How To Overclock Monitor [Step-By-Step Guide]

If you’re a hardcore gamer, you must be well-aware of overclocking. It’s making your processor and graphics card churn out more and more power by little tweaks in settings; luckily, you can overclock your monitor as well.

Just to set things right, this article is all about how to overclock a monitor!

Worry not if you’ve never overclocked anything in your system, as we’ll take you through all the if’s and what’s. To make things even better, we’ve tried to explain every simple jargon to help you get started right away.

Let’s get to it!

Why Do You Overclock A Monitor?

You might be wondering this:

But why bother with overclocking my monitor when I can overclock my process, card, and memory. Well, you can do that. But, if you’re looking for ways to make your gaming a hundred times better, overclocking can help you step up!

The process is to help your monitor display even better graphics at a much higher refresh rate (we’ll get to this later). Although this change also depends on the capabilities of your system, the results are tremendous. We assume your system is, in fact, capable of being overclocked.

You can also opt for it if your game lags or there are choppy frames. This could be because of a bottleneck between your graphics card and the stock refresh rate. A quick increase in rate may get you the speed and adjustments you’ve been looking for.

If you’ve noticed, I just used a jargon above. What’s the refresh rate? What’s it got to do with monitors? Is overclocking only increasing the rate? Well, get your answers to all these questions, next:

What Is Refresh Rate?

If I were to explain to you the concept of refresh rate in the simplest of terms – it’s the number of times an image or frame on the screen has to be reproduced in a single second. By default, most come with a 60Hz rate. This means that your monitor can display or regenerate 60 images in a single second.

Although the rate sounds tremendous for a non-specialist, gamers need way more. To answer this need, several vendors produced monitors with a refresh rate of 144 Hz! However, more is always better in this situation.

Usually, a human eye is capable of seeing motion at 24 to 25 frames per second (FPS). However, our brain is capable of perceiving even better FPS rates. So, for this special rate, higher refresh rates won’t fry your mind but only increase your visuals.

The Positives Of Overclocking A Monitor

A positive from the moment you’ll overclock your monitor is the increase in performance. The rates directly impact how graphics are displayed on your screen. If the rate is high, your performance is due to a boost, as well.

Secondly, it can help you save up. Rather than investing in an expensive display, you can make do with your current monitor. This can help you recreate the same effect on a cheaper display and improve your gaming.

Thirdly, all your graphical motions are going to be super fast. No input lag, stutters, or jitters will help you fall in love with your monitor. Can’t wait to see how to overclock your monitor? We’re almost at it.

The Negatives Of Overclocking A Monitor

Now, although the positives are enough to help you seal the deal, you should take a look at the negatives of overclocking your display device. An increase in performance means an increase in power consumption as well. You’re practically asking your monitor to speed up how it works.

You will notice a difference in your electricity consumption due to overclocking. If you have no concerns with the bills, there’s still another issue with it. Your hardware is going to be unstable and even have a shorter life warranty after changing the refresh settings.

Consider an analogy; how will you feel working somewhere for hours without a break? That’s your monitor trying to support your gaming needs.

Although the machine won’t say “no!” to you, the hardware might begin to work slower overtime.

With that said, the positives do slightly overcome the negatives of overclocking. Wait just a little while for our guide on how you can do the deed.

Does Overclocking A Monitor Impact Gaming?

Yes, it does. If you’ve been using an old monitor that suffers from jitters or lags, overclocking is the holy grail you need. The sudden increase in performance can help you reach for the mile and play better than ever.

This will especially show up if you play hardware-intensive or graphics-intensive games. These games require better hardware, and overclocking can help your simple monitor achieve it.

Be it a corner-kill to eliminate your money or a third-person shooter game; lags can break the situation for you.

Not to mention, it isn’t limited to computer systems. If you own a console, your overclocking of the display can still help your performance.

Let’s finally discuss how to overclock a monitor next.

Preparing A Monitor For Overclocking

Unfortunately, not all displays are made the same. Before you get to overclocking your monitor, you need to understand a few things that may make a difference in the process. For example, cables and specifications are two crucial things you should look at.

Manufacturers make devices a certain way, which differentiates it from others. Generally, older monitors will have a much lower ability to be overclocked or support lesser refresh rates. Before starting, do a quick research on your monitor’s model and see what it supports.

Secondly, the cables matter the most. Each cable has a different bandwidth and ability to help you overclock your monitor. For example, using dual-port DVI links will help you overclock much easier than HDMI cables and others.

Similarly, some cable adapters can also make a difference in performance. You should always opt for adapters that are of high quality, so your performance is never in the balance.

How To Overclock A Monitor For Gaming: Step-by-Step

Finally, we’re at the section you’ve been waiting for. In this section, we’ll tell you all about how to overclock your monitor. Four utility programs can help you achieve your effect – we’ll take you through all of them.

So, let’s not beat around the bush and get to it super quick:

#1- Using The CRU (Custom Resolution Utility)

This utility software, Custom Resolution Utility, used to be the standard before AMD and NVIDIA came up with their utility software. With the help of this amazing software from ToastyX, you can do much more than increasing refresh rates.

Here’s a step by step guide on how you can overclock using the CRU:

1. Download CRU from MonitorTests
2. Unzip the downloaded file and open the executable file “CRU.exe”
   
3. Under the tab “Detailed Resolutions”, choose a display and click “Edit” (or “Add”)
   
4. Edit the “Refresh Rate” in that tab to configure a new value.
5. Press “OK” if required and let your device handle the new configurations.
6. Restart your computer.
   

This way, your new changes should be available. If they’re not enabled by default, you can do this:

1. Right-click anywhere on your desktop and open “Display Settings”
2. Head to “Advanced”, and then to “Display Adapter Options”
3. You can adjust your new values in the section under “Monitor”
4. Change it and apply your changes to see it in effect.

This utility is suitable for all graphics cards, be it from NVIDIA, AMD, or any other vendor.

#2- Using AMD Radeon Settings

If you own an AMD graphics card, there should be a separate AMD Radeon Settings panel for you. Check in your programs to see if it’s installed. Otherwise, you might want to head over to AMD’s website to download the utility.

Once downloaded or opened, here’s how you overclock your monitor:

1. Right-click on your desktop, and click “AMD Radeon Settings”
   
2. Head over to your display’s settings.
   
3. Look for the “Custom Resolutions” options and click “Create”
4. Change the settings of your monitor.
5. Save the changes and apply them.
6. Restart your computer.

These changes should be enabled by default. Have a look at how your system operates. If they are fine, let them be otherwise, you can change them to the default settings.

#3- Using The NVIDIA Control Panel

If you own an NVIDIA graphics card, open up the NVIDIA control panel and follow these steps:

1. Right-click on your desktop
2. Open up the “NVIDIA Control Panel”
3. Open the “Display” tab from the menu of options
4. Choose the “Change Resolution” option
5. Adjust the refresh rate however you’d like in the “Custom Resolution” option
6. Save the changes and apply them

One good thing about NVIDIA’s control panel is the ability to test the settings. It lets you play around with the newly changed rates and helps you finalize the right option

#4- Using Intel Graphics

Now, if you own a base graphics card from Intel or a different model, the Intel HD Graphics Control Panel is your friend. This utility is also pre-installed with your base setup. Here’s how you overclock your monitor using Intel Graphics:

1. Right-click on your desktop and open “Intel Graphics Settings”. If it’s not there, search for the option by searching for it.
2. Head over to the “Display” settings tab.
3. Look for the “Custom Resolution” option.
4. Choose the new refresh rate.
5. Apply the settings by clicking “Add”

This is it! Voila, your monitor should now have a new refresh rate to play with.

Successfully Overclocked Your Monitor? Let’s Verify

Well, well, you’ve just overclocked your display device. How can you verify that? A straightforward way is to test it out by playing different games. If your gameplay seems different or your screen appears to have buttery-smooth graphics, you’ve done it right.

If a few lines appear on your screen or there’s unusual behavior, you might want to shift back to your default settings. The new settings are unstable for your system and might damage the monitor. Not sure if there’s an issue? Let us help you.

There are dozens of free testing software which can help you identify the right refresh rate. You should run the software to see if the issue persists and change it likewise. If not, you’re good to go!

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