Need help understanding Refresh rates

[cotton]

I dont quite understand about refresh rates. My monitor supports a maximum refresh rate of 85Hz at 1024 x 768 which is what I run.
I can also choose Optimal or Adapter Default when running at 1024 x 768, I have a Voodoo 3 3000 AGP card. Heres the questions:

1. Is it better to choose manually choose 85Hz, Optimal or Adapter Default.

2. When I play Unreal Tournament and go into the Preferences in the game, I can change all the way up to 1024 x 768, 1280 x 968 and 1600 x 1200. If I choose above the 1024 x768 what happens what refresh rate would I be running at since the monitor doesnt support above the 1024 x 768. Is it better to pick 1024 x 768 in the game as well ?

Thanks

 

[Shudder]

UT doesn't care what kind of monitor you have, that's why you can go up to 1600 in the game. If your monitor doesn't support over 1024, don't choose 1600 in UT unless you like going into UT safe mode and changing it back so you can see the menu. Stick to what your monitor can handle, which from what you said would be 1024.

Whenever I change to optimal or default, it goes to the same refresh rate anyway.

What's strange is that your monitor will support 1024 at 85hz? It's odd that it wouldn't support 1280 at 60hz then.

I want to change my refresh rates in windows on my old PC. I have a monitor that will handle over 60hz, but the clarity blows. Another I have which is very clear will not go a tad over 60. 60.002 is too much for it. If I could get that to work I'd be in heaven.

 

[DragonSlayer81]

what's the best refresh rate to put your monitor without killin the life of the monitor?

 

[Goi]

Depends on how much your monitor can take. As long as you don't exceed what the monitor's capable of at any specific resolution you should be fine.