Problems · How to check
Is my monitor really running at 144 Hz?
Often not. A monitor sold as 144 Hz runs at 60 Hz until the system is told otherwise, and Windows, macOS and many graphics drivers default to 60 on a new connection. The panel cannot tell you; the picture looks the same standing still.
The refresh rate test on this site times ten seconds of frames and reports the rate the screen is actually delivering, to two decimals. Tell it the panel is sold as 144 and, if the reading is lower, it names the reason it saw: the display settings, battery power, a second monitor at another rate, or the browser.
First, notice when it happens
The causes, ranked
1. The refresh rate is set to 60 in the system
most commonHow to confirm it
The test reads 60.00 Hz with high confidence and names the display settings as the cause. On Windows, Settings, System, Display, Advanced display shows the current rate; on a Mac, System Settings, Displays.
The fix
Choose 144 Hz there, and on a PC check the graphics driver's own control panel as well, which can hold its own setting. Then run the test again.
2. The cable or port cannot carry it
commonHow to confirm it
144 Hz is not offered in the settings at the monitor's native resolution, or the picture blanks when it is chosen. Old HDMI cables and HDMI 1.4 ports top out below 144 Hz at 1440p.
The fix
Use DisplayPort, or an HDMI cable and port rated for the resolution and rate. On a laptop, check which port is wired to the dedicated graphics chip.
3. A laptop on battery
commonHow to confirm it
The test reads 60 with the laptop unplugged and names battery power. Many laptops halve the refresh rate on battery by design.
The fix
Plug in, or turn off the power setting that lowers the rate on battery. Windows has a dynamic refresh rate option; some makers add their own.
4. Two monitors at different rates
occasionalHow to confirm it
Frames arrive at two cadences and the test names a second monitor. Browsers often follow the slower screen when a window has been on it.
The fix
Run the test with the window on the main monitor, or with the other disconnected. Games use the rate of the screen they are on; browsers are less tidy.
5. Safari's frame rate preference
occasionalHow to confirm it
A 120 Hz Mac reads 60 in Safari only, and 120 in Chrome.
The fix
In Safari's Advanced settings, turn off the preference for page rendering near 60 fps. This affects web pages only; games are unaffected.
Measure it instead of guessing
The refresh rate test reads the rate to two decimals with a confidence figure, and when it is below the rating you give it, names the cause it saw. The monitor motion test adds frame pacing, frame skipping and the blur the rate makes, in one run with a result you can keep.
What software cannot tell you here
- A page cannot see the monitor's own maximum, only the rate the system is delivering to the browser. If the system is set to 60, the test reports 60, which is what you are getting.
- Variable refresh rate (G-Sync, FreeSync) changes the rate with the content; the browser sees one fixed rate.
Asked, in people’s own words
- How do I check what refresh rate my monitor is running at?
- Run the refresh rate test with the tab in front. It counts frames for ten seconds and reports the rate, such as 60, 120 or 144 Hz, with how sure it is. Windows shows the setting under Advanced display; macOS under Displays.
- Why does my 144 Hz monitor show 60 Hz?
- Because the system is set to 60, the cable cannot carry 144 at that resolution, or a laptop is on battery. The test names which it saw; the settings are the most common answer.
- Does 144 Hz make a difference?
- Yes, on anything that moves: blur on a moving object falls from about 16 pixels at 60 Hz to about 7 at 144 at the speed reviewers use, and motion steps less. The frame rate comparison shows it on your own screen.