diff --git a/game/CMakeLists.txt b/game/CMakeLists.txt
index 74e07e4c140..df32b480ad2 100644
--- a/game/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/game/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -322,3 +322,6 @@ endif()
 
 add_executable(gk main.cpp)
 target_link_libraries(gk runtime)
+if(WIN32)
+    set_target_properties(gk PROPERTIES VS_DPI_AWARE "PerMonitor")
+endif()
diff --git a/game/system/hid/display_manager.cpp b/game/system/hid/display_manager.cpp
index 5094c8302a8..cef01758ecc 100644
--- a/game/system/hid/display_manager.cpp
+++ b/game/system/hid/display_manager.cpp
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ Resolution DisplayManager::get_resolution(int id) {
 }
 
 bool DisplayManager::is_supported_resolution(int width, int height) {
-  for (const auto resolution : m_available_resolutions) {
+  for (const auto& resolution : m_available_resolutions) {
     if (resolution.width == width && resolution.height == height) {
       return true;
     }
@@ -358,6 +358,10 @@ void DisplayManager::update_video_modes() {
     DisplayMode new_mode = {display_name_str, curr_mode.format,       curr_mode.w,
                             curr_mode.h,      curr_mode.refresh_rate, orient};
     m_current_display_modes[display_id] = new_mode;
+    lg::info(
+        "[DISPLAY]: Found monitor {}, currently set to {}x{}@{}hz. Format: {}, Orientation: {}",
+        new_mode.display_name, new_mode.screen_width, new_mode.screen_height, new_mode.refresh_rate,
+        new_mode.sdl_pixel_format, static_cast<int>(new_mode.orientation));
   }
   update_resolutions();
 }
@@ -365,17 +369,29 @@ void DisplayManager::update_video_modes() {
 void DisplayManager::update_resolutions() {
   lg::info("[DISPLAY] Enumerating resolutions");
   // Enumerate display's display modes to get the resolutions
-  auto num_display_modes = SDL_GetNumDisplayModes(get_active_display_id());
+  const auto active_display_id = get_active_display_id();
+  const auto active_refresh_rate = m_current_display_modes[active_display_id].refresh_rate;
+  auto num_display_modes = SDL_GetNumDisplayModes(active_display_id);
   SDL_DisplayMode curr_mode;
   for (int i = 0; i < num_display_modes; i++) {
-    auto ok = SDL_GetDisplayMode(get_active_display_id(), i, &curr_mode);
+    auto ok = SDL_GetDisplayMode(active_display_id, i, &curr_mode);
     if (ok != 0) {
-      sdl_util::log_error(fmt::format("unable to get display mode for display {}, index {}",
-                                      get_active_display_id(), i));
+      sdl_util::log_error(
+          fmt::format("unable to get display mode for display {}, index {}", active_display_id, i));
+      continue;
+    }
+    // Skip resolutions that aren't using the current refresh rate, they won't work.
+    // For example if your monitor is currently set to `60hz` and the monitor _could_ support
+    // resolution X but only at `30hz`...then there's no reason for us to consider it as an option.
+    if (curr_mode.refresh_rate != active_refresh_rate) {
+      lg::debug(
+          "[DISPLAY]: Skipping {}x{} as it requires {}hz but the monitor is currently set to {}hz",
+          curr_mode.w, curr_mode.h, curr_mode.refresh_rate, active_refresh_rate);
       continue;
     }
     Resolution new_res = {curr_mode.w, curr_mode.h,
                           static_cast<float>(curr_mode.w) / static_cast<float>(curr_mode.h)};
+    lg::info("[DISPLAY]: {}x{} is supported", new_res.width, new_res.height);
     m_available_resolutions.push_back(new_res);
   }
 
diff --git a/goal_src/jak1/pc/pckernel-common.gc b/goal_src/jak1/pc/pckernel-common.gc
index a01708a8187..7235b4ef445 100644
--- a/goal_src/jak1/pc/pckernel-common.gc
+++ b/goal_src/jak1/pc/pckernel-common.gc
@@ -34,13 +34,14 @@
 (defmethod set-window-size! ((obj pc-settings) (width int) (height int))
   "sets the size of the display window"
   (let ((display-mode (pc-get-display-mode)))
-    (format 0 "Setting ~A size to ~D x ~D~%" display-mode width height)
     (cond
       ((= display-mode 'windowed)
         (set! (-> obj window-width) width)
         (set! (-> obj window-height) height)
+        (format 0 "Setting window size to ~D x ~D~%" width height)
         (pc-set-window-size! (max PC_MIN_WIDTH (-> obj window-width)) (max PC_MIN_HEIGHT (-> obj window-height))))
       (else
+        (format 0 "Setting borderless/fullscreen size to ~D x ~D~%" width height)
         (set! (-> obj width) width)
         (set! (-> obj height) height))))
   (none))
@@ -642,7 +643,11 @@
      (unless (read-from-file obj *pc-temp-string-1*)
        (format 0 "[PC] PC Settings found at '~S' but could not be loaded, using defaults!~%" *pc-temp-string-1*)
        (reset obj #t)))
-    (else (format 0 "[PC] PC Settings not found at '~S'...initializing with defaults!~%" *pc-temp-string-1*) (reset obj #t)))
+    (else
+      (format 0 "[PC] PC Settings not found at '~S'...initializing with defaults!~%" *pc-temp-string-1*)
+      (reset obj #t)
+      ;; save the file so users aren't confused, and so we can debug what the game is producing for them
+      (commit-to-file obj)))
   0)
 
 (defmethod initialize ((obj pc-settings))
diff --git a/goal_src/jak1/pc/pckernel-h.gc b/goal_src/jak1/pc/pckernel-h.gc
index 5077ecb4d53..176d94a2084 100644
--- a/goal_src/jak1/pc/pckernel-h.gc
+++ b/goal_src/jak1/pc/pckernel-h.gc
@@ -318,18 +318,21 @@
   (set! (-> obj aspect-ratio-auto?) #t)
   (set! (-> obj vsync?) #t)
   (set! (-> obj letterbox?) #t)
-  ;; get screen size and set to borderless at screen res (if retail)
-  (cond
-    ((> (pc-get-num-resolutions) 0)
-     ;; pick first available resolution by default
-     (pc-get-resolution 0 (&-> obj width) (&-> obj height)))
-    (else
-     ;; somehow didn't get a single resolution. this is pretty bad.
-     (pc-get-active-display-size (&-> obj width) (&-> obj height))
-     (max! (-> obj width) PC_MIN_WIDTH)
-     (max! (-> obj height) PC_MIN_HEIGHT)
-     (format 0 "!!!! failed to get any screen resolutions !!!!")))
-  (format 0 "fullscreen resolution defaulted to ~D x ~D~%" (-> obj width) (-> obj height))
+  ;; default to the displays currently chosen resolution
+  (pc-get-active-display-size (&-> obj width) (&-> obj height))
+  (max! (-> obj width) PC_MIN_WIDTH)
+  (max! (-> obj height) PC_MIN_HEIGHT)
+  ;; ensure the default resolution was a valid choice
+  (let* ((saved-width (-> obj width))
+         (saved-height (-> obj height))
+         (supported-resolution? (pc-is-supported-resolution? saved-width saved-height)))
+   (cond
+     (supported-resolution?
+      (format 0 "[PC Settings]: Valid default game-size resolution set ~D x ~D~%" saved-width saved-height))
+     (else
+      (pc-get-active-display-size (&-> obj width) (&-> obj height))
+      (format 0 "[PC Settings]: Invalid game-size resolution ~D x ~D, defaulting to ~D x ~D~%" saved-width saved-height (-> obj width) (-> obj height)))))
+  (format 0 "[PC Settings]: fullscreen resolution defaulted to ~D x ~D~%" (-> obj width) (-> obj height))
   (set! (-> obj gfx-msaa) PC_DEFAULT_MSAA) ;; default msaa
   0)