You bought a 144Hz or 240Hz monitor, plugged it in with the included cable, and Windows only offers 60Hz or 120Hz. Before assuming the panel is faulty, know that this is one of the most common monitor complaints and it almost always comes down to the connection: the cable, the port, or a setting. Reaching a high refresh rate requires enough bandwidth and the right configuration on both ends.
The bandwidth bottleneck
Every resolution-and-refresh combination needs a certain data rate, and each cable standard has a ceiling. HDMI 2.0 caps at 18 Gbps, which is enough for 4K60 or 1440p144 but not 4K120 or 1440p240. HDMI 2.1 raises that to 48 Gbps. If your monitor’s high refresh mode needs more bandwidth than your cable or the port’s HDMI version provides, the system silently falls back to the highest mode it can manage, often 60Hz.
The most common causes
Usually one of these is to blame: a cheap or old HDMI cable that is not rated for the required speed, plugging into an HDMI 2.0 port when the panel needs HDMI 2.1 for its top mode, the GPU’s HDMI version being lower than the monitor’s, or simply Windows and the GPU driver defaulting to 60Hz without you manually selecting the higher rate. Each is easy to check.
| Target mode | Bandwidth needed | Minimum connection |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p 144Hz | ~12 Gbps | HDMI 2.0 or DP 1.2 |
| 1440p 144Hz | ~15 Gbps | HDMI 2.0 or DP 1.2 |
| 1440p 240Hz | ~26 Gbps (DSC helps) | HDMI 2.1 or DP 1.4 |
| 4K 120Hz | ~32 Gbps (DSC helps) | HDMI 2.1 or DP 1.4 |
Step-by-step fixes
First, manually set the refresh rate in Windows: Settings, System, Display, Advanced display, and choose the highest rate offered. If the high rate is not listed, the connection cannot carry it. Next, swap in a known-good cable rated for the job, an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable for HDMI 2.1 modes, or a DisplayPort 1.4 cable, since a bad cable is the number-one cause. Then confirm you are using the correct port on both the GPU and the monitor.
Prefer DisplayPort when possible
On a PC, DisplayPort is often the easier path to high refresh. DisplayPort 1.4 with Display Stream Compression comfortably drives 1440p240 and 4K120, and it rarely defaults to a limited mode the way HDMI sometimes does. If your monitor and GPU both have DisplayPort, try it before troubleshooting HDMI further; many high-refresh issues vanish with a DP cable.
Check the monitor menu too
Some monitors ship with their HDMI ports set to a compatibility mode that limits bandwidth. Look in the on-screen menu for an option like “HDMI 2.1,” “Enhanced,” “Ultra HD Deep Color,” or “DP 1.4,” and enable it on the port you are using. Without this, even the right cable and port can be capped. After enabling it, reselect the high refresh rate in Windows.
FAQ
Why does my monitor show 144Hz on DisplayPort but only 60Hz on HDMI?
The HDMI port or cable likely lacks the bandwidth or the enhanced mode is disabled, while DisplayPort has enough headroom. Use a cable and port that meet the bandwidth in the table, enable the monitor’s enhanced HDMI mode, or simply stick with DisplayPort.
Do I need Display Stream Compression for high refresh?
For demanding modes like 1440p240 or 4K120 over DP 1.4 or HDMI 2.1, DSC is what makes them fit within the available bandwidth, and it is visually lossless. Modern GPUs and monitors enable it automatically when needed, so you usually do not configure it manually.
Bottom line
If your monitor will not reach its rated refresh over HDMI, the connection is almost always the limit, not the panel. Manually select the rate in Windows, use a properly rated Ultra High Speed HDMI or DisplayPort 1.4 cable, plug into a port with the right HDMI version, and enable the monitor’s enhanced-mode menu option. When in doubt on a PC, switch to DisplayPort for the smoothest path to high refresh.
