Monitor Info: Check Your Display’s Real Resolution, Refresh Rate and Specs
Your display reports far more than what the box said: the browser can read back logical and physical resolution, device pixel ratio, the refresh rate actually running, color depth, approximate color gamut and aspect ratio — all on one dashboard. This page explains what every reading means and how to turn them into the exact model of your monitor.
What each reading on the dashboard means
Logical resolution is what your OS and browser work in — the CSS pixels that windows and pages are laid out on. Physical resolution is the true grid of the panel, e.g. 3840×2160. Device pixel ratio (DPR) is the multiplier between them: a 27-inch 4K monitor at 150% scaling reports a DPR of 1.5, so the browser draws 1.5 physical pixels per logical pixel. High DPR is why text is crisp on modern laptops; when images look soft, compare the logical and physical numbers to see whether scaling is doing the softening. Our resolution test shows how each mode actually renders.
Measured refresh rate is sampled from the browser’s animation timing, so it reflects what is running now — a 144 Hz panel stuck at 60 Hz shows 60 here, which makes this a quick sanity check after driver updates; deeper checks live on the refresh rate test page. Color depth is the bit depth the browser negotiated with the system (8-bit is still the common desktop case; 10-bit depends on OS, GPU and cable). Color gamut is an approximate coverage estimate — a wide-gamut panel will report support beyond plain sRGB. Aspect ratio rounds off the picture: 16:9 for most desktops, 16:10 on many laptops, 21:9 and taller on ultrawides.
Finding your exact monitor model
Four places, in order of convenience. First, the monitor’s own OSD menu — most models list model number and serial near the Information or About entry. Second, Windows: Settings > System > Display > Advanced display shows the display name, native resolution, current refresh rate and bit depth straight from EDID; Device Manager and the GPU control panel also identify it. Third, macOS: About This Mac > System Report > Graphics/Displays lists the display, its resolution and framebuffer details. Fourth, the physical label on the back of the panel — model, serial and manufacture date, which you will need for warranty anyway.
Laptops blur this a little, since the panel is an internal part: the report shows the system model, and the panel ID may need a utility to surface. External monitors are simpler — if the OSD is locked by kiosk settings or a broken joystick, the EDID name in Windows or the label on the back always settles it.
Why knowing the model matters
The model number unlocks the real spec sheet: native resolution and supported refresh rates, claimed bit depth and gamut (so you know whether the 10-bit toggle in your GPU driver is meaningful), response time, HDR tier and panel type. Driver and firmware updates are published per model, and correct ICC profiles — essential for the work on the color calibration page — are downloaded per model too. An anonymous “Generic PnP Monitor” entry in Windows usually means the EDID handshake failed or you are on the wrong input; fixing it restores proper color profiles and sometimes missing refresh rates.
The readings also police the specs. Compare the dashboard against the advertised numbers: if a “144 Hz” panel measures 60, check cable, port and settings before believing marketing; if an “8-bit+FRC” panel negotiates plain 8-bit, the chain from GPU to cable to monitor is dropping a bit plane somewhere. Then verify what the numbers feel like with the screen test — and if the display claims HDR, follow up with the HDR test to see whether the tier matches reality. Small text as a torture test lives on the text clarity page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between logical and physical resolution?+
Physical resolution is the panel’s real pixel grid (e.g. 3840×2160). Logical resolution is the smaller or equal space the OS presents to apps after scaling; device pixel ratio is how many physical pixels render each logical one.
Why does my device pixel ratio say 1.5 or 2?+
Because the system is scaling. A 4K panel at 150% Windows scaling reports DPR 1.5; a MacBook Retina screen reports 2. Higher DPR means sharper text but more pixels to push for the GPU.
Why does the measured Hz differ from my monitor’s advertised refresh rate?+
The reading shows what is actually running. The panel may be limited by OS settings, a cable or port bandwidth cap, or power-saving mode on laptops. If it measures 60 on a 144 Hz panel, raise the rate in display settings and re-check cabling.
My panel is 10-bit but the dashboard says 8-bit. Which is right?+
The browser reports the chain it was granted: OS compositor, GPU driver, cable and monitor must all agree on 10-bit. Any weak link, and the system falls back to 8-bit — often correct, just not the full path.
How do I find my monitor model without the box?+
Open the OSD menu (Information/About), check Windows’ Advanced display settings or macOS System Report, or read the label on the back of the panel, which also carries the serial and manufacture date.
Does a browser test measure real color gamut?+
No — it reports the gamut the system claims to the browser, not measured coverage. It is still useful: a plain-sRGB answer on a wide-gamut monitor points to a settings or profile problem rather than the panel.