Monitor stuck at 60 Hz?
When a 144 Hz or 165 Hz monitor only offers 60 Hz, one part of the connection is usually the limit. Here is how to find it.
Updated: 2026-10-18
Find the limiting part in the solver →
Step 1: check what Windows offers
- Select Start › Settings › System › Display › Advanced display [MS3].
- Pick the monitor at the top. The Display information panel shows the current resolution, refresh rate and whether the display supports variable refresh rate (VRR) [MS3].
- Choose the rate next to “Choose a refresh rate”. Rates marked with an asterisk (*) do not support the current resolution; choosing one changes the resolution [MS3] [PL4].
The rates that appear depend on your display and what it supports [MS3], and the graphics hardware, dock or adapter and cable must support the same combination [PL4]. If 144 Hz is not there, changing settings will not help. Find the part that limits it.
Step 2: find the part that limits refresh
The monitor input you use
Monitors often reach their highest refresh rate on one input only. A monitor sold as 165 Hz may manage that on DisplayPort and less on HDMI, so check the specification for the exact input. An HDMI 2.0-class input carries up to 18Gbps [H1]: at 3440×1440 and 8-bit colour that rules out 165 Hz, because the active pixels alone need 19.62 Gbit/s.
The computer’s output
DisplayPort 1.2 (HBR2) carries 17.28 Gbit/s of payload over four lanes, and DisplayPort 1.4 (HBR3) carries 25.92 [V1] [V3]. HDMI 2.1 defines up to 48Gbps [H2], but an “HDMI 2.1” label does not prove FRL or any FRL rate, so look for the rate itself.
Docks and adapters
A USB-C dock that also carries USB 3 data gives the monitor two DisplayPort lanes instead of four [PL2]. DisplayLink and Silicon Motion docks from Plugable are limited to 60Hz by hardware [PL1]. Details: USB-C dock and adapter display limits.
The cable
A cable label like “8K 60Hz” describes one mode on one standard. It is not a 60 Hz cap for a 1440p monitor, and it is no proof that 165 Hz works either. Certification can be checked: VESA certifies DP40 and DP80 cables for UHBR rates [V4], and the Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable is for systems up to 48Gbps [H2].
Calculated refresh ceilings by link
Each cell is the most a link could carry at that resolution if there were no blanking. If your target is above the number, that link cannot do it. If it is below, the link is not ruled out, but the real maximum is lower and only a verified mode on your monitor’s input proves it.
| Resolution | HDMI 2.0 class 18 Gbit/s | HDMI 2.1 FRL 48 Gbit/s | USB-C Alt Mode 2 lanes, DP 1.2 | USB-C Alt Mode 2 lanes, DP 1.4 | DP 1.2 HBR2 (4 lanes) | DP 1.4 HBR3 (4 lanes) | DP 2.x UHBR20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920×1080 | 289.3 Hz | 857.3 Hz | 173.6 Hz | 260.4 Hz | 347.2 Hz | 520.8 Hz | 1554.6 Hz |
| 2560×1440 | 162.7 Hz | 482.2 Hz | 97.6 Hz | 146.4 Hz | 195.3 Hz | 292.9 Hz | 874.4 Hz |
| 3440×1440 | 121.1 Hz | 358.8 Hz | 72.6 Hz | 109 Hz | 145.3 Hz | 218 Hz | 650.7 Hz |
| 3840×2160 | 72.3 Hz | 214.3 Hz | 43.4 Hz | 65.1 Hz | 86.8 Hz | 130.2 Hz | 388.6 Hz |
| 5120×1440 | 81.3 Hz | 241.1 Hz | 48.8 Hz | 73.2 Hz | 97.6 Hz | 146.4 Hz | 437.2 Hz |
At 10-bit colour (common for HDR)
| Resolution | HDMI 2.0 class 18 Gbit/s | HDMI 2.1 FRL 48 Gbit/s | USB-C Alt Mode 2 lanes, DP 1.2 | USB-C Alt Mode 2 lanes, DP 1.4 | DP 1.2 HBR2 (4 lanes) | DP 1.4 HBR3 (4 lanes) | DP 2.x UHBR20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920×1080 | 231.4 Hz | 685.8 Hz | 138.8 Hz | 208.3 Hz | 277.7 Hz | 416.6 Hz | 1243.7 Hz |
| 2560×1440 | 130.2 Hz | 385.8 Hz | 78.1 Hz | 117.1 Hz | 156.2 Hz | 234.3 Hz | 699.5 Hz |
| 3440×1440 | 96.8 Hz | 287.1 Hz | 58.1 Hz | 87.2 Hz | 116.2 Hz | 174.4 Hz | 520.6 Hz |
| 3840×2160 | 57.8 Hz | 171.4 Hz | 34.7 Hz | 52 Hz | 69.4 Hz | 104.1 Hz | 310.9 Hz |
| 5120×1440 | 65.1 Hz | 192.9 Hz | 39 Hz | 58.5 Hz | 78.1 Hz | 117.1 Hz | 349.7 Hz |
10-bit, HDR and compression
Higher colour depth needs more bandwidth: 10-bit RGB needs 25 % more than 8-bit. At 3440×1440 and 165 Hz, 10-bit RGB needs 24.52 Gbit/s before blanking, within about 5 % of DisplayPort HBR3’s 25.92 Gbit/s payload. Whether it works then depends on the monitor’s exact timing, on Display Stream Compression (DSC) being supported by every part, or on dropping to 8-bit or 4:2:2. ELORUMTECH assumes no compression ratio. Plugable notes that DSC ratios differ between computers [PL5].
Sources
- Microsoft Support — Change the refresh rate on your monitor in Windows — Microsoft, checked 2026-10-17 23:58 CEST
- Plugable KB — Can I connect my high refresh rate monitor to a Plugable dock? — Plugable, checked 2026-10-17 23:58 CEST (page updated 2026-09-25)
- Plugable KB — How to determine your USB-C port video capabilities — Plugable, checked 2026-10-17 23:58 CEST (page updated 2026-08-20)
- Plugable KB — How to set the display refresh rate in Windows 11 — Plugable, checked 2026-10-17 23:58 CEST (page updated 2026-08-28)
- Plugable KB — Will the UD-MSTH3 support three 4K displays? — Plugable, checked 2026-10-17 23:58 CEST (page updated 2026-08-03)
- VESA — Why DisplayPort — VESA, checked 2026-10-17 23:58 CEST
- VESA / AMD — Display Summit USA 2016 (DisplayPort link-rate table) — VESA, checked 2026-10-17 23:59 CEST
- HDMI Forum — HDMI Specification 2.0 release — HDMI Forum, checked 2026-10-17 23:58 CEST
- HDMI Licensing Administrator — HDMI 2.1 — HDMI LA, checked 2026-10-17 23:58 CEST
- VESA — UHBR device certification and DP40/DP80 cables — VESA, checked 2026-10-17 23:58 CEST
FAQ
Why is my 144 Hz monitor stuck at 60 Hz?
The rates Windows offers depend on the display, and every part of the connection must support the mode. A part that cannot carry it is a common cause: an HDMI 2.0-class input, a USB-C dock sharing lanes with USB 3 data, a DisplayLink dock, or the wrong monitor input. Check Advanced display settings first, then each part.
Where do I change the refresh rate in Windows 11?
Select Start > Settings > System > Display > Advanced display, choose the monitor, and pick a rate next to “Choose a refresh rate”. An asterisk marks rates that need a different resolution.
Does an “8K 60Hz” cable limit my monitor to 60 Hz?
No. The label describes one mode on one standard, often relying on compression or chroma subsampling. It is not a 60 Hz ceiling at lower resolutions, and it does not prove your mode works either. A certified cable rated for your link is the checkable option.
Is HDMI 2.1 always enough for high refresh rates?
Not automatically. HDMI 2.1 defines up to 48Gbps, but an “HDMI 2.1” label does not prove a port supports FRL or that rate. Many monitors also reach their highest refresh rate only on DisplayPort, so check the spec for the input you use.
What refresh rate can a link carry at my resolution?
Multiply active pixels by refresh rate and bits per pixel, then compare with the link’s usable payload. The tables on this page give the ceiling before blanking; the real maximum is lower, and only a verified mode on your monitor’s input proves a rate.