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Monitor
Whilst we may not have your exact model, here are the most frequently encountered issues and FAQs that should get you up and running again.
If you're still having any issues, call us on 03456 100 391 for further help.
Frequently asked questions
How do I connect a monitor to my computer?
Connecting your device to a monitor, whether it’s a computer or tablet, is a quick and easy process. First, identify what connector it requires - a common modern display connector is HDMI, which looks like this:
Older displays might have a VGA or DVI connection port, shown below:
Newer displays might use a DisplayPort or USB-C connector:
Once you know which cable you need and which port to connect it to, simply connect your device to your monitor with a cable. Older ports such as VGA or DVI have small screws either side of the port and cable end which you can fasten to secure the connection. If you have a mismatched port, you may need an adapter to use the monitor.
VGA: | DVI: | ||
DisplayPort: | USB-C: | ||
How to clean a computer screen
Sometimes it can be daunting to clean our technology, as most of us know that water and technology don’t mix! However, cleaning your computer screen is a simple process that can be done using a few household items. Here are some steps:
- Turn off your computer, and ensure it is switched off and unplugged from its power source. This will avoid damage to the screen and to you.
- Use a soft cloth, ideally a microfibre cloth, to wipe the screen down. This is so that the cloth doesn’t scratch the surface of the screen.
- If it requires a bit more than a wipe, you can use a solution of equal parts distilled water and white vinegar. Apply this to your cloth, or put some in a spray bottle and lightly spray the screen. Harsh chemicals and cleaners are best avoided, as these can damage your screen.
- You can also try isopropyl alcohol (or rubbing alcohol) if there are some particularly stubborn stains - use a cotton swab or a cloth for this. Ensure you’re cleaning gently.
- Once the screen is clean, ensure that it is completely dry before switching it back on!
What does resolution mean?
In computing, resolution is the number of pixels that a display has. We express this as the number of pixels on the horizontal axis and vertical axis, for example, 1920 x 1080, where 1920 is the number of horizontal pixels and 1080 is the number of vertical pixels. The higher the resolution of the image, the clearer it will be, as more pixels in your image allow for more detail.
This also means we can express the resolution without it being related to the size of the display itself - a phone screen can have the same resolution as a monitor or a TV. However, as you go up in size, the quality will begin to suffer, as the same amount of pixels are being used to stretch across a larger image.
Below is a list of resolution standards, along with their common names and pixel sizes:
This also means we can express the resolution without it being related to the size of the display itself - a phone screen can have the same resolution as a monitor or a TV. However, as you go up in size, the quality will begin to suffer, as the same amount of pixels are being used to stretch across a larger image.
Below is a list of resolution standards, along with their common names and pixel sizes:
Resolution Type | Common Name | Pixel Size |
SD (Standard Definition) | 480p | 640 x 480 |
HD (High Definition) | 720p | 1280 x 720 |
Full HD (FHD) | 1080p | 1920 x 1080 |
QHD (Quad HD) | 1440p | 2560 x 1440 |
2K video | 1080p | 2048 x 1080 |
4K video or Ultra HD (UHD) | 4K | 3840 x 2160 |
8K video or Full Ultra HD | 8K | 7680 x 4320 |
What is a refresh rate?
Monitors, TVs, and other screens use light to produce their images. To make the image move, such as the mouse going across the screen or a video being played, monitors rapidly display images every second to make it seem like a continuous moving picture.
The rate at which these images are displayed depends on how quickly the monitor can ‘refresh’ its image. This rate is measured in Hertz (Hz), and is what we refer to as the ‘refresh rate’ of your monitor.
The desktop monitor standard is 60Hz, meaning that the screen refreshes itself 60 times per second. As monitor technology has improved, higher standards have been defined such as 120Hz, 144Hz, and 240Hz.
The rate at which these images are displayed depends on how quickly the monitor can ‘refresh’ its image. This rate is measured in Hertz (Hz), and is what we refer to as the ‘refresh rate’ of your monitor.
The desktop monitor standard is 60Hz, meaning that the screen refreshes itself 60 times per second. As monitor technology has improved, higher standards have been defined such as 120Hz, 144Hz, and 240Hz.
What is the difference between Frame Rate and Refresh Rate?
These two technical definitions are closely related, and often get confused, but are distinct measurements on their own.
The Frame Rate, measured in Frames Per Second (FPS), is used to define how many images have been captured or produced every second.
We use Frame Rate to describe a few things: when filming on a camera, you will capture a certain amount of pictures per second, and this is your frame rate. The same can be said of a video you play back; your computer or phone will play back the file of the video, and each second a number of images will be played in order to produce the video. Lastly, this can be used to measure how many times your computer or games console can produce an image on screen per second to create a continuous moving image.
The Refresh Rate, on the other hand, is tied solely to your output hardware, whether it be a TV, monitor or phone screen. This works independently of the frame rate, and is defined as the number of times the image can refresh on screen per second, measured in Hertz (Hz).
This is where it can get confusing - if they both measure how many times something is displayed, are they not the same measurement? The answer is no.
The frames produced by your hardware can be higher or lower than the amount of times your screen can refresh itself. For example, the standard frame rate for a movie or TV show is 24 FPS. This means that when you play the movie back on your 60Hz monitor, each second you’re still only watching 24 frames even though the monitor is refreshing itself 60 times.
This sort of discrepancy between frame rates and refresh rates is harmless for watching video and won’t cause any issues, and the same can be said for gaming as long as your refresh rate is higher than your frame rate.
However, if you’re running a game at a high frame rate, 100FPS for example, but only playing on a 60Hz monitor, you won’t be seeing every frame that your game can produce. There is still some advantage to this though, as although you don’t see every frame, you do see more up-to-date frames than if you were running at a slower frame rate. The downside to this is a phenomenon called Screen Tearing where your graphics card is producing so many frames that your screen can’t keep up, and occasionally will produce two half-frames split down the middle of the screen, slightly misaligned.
Technologies have emerged to get around this sort of problem, such as variable refresh rates on monitors that can sync with the frame rate of your hardware - this is something that can often be enabled in the settings of a videogame under ‘V-Sync’. There are also hardware-led versions of this by the two leading graphics cards manufacturers - Nvidia’s G-Sync, and AMD’s FreeSync.
The Frame Rate, measured in Frames Per Second (FPS), is used to define how many images have been captured or produced every second.
We use Frame Rate to describe a few things: when filming on a camera, you will capture a certain amount of pictures per second, and this is your frame rate. The same can be said of a video you play back; your computer or phone will play back the file of the video, and each second a number of images will be played in order to produce the video. Lastly, this can be used to measure how many times your computer or games console can produce an image on screen per second to create a continuous moving image.
The Refresh Rate, on the other hand, is tied solely to your output hardware, whether it be a TV, monitor or phone screen. This works independently of the frame rate, and is defined as the number of times the image can refresh on screen per second, measured in Hertz (Hz).
This is where it can get confusing - if they both measure how many times something is displayed, are they not the same measurement? The answer is no.
The frames produced by your hardware can be higher or lower than the amount of times your screen can refresh itself. For example, the standard frame rate for a movie or TV show is 24 FPS. This means that when you play the movie back on your 60Hz monitor, each second you’re still only watching 24 frames even though the monitor is refreshing itself 60 times.
This sort of discrepancy between frame rates and refresh rates is harmless for watching video and won’t cause any issues, and the same can be said for gaming as long as your refresh rate is higher than your frame rate.
However, if you’re running a game at a high frame rate, 100FPS for example, but only playing on a 60Hz monitor, you won’t be seeing every frame that your game can produce. There is still some advantage to this though, as although you don’t see every frame, you do see more up-to-date frames than if you were running at a slower frame rate. The downside to this is a phenomenon called Screen Tearing where your graphics card is producing so many frames that your screen can’t keep up, and occasionally will produce two half-frames split down the middle of the screen, slightly misaligned.
Technologies have emerged to get around this sort of problem, such as variable refresh rates on monitors that can sync with the frame rate of your hardware - this is something that can often be enabled in the settings of a videogame under ‘V-Sync’. There are also hardware-led versions of this by the two leading graphics cards manufacturers - Nvidia’s G-Sync, and AMD’s FreeSync.