The checklist is a good one. A few of its claims need qualifying, though, and a couple of Windows-side details change how you should apply it. Below is a version you can follow, with the caveats included.
Step 1: Make sure Windows is using your monitor's refresh rate
A high-refresh monitor does nothing for you if Windows is still driving it at 60 Hz. Microsoft defines refresh rate as how many times per second the image refreshes. A 60 Hz display, for example, updates the screen 60 times per second.
To check it in Windows 11:
- Open Settings > System > Display > Advanced display.
- If you have more than one monitor, pick the right one from the display dropdown.
- Read the current resolution and refresh rate in the display information panel.
- Choose the rate you want from the refresh rate list.
Microsoft's guidance adds a few cautions.
- Available rates depend on your hardware. The list reflects what your display supports.
- Watch for asterisks. The dropdown puts an asterisk next to rates that don't support your current resolution. Picking one of those changes your resolution to reach that rate.
- The highest rate isn't always the right one. MakeUseOf says to pick the maximum. That is sensible for a desktop gaming monitor. Microsoft notes that a lower rate saves battery power, which matters if you use a laptop on battery.
- Cables can limit the options. If the top rate is missing, check the cable and the port. This is general troubleshooting advice, not something Microsoft's page says.
Dynamic Refresh Rate is a separate feature
Windows 11 also has Dynamic Refresh Rate (DRR). It adjusts the rate automatically based on what you're doing. Microsoft says DRR needs a display with VRR support and a refresh rate of at least 120 Hz. It also says DRR shouldn't affect games built for VRR, but it can cap the maximum refresh rate in other games. If a favorite game seems stuck at a lower rate, Microsoft's recommended fix is to turn DRR off in the same Advanced display page. Windows 10 doesn't support DRR.
Step 2: Tune picture settings, but compare as you go
MakeUseOf recommends checking brightness, contrast, sharpness and gamma, and trying picture modes such as Cinema, Game, Dynamic Contrast and Standard. This part is the most subjective. The article calls factory defaults "usually awful," but I found no source that backs that up for every monitor. Treat it as one writer's experience.
A practical way to handle it:
- Set brightness for your room. Windows can't do this for an external monitor. Microsoft says desktop PCs with an external monitor usually have no brightness slider, so you change the brightness with the monitor's own buttons.
- Go easy on sharpness. Too much creates halos and artificial-looking edges on text. Compare against the default and back off if it looks worse.
- Adjust gamma only for a reason. Change it if shadows look crushed or colors look flat.
- Check your own manual for presets. Names and availability vary by maker. Some models, for example, disable certain picture menus when an eye-comfort mode is on or when the input is an HDR signal. That example comes from a Samsung manual for one Odyssey model, so check yours.
For color accuracy, Windows has its own tools. Microsoft documents Settings > System > Display > Color profile. There you can add or remove profiles, set a default, run Calibrate display, and turn on automatic color management for apps.
Step 3: Turn on VRR on both ends
VRR matches the monitor's refresh rate to the frames your GPU is producing, which reduces tearing. MakeUseOf says to switch it on in the monitor menu and in the GPU software. That is correct, but it understates the number of things that have to line up.
- Monitor menu: look for FreeSync, Adaptive Sync or Variable Refresh Rate. The name varies by brand.
- AMD graphics: enable it in AMD Software.
- NVIDIA graphics: in NVIDIA Control Panel, go to Display > Set up G-SYNC and tick the Enable G-SYNC/G-SYNC Compatible box.
- Choose a mode: NVIDIA lets you pick either full screen mode or windowed and full screen mode, depending on the programs you run.
- Primary display: NVIDIA says the compatible display must be connected, enabled and set as the primary display.
- Manage 3D Settings: Monitor Technology should be set to G-SYNC/G-SYNC Compatible.
- Cable and connection: NVIDIA's support page for monitors not on its compatible list says the monitor must be configured as DisplayPort 1.2 or higher. A Newegg guide lists three conditions: VRR enabled on the monitor, enabled in the GPU software, and a cable that supports the bandwidth.
Two caveats apply. MakeUseOf says VRR has no downsides. NVIDIA's own wording about unvalidated monitors is more cautious: "It may work, it may work partly, or it may not work at all." So test it in your own games. Also, Microsoft's refresh rate page points out that many games already use VRR automatically on supported displays. The Advanced display panel shows whether Windows sees VRR support on your screen.
Step 4: Use night-time color settings, with modest expectations
Many monitors have an Eye Saver or low-blue-light mode. If yours doesn't, Windows has Night light.
- Turn it on: go to Settings > System > Display > Night light, or use the taskbar quick settings.
- Set the strength: Microsoft describes a Strength slider that controls how much blue light is reduced.
- Schedule it: you can pick sunset to sunrise, or set your own hours.
- If it's greyed out: Microsoft says you may need to update your display driver. It also says Night light isn't available with certain drivers, such as DisplayLink or Basic Display.
MakeUseOf is careful here. It says the science on blue light being harmful is still shaky, though it can disrupt sleep when you work late. That is a fair position. Don't read these modes as protection against eye damage. Microsoft's own description is narrower: the display shows warmer colors at night. Expect a warmer, redder screen, and turn the strength down for color-sensitive work.
Step 5: Check the auto-off timer
MakeUseOf recommends checking the monitor's sleep or auto-off timer, usually under the system or power menus. Menu names vary by model, and I found no universal path. The underlying advice is sound. The US Department of Energy's Federal Energy Management Program says that screen savers do not save energy. It recommends enabling the monitor's power management and turning the display fully off at night. It also says that leaving displays that are rarely used switched off won't shorten their operating life. Treat any savings figure with caution unless you measure your own monitor's power draw.
Also check Windows itself. Under power settings you can set when the screen turns off, so the monitor and the PC agree.
A quick checklist
| Setting | Where to look | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Refresh rate | Settings > System > Display > Advanced display | Asterisked rates change resolution; DRR can cap some games |
| Picture mode and basics | Monitor on-screen menu | Names vary; some menus lock in eye-saver or HDR modes |
| Color profile | Settings > System > Display > Color profile | Calibration creates a new profile |
| VRR | Monitor menu plus AMD Software or NVIDIA Control Panel | Needs a supported connection, and unvalidated monitors may misbehave |
| Night light or Eye Saver | Windows Display settings or monitor menu | Colors turn warmer; the feature may be unavailable with some drivers |
| Auto-off | Monitor system or power menu, plus Windows power settings | Names vary by model |
The takeaway
MakeUseOf's core advice holds: spend ten minutes in your monitor's menu and in Windows display settings. The refresh rate check and the VRR setup are the two most likely to change what you see. Use the more cautious reading of the rest. Picture presets are a matter of taste, blue-light modes help comfort and sleep rather than prevent damage, and VRR isn't completely plug-and-play.