The Microsoft released on Monday (28) the first preview of Windows 11 in the Windows Insiders community. Some of the new features include the new Start menu, the completely revamped File Explorer, the updated Settings interface and widgets . However, an interesting feature ended up flying below the radar on the preview arrival day.
Among the various compilations available on the Dev channel — see how to download here —, an unprecedented feature caught the attention of users for its topicality: the dynamic refresh rate (DRR). The purpose of the adjustment is to improve the browsing experience and, at the same time, guarantee a minimum use of battery .
The purpose of the new dynamic refresh rate is for Windows 11 to be able to automatically switch between a lower and higher refresh rate depending on the task you are performing on your PC. The idea is to balance machine performance and also save energy.
How will Windows 11 dynamic refresh rate work?
Source: Microsoft/DisclosureSource: Microsoft
If you have a 120 Hz screen, the device will work at this rate when scrolling pages and performing drawing functions in supported applications. However, as soon as you return to your everyday tasks such as writing an email or working in Word, the screen refresh rate will automatically reset to 60 Hz to save battery power.
DRR will automatically trigger when you use the following applications on Windows 11: Microsoft Office , Microsoft Edge , Microsoft Whiteboard, Microsoft Photos, Snip & Sketch, PDF Drawboard, Microsoft Sticky Notes, Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Illustrator , Microsoft To Do and Inkodo. The company also points out that games running on the operating system will not be affected by the change.
Of course, for the “magic” to work, you’ll have to work with a screen that supports at least 120 Hz, in addition to having a graphics driver (WDDM 3.0) installed on your computer.