Windows 11 is getting support for 1,000 Hz+ monitors soon as part of Insider builds — Microsoft has reportedly increased the refresh rate limit to 5,000 Hz

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Limited to early testers for now, but coming to the public soon.

Windows 11
(Image credit: Microsoft)

As monitor tech advances, the software side of things needs to keep up with the hardware. One of the most exciting recent developments in this space is the advent of 1,000 Hz gaming monitors, and now Microsoft is taking the step to future-proof Windows for them. As such, new Insider builds for Windows 11 not only support refresh rates higher than 1,000 Hz, but they can reportedly go up to 5,000 Hz.

The new refresh rate limits were first spotted by Blur Busters, who also happened to play a part in the feature's implementation. One of their previous articles mentioned how the human eye can technically see up to 20,000 Hz and that might've convinced Microsoft to raise the ceiling. A contact from the company reached out to Blur Busters and even said the maximum limit is now up to 5,000 Hz in newer Windows builds.

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We don't have monitors that can test that yet — Blur Busters says manufacturers are working on 2,000 Hz displays for 2030 — but big companies like Samsung are launching their 1,000 Hz-capable displays this year.

Moreover, achieving 1,000 frames per second in any game is a completely different challenge, one that AMD seems to have solved with its X3D chips. With time, we'll only see higher frame rates thanks to neural rendering improvements and AI becoming an aide in multiplying FPS. q

Nvidia G-Sync Pulsar update

(Image credit: Future)

At the same as this development, Nvidia has also released its first update for G-Sync Pulsar — the company's advanced backlight strobing tech that syncs with a monitor's variable refresh rate (VRR). This update eliminates sharp double images when a game is running under 90 FPS and adds a fixed 60 Hz strobing mode for games capped at that frame rate.

The in-monitor FPS indicator has also been fixed for when games are below 90 FPS. That level of software-hardware integration is only possible on monitors that are vetted by Nvidia. The update is available on just four displays that all launched at CES 2026 earlier this year. This, along with Microsoft's broader refresh rate update, signals that a future with absolute motion clarity is not far off.

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Hassam Nasir
Hassam Nasir
Contributing Writer

Hassam Nasir is a die-hard hardware enthusiast with years of experience as a tech editor and writer, focusing on detailed CPU comparisons and general hardware news. When he’s not working, you’ll find him bending tubes for his ever-evolving custom water-loop gaming rig or benchmarking the latest CPUs and GPUs just for fun.

6 Comments Comment from the forums
  • usertests
    I think some of these 1000 Hz displays are actually 1040-1080, so it would need to be raised for that reason alone.

    I recommend reading the whole Blur Busters article before reflexively shouting that nobody needs/can see 1000 Hz, like they did on Videocardz.
    Reply
  • adamXpeter
    usertests said:
    I think some of these 1000 Hz displays are actually 1040-1080, so it would need to be raised for that reason alone.

    I recommend reading the whole Blur Busters article before reflexively shouting that nobody needs/can see 1000 Hz, like they did on Videocardz.
    Works only with gold-plated HDMI cables. (As seen on "threads on X.com and BlueSky")
    Reply
  • usertests
    adamXpeter said:
    Works only with gold-plated HDMI cables. (As seen on "threads on X.com and BlueSky")
    Mythril cables
    Reply
  • Shiznizzle
    usertests said:
    I think some of these 1000 Hz displays are actually 1040-1080, so it would need to be raised for that reason alone.

    I recommend reading the whole Blur Busters article before reflexively shouting that nobody needs/can see 1000 Hz, like they did on Videocardz.
    I did. And?

    Vsynch for eyes now?

    Dont make me laugh. There is not a single person that can tell the difference between 20k refresh rate and 1k refresh rate unless the content and test parameters are put in such as way as to make it visible.

    Play a bog standard movie at 1k and then 20k. Then you, you personally, tell me which is which. My money is on ou cant tell the difference. And if you happen to get lucky....we do 100 of those. My guess is you will do not better than %50/%50....at best

    I call BS on all of these marketing claims that now aim to sell you "upgrades" till we hit 20k refresh rate at ridiculous prices. Then new claims will be made such as we are syncing brain neuron synapse transfer rates.
    Reply
  • Notton
    Shiznizzle said:
    I did. And?

    Vsynch for eyes now?

    Dont make me laugh. There is not a single person that can tell the difference between 20k refresh rate and 1k refresh rate unless the content and test parameters are put in such as way as to make it visible.

    Play a bog standard movie at 1k and then 20k. Then you, you personally, tell me which is which. My money is on ou cant tell the difference. And if you happen to get lucky....we do 100 of those. My guess is you will do not better than %50/%50....at best

    I call BS on all of these marketing claims that now aim to sell you "upgrades" till we hit 20k refresh rate at ridiculous prices. Then new claims will be made such as we are syncing brain neuron synapse transfer rates.

    Oh, I had this bookmarked just for you.

    Sb_7uN7sfTw
    Reply
  • adamXpeter
    Notton said:
    Oh, I had this bookmarked just for you.

    Sb_7uN7sfTw
    My eyes see 668 terahertz.
    Reply