Example: 1920 x 1080, 144 Hz, 8-bit, RGB | Setting | What it controls | |---------|------------------| | Desktop resolution | What Windows renders (icons, windows, mouse pointer) | | Active signal mode | What the GPU physically outputs over HDMI/DP/USB-C |
It sounds like you're asking about in Windows 11 — specifically what it means, how to check it, and why it might differ from your "desktop resolution." active signal mode windows 11
Get-CimInstance -Namespace root/WMI -ClassName WmiMonitorBasicDisplayParams (Returns timing info, but not as clean as UI — use Get-WmiObject or external tools like DisplayInfo for full details.) | Your goal | Desired active signal mode | |-----------|----------------------------| | Gaming (fast, sharp) | Same as desktop, max refresh, RGB | | HDR video/movies | 10-bit, YCbCr 4:2:2 or 4:4:4 | | Text / productivity | RGB, 8-bit (or 10-bit if monitor native) | | Legacy GPU scaling | Higher than desktop (e.g., 4K active / 1080p desktop) | Example: 1920 x 1080, 144 Hz, 8-bit, RGB
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