How to show all video modes available in Linux

Primitive command line interface to RandR extension

1	Primitive command line interface to RandR extension

Here’s a quick way to show all available video modes available with your current combination of video driver and physical displays.

If you’re hand tweaking /etc/X11/xorg.conf to your liking, you should avoid listing display modes in the screen sections that your system can’t support. This little tool will let you know exactly what’s available.

$ xrandr

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$ xrandr

Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 2400 x 1600, maximum 3520 x 1600 DVI-1 connected 1200x1600+0+0 left (normal left inverted x y) 367mm x 275mm 1600x1200 60.0*+ 1280x1024 75.0 60.0 1152x864 75.0 1024x768 75.0 60.0 800x600 75.0 60.3 640x480 75.0 59.9 720x400 70.1 DVI-0 connected 1200x1600+1200+0 left (normal left inverted x y) 367mm x 275mm 1600x1200 60.0*+ 1280x1024 75.0 60.0 1152x864 75.0 1024x768 75.0 60.0 800x600 75.0 60.3 640x480 75.0 59.9 720x400 70.1

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Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 2400 x 1600, maximum 3520 x 1600
DVI-1 connected 1200x1600+0+0 left (normal left inverted x y) 367mm x 275mm
   1600x1200      60.0*+
   1280x1024      75.0     60.0
   1152x864       75.0
   1024x768       75.0     60.0
   800x600        75.0     60.3
   640x480        75.0     59.9
   720x400        70.1
DVI-0 connected 1200x1600+1200+0 left (normal left inverted x y) 367mm x 275mm
   1600x1200      60.0*+
   1280x1024      75.0     60.0
   1152x864       75.0
   1024x768       75.0     60.0
   800x600        75.0     60.3
   640x480        75.0     59.9
   720x400        70.1

When generating the file for an automated installation, you can also use this tool to collect the modes for the particular system that’s currently being installed. That way it doesn’t matter if you’re rolling out an image to a bunch of systems with different video cards. It shouldn’t even matter between ATi and NVidia.

Add the verbose switch and get even more info.

$ xrandr --verbose

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$ xrandr --verbose

1600x1200 (0x53) 162.0MHz +HSync +VSync *current +preferred h: width 1600 start 1664 end 1856 total 2160 skew 0 clock 75.0KHz v: height 1200 start 1201 end 1204 total 1250 clock 60.0Hz 1280x1024 (0x54) 135.0MHz +HSync +VSync h: width 1280 start 1296 end 1440 total 1688 skew 0 clock 80.0KHz v: height 1024 start 1025 end 1028 total 1066 clock 75.0Hz 1280x1024 (0x55) 108.0MHz +HSync +VSync h: width 1280 start 1328 end 1440 total 1688 skew 0 clock 64.0KHz v: height 1024 start 1025 end 1028 total 1066 clock 60.0Hz

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1600x1200 (0x53)  162.0MHz +HSync +VSync *current +preferred
      h: width  1600 start 1664 end 1856 total 2160 skew    0 clock   75.0KHz
      v: height 1200 start 1201 end 1204 total 1250           clock   60.0Hz
1280x1024 (0x54)  135.0MHz +HSync +VSync
      h: width  1280 start 1296 end 1440 total 1688 skew    0 clock   80.0KHz
      v: height 1024 start 1025 end 1028 total 1066           clock   75.0Hz
1280x1024 (0x55)  108.0MHz +HSync +VSync
      h: width  1280 start 1328 end 1440 total 1688 skew    0 clock   64.0KHz
      v: height 1024 start 1025 end 1028 total 1066           clock   60.0Hz