220-1201 Practice Question: A user connects a 4K monitor to their laptop…

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

• ✗

  The monitor's HDMI port is defective

  Why it's wrong here

  If the monitor's HDMI port were genuinely defective, the laptop would likely fail to detect the monitor entirely, or the connection would be intermittent and unstable, leading to a 'no signal' message. Since the monitor is detected and displaying an image, albeit at a lower resolution, the port itself is functional for basic signal transmission. The problem is not a lack of connectivity, but rather the inability to achieve the desired high resolution, which points to a bandwidth or signal capability issue elsewhere.

• ✓

  The USB-C cable does not support DisplayPort Alt Mode

  Why this is correct

  USB-C is a versatile connector, but not all USB-C cables are created equal or support all its optional modes. DisplayPort Alternate Mode (Alt Mode) is a critical feature that allows a USB-C port to transmit DisplayPort video signals, which are essential for high-resolution output like 4K. Without a cable specifically designed and wired to support DisplayPort Alt Mode, the necessary high bandwidth for 4K video cannot be transmitted, forcing the display to operate at a lower, more basic resolution that requires less data throughput.

• ✗

  The laptop's graphics driver is outdated

  Why it's wrong here

  An outdated or corrupt graphics driver typically manifests as more severe display issues than a simple resolution limit. Common symptoms include the monitor not being detected at all, screen flickering, graphical artifacts, system instability, or even blue screens of death. While a driver can sometimes impact resolution capabilities, it's less common for it to specifically prevent a higher resolution while still allowing a stable, lower-resolution display without other noticeable problems or errors.

• ✗

  The monitor's refresh rate is set too high

  Why it's wrong here

  Setting a monitor's refresh rate too high for the current resolution or cable capabilities would typically result in a blank screen, a 'signal out of range' error message displayed on the monitor, or severe visual artifacts and flickering. The operating system and graphics card usually negotiate and present only refresh rates that are compatible with the selected resolution and the display hardware. The issue here is the inability to *select* 4K resolution, not an incompatibility with a specific refresh rate *at* 4K.

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