When you set up the monitor for your computer, did you do as most people do and simply plug it in and use the default settings? Or did you look at your system's settings to see if the defaults are the settings you want to use? One area that many people overlook is what's known as "refresh rate." This is the rate at which the image you see on your screen refreshes, or is "redrawn." Think of it as how fast your monitor blinks. If your computer is set to a refresh rate of, say, 60Hz, that means your screen refreshes or "blinks" 60 times in a second.
While most people think that you can't see a refresh rate, you actually can see glimpses if you know what to look for. A lower refresh rate can cause your screen to appear almost sluggish when there is any fast movement happening on your screen. If your refresh rate is low, you may see an odd, choppy motion as you move an Explorer window around. Or, if you're playing a video game on your system that which includes a lot of fast scenes, a low refresh rate may make the game seem less than ideal.
If your monitor seems to be experiencing a sluggish reaction to what you're doing and you know your machine is running fine otherwise, you may want to take a look at the refresh rate currently set-up on your computer. This is simple and easy to do.
If you do not show any refresh rate options, you will need to take some extra steps to modify your settings:
Other than smoother motion on your screen, a possible benefit to specifying a higher refresh rate is that some users report reduced headaches and eye strain while using their computer.
This tip (13826) applies to Windows 10.
Windows 10, by default, displays alerts or notifications for five seconds. If that's not enough time, you can increase ...
Discover MoreThe Start screen is a busy place in Windows. If it is too busy for your tastes, you can easily remove any of the tiles it ...
Discover MoreYou can add your own items to the "New" context menu, but it does take a bit of effort. This tip explains how to do it.
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WindowsTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WindowsTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2021 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments