating within that limit, seeing 120Hz is expected.
So even though the monitor is advertised as 144Hz, its HDMI input can still be limited to 120Hz?