Background
Refresh rate, frame rate, and why a monitor gets stuck at 60 Hz
Refresh rate (Hz) is how many times per second the monitor draws a new image. Frame rate (fps) is how many new images the computer produces. You see the smoothness of the lower of the two. A 144 Hz monitor fed 60 frames per second looks like 60 Hz, and a 60 Hz monitor cannot show more than 60 new frames however fast the graphics card is.
What this page measures
Browsers draw animation with requestAnimationFrame, which normally runs once per display refresh. Counting those callbacks gives the frame rate the browser is rendering at in this tab. It usually matches the monitor’s refresh rate, but not always.
Browsers slow down or pause animation in background tabs. Battery-saver modes, Low Power Mode on iPhone and iPad, and some browsers’ default settings limit page animation to 60 fps even on faster screens. If this page shows 60 while your monitor is set to 144 Hz, check the browser and power settings before suspecting the monitor.
Why a high-refresh monitor shows 60 Hz
- The operating system is still at 60 Hz. New monitors often start at 60 Hz. On Windows 11, go to Settings › System › Display › Advanced display › Choose a refresh rate. On macOS, go to System Settings › Displays › Refresh Rate.
- The cable or port cannot carry the bandwidth. An older HDMI cable or port may limit you to 60 Hz at your resolution. Use the cable that came with the monitor, prefer DisplayPort on PCs, and check that the port version supports your target mode.
- The cable is plugged into the motherboard instead of the graphics card. On a desktop with a separate graphics card, the monitor should connect to the card’s outputs.
- The monitor’s own menu limits it. Some monitors need an overclock option enabled or a specific input mode selected before the highest refresh rate appears.
- A laptop is on battery or uses dynamic refresh rate. Windows can lower the refresh rate when the content is static or when on battery.
Bandwidth by connection
Higher resolution, higher refresh rate, and deeper color all need more bandwidth. The table shows the raw link rate of common connections and typical modes they carry without compression. Display Stream Compression (DSC) lets newer monitors go higher over the same link.
| Connection | Max link rate | Typical high-refresh modes |
|---|---|---|
| HDMI 1.4 | 10.2 Gbps | 1080p at 120 Hz, 4K at 30 Hz |
| HDMI 2.0 | 18 Gbps | 1440p at 144 Hz, 4K at 60 Hz |
| HDMI 2.1 | up to 48 Gbps | 4K at 120–144 Hz |
| DisplayPort 1.2 | 21.6 Gbps | 1440p at 165 Hz, 4K at 60 Hz |
| DisplayPort 1.4 | 32.4 Gbps | 4K at 120 Hz (higher with DSC) |
| DisplayPort 2.1 | up to 80 Gbps | 4K at 240 Hz and beyond |
Variable refresh rate
G-SYNC, FreeSync, and HDMI VRR let the monitor wait for each new frame instead of refreshing on a fixed schedule. When the game’s frame rate falls between two refreshes, VRR removes the tearing and stutter you would otherwise see. In a browser, VRR is usually inactive, so this page shows the fixed refresh rate.
Common questions
- Why does the number jump around a little?
- Each frame is timed in milliseconds, and the browser, operating system, and other apps add small variations. An average close to your refresh rate with few long gaps means frames are arriving evenly.
- Can I trust the OS setting alone?
- Usually, but not always. A monitor can accept a refresh rate it does not really display, for example when it is overclocked. The frame skipping test checks whether every frame actually reaches the screen.
- Does a higher refresh rate help outside games?
- Yes. Scrolling text, moving the cursor, and dragging windows all look smoother, and motion blur is shorter because each frame stays on screen for less time.