- Microsoft is testing changes for high refresh rate monitors on Windows 11.
- The new implementation will control the refresh rate depending on the screen’s content.
- This should also help to reduce power usage while keeping GPUs quieter.
Microsoft plans to improve how Windows 11 manages high refresh rates on monitors. On the latest preview of Windows 11, the company has implemented a new logic that allows the system to automatically adjust refresh rates on multiple monitors depending on the content. The new implementation should reduce power usage while at the same time minimizing stress on the graphics card, making it quieter.
According to the company (via Neowin), the development team has “improved refresh rate logic to allow different refresh rates on different monitors, depending on the refresh rate for each monitor and content shown on the screen.” […] “This will help most with refresh rate-dependent multitasking, like playing a game and watching a video at the same time.”
For example, with this new implementation, you may have a higher refresh rate value on one monitor rendering a game and a lower value on the other reproducing a video or displaying a static picture.
Currently, there are graphics cards (such as those from Nvidia) that can keep their fans off for a quieter experience, but when adding a secondary monitor, this action turns off the feature, and fans will start spinning again on high refresh rate monitors.
In addition, the latest preview build of Windows 11 in the Canary Channel rolls out improvements for the Dynamic Refresh Rate (DRR) feature for laptops. If the Battery Saver feature is turned on, the operating system will now lower the screen’s refresh rate until the battery saver mode is disabled.
It’s unclear when these changes will arrive to users, but it’s likely that they could roll out as part of version 23H2.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].