Nine times out of ten it is the cable or the port rather than the panel. HDMI 2.0 runs short of bandwidth at this resolution and refresh rate, and Windows often sets 60Hz by default on a new screen. Move to DisplayPort 1.4 and set the rate by hand.
A brand new ultrawide running noticeably below its advertised specification is not usually a faulty panel, it is almost always one of two settings or one wrong cable, and each has a distinct symptom that points straight at the cause. Getting an ultrawide monitor to actually reach 3440x1440 at 120Hz together is a diagnosis, not a mystery.
Nine times out of ten it is the cable or the port, not the panel itself. HDMI 2.0 runs short of the bandwidth needed for 3440x1440 at 120Hz simultaneously, and a first-time connection commonly lands on a conservative 60Hz regardless of what the panel can actually do. Move to DisplayPort 1.4 and set the refresh rate manually in Windows to resolve the great majority of cases on the R5,999 CU34B3E.
This is the single most common reason a genuinely capable monitor appears to underperform right out of the box.
HDMI 2.0 carries roughly 18Gbps of bandwidth, which falls short of the roughly 24Gbps that 3440x1440 at 120Hz requires uncompressed. Connecting via HDMI 2.0 typically forces Windows to offer a lower resolution, a lower refresh rate, or a compressed signal mode as the available options, none of which represent the panel's true full specification. Check that you are connected via DisplayPort 1.4 rather than HDMI if the full combination is not appearing as an option.
Even with the correct cable, Windows itself frequently chooses a lower refresh rate than the connection actually supports.
Head into the Advanced display settings screen, buried a couple of levels under System and Display, and check the refresh rate dropdown specifically, since a fully capable DisplayPort 1.4 link can still land on 60Hz the first time it connects. Nothing is broken on the monitor, the cable or the graphics card; it is simply a cautious default waiting for someone to override it manually.
Less common than the first two causes, but worth checking if both the cable and the Windows setting have already been confirmed correct.
An outdated graphics driver, or a generic driver Windows installed automatically rather than one downloaded directly from the graphics card manufacturer, can sometimes limit the resolution and refresh rate combinations offered for a specific monitor, occasionally capping the 3440x1440 and 120Hz combination even once the cable and Windows setting are both already correct. A driver that has gone 6 months or more without an update is worth treating with suspicion, particularly after a recent Windows feature update, which can quietly revert display driver behaviour. Downloading and installing the latest driver directly from the graphics card manufacturer's own website, rather than relying on whatever Windows Update installed automatically, resolves this in most remaining cases.
Rather than guessing which of the three causes applies, working through them in a specific order finds the answer fastest.
Start by confirming the physical connection is DisplayPort 1.4, not HDMI, since this alone resolves the majority of cases. If the connection is already correct, check the Windows display settings refresh rate dropdown directly rather than assuming it matches the cable's capability. Only after both of those are confirmed correct is it worth updating the graphics driver, since driver issues are the least common of the three causes.
If the issue persists after all three checks, cable solutions is worth checking for a confirmed DisplayPort 1.4 rated cable, since even a correctly labelled cable can occasionally be a lower-spec version than advertised, and monitor accessories covers other connection options for any panel in the office monitor range worth checking.
Almost certainly not. The cause is nearly always the cable, port, or a Windows setting, all of which are fixable without any hardware fault involved.
Windows often applies a conservative default refresh rate to a newly connected display regardless of its actual capability. Set it manually under Advanced display settings.
Yes, though this is less common than a cable or Windows setting issue. Update directly from the graphics card manufacturer's website rather than relying on an automatically installed driver.
Cable and port first, then the Windows refresh rate setting, and finally the graphics driver, since this order resolves the issue fastest in most cases.
Not always. A mislabelled or lower-quality cable can occasionally underperform its stated rating, so try a different DisplayPort cable if the setting itself checks out correctly.
Ready to diagnose why your monitor is underperforming? Check your cable and port first, then the Windows refresh rate setting, before assuming anything is actually faulty.
Almost certainly not. The cause is nearly always the cable, port, or a Windows setting, all of which are fixable without any hardware fault involved.
Windows often applies a conservative default refresh rate to a newly connected display regardless of its actual capability. Set it manually under Advanced display settings.
Yes, though this is less common than a cable or Windows setting issue. Update directly from the graphics card manufacturer's website rather than relying on an automatically installed driver.
Cable and port first, then the Windows refresh rate setting, and finally the graphics driver, since this order resolves the issue fastest in most cases.
Not always. A mislabelled or lower-quality cable can occasionally underperform its stated rating, so try a different DisplayPort cable if the setting itself checks out correctly.
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