Refresh Rate Fix?

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polonyc2

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can someone explain to me what this 60Hz Refresh Rate issue is all about?...I have my monitor's 'screen refresh rate' set to 85 Hertz in my Monitor Properties tab (see attachment)...does this mean that whenever I run a game that all my games will run at 85Hz as well?

what are people talking about when they say that the refresh rate resets to 60Hz?...I hear people talking about using 3rd party programs such as RivaTuner or Refresh Force to manually override Windows reverting to 60Hz?...I don't want to play games or even use my Desktop at 60Hz so do I need to use these programs for that or is setting it to 85 Hertz in my monitor properties enough?...Thanks for any help

monitorzl9.jpg
 
If you are using a CRT, it doesn't matter.

If you are using a LCD, and you have it set at 85Hz, it's still actually at 60Hz.
 
I don't think that is correct...this refresh rate fix I keep hearing about is most definitely about CRT monitors
 
Wait, are you wondering if games will play at 85Hz, just because you set that refresh rate in the control panel?

The answer to that question is: no. Games use Direct3D to output to the screen, and games have no way of knowing what refresh rate you set the monitor to on the desktop. This used to work until Windows 2000 came out, but now the desktop display settings do not set the rate for games. So now, the default refresh rate for games is 60 Hz, no matter what you do in the display properties.

The good news: most new games allow you to set the refresh rate inside the game. Just check the display settings. For older games, you are be forced to use a program to force the refresh rate (like powerstrip, or refreshforce).

I haven't had to use tools like that for years, even though I game on a CRT, because all the games I play have refresh rate settings.
 
defaultluser said:
Wait, are you wondering if games will play at 85Hz, just because you set that refresh rate in the control panel?

The answer to that question is: no. Games use Direct3D to output to the screen, and games have no way of knowing what refresh rate you set the monitor to on the desktop. This used to work until Windows 2000 came out, but now the desktop display settings do not set the rate for games. So now, the default refresh rate for games is 60 Hz, no matter what you do in the display properties.

The good news: most new games allow you to set the refresh rate inside the game. Just check the display settings. For older games, you are be forced to use a program to force the refresh rate (like powerstrip, or refreshforce).

I haven't had to use tools like that for years, even though I game on a CRT, because all the games I play have refresh rate settings.
Click to expand...

I don't recall many new games having a refresh rate option in the game's settings...Crysis doesn't...Call of Duty 4 does...but most new games I don't think have this option

so if a game does not give you an option to set the refresh rate that means that it will automatically set the refresh rate to 60Hz?...and the only way around that is to use a program such as RefreshForce or Rivatuner?

how would I know what refresh rate a game is running at?...would pressing the 'Menu' button on my monitor give me that info?...because when I press the 'Menu' button I am given my current resolution plus the refresh rate---for example right now it is showing 1280 x 1024/85 Hz...when playing Crysis it shows 1600 x 1200/85Hz...so does this mean Crysis is running at a refresh rate of 85Hz?
 
polonyc2 said:
I don't recall many new games having a refresh rate option in the game's settings...Crysis doesn't...Call of Duty 4 does...but most new games I don't think have this option

so if a game does not give you an option to set the refresh rate that means that it will automatically set the refresh rate to 60Hz?...and the only way around that is to use a program such as RefreshForce or Rivatuner?

how would I know what refresh rate a game is running at?...would pressing the 'Menu' button on my monitor give me that info?...because when I press the 'Menu' button I am given my current resolution plus the refresh rate---for example right now it is showing 1280 x 1024/85 Hz...when playing Crysis it shows 1600 x 1200/85Hz...so does this mean Crysis is running at a refresh rate of 85Hz?
Click to expand...

Whatever your monitor menu says the refresh rate is, that's what it is.

All my newer games have refresh rates in the settings, like Bioshock or Battlefield 2.

If Crysis works without setting the refresh rate, then I guess some game makers have finally found a way to bridge the gap between desktop refresh rate settings and and in-game, which would be a welcome change. Wow, it only took the lazy bastards 8 years to fix this, and by now it's meaningless because almost everyone has an LCD :)
 
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