Comment 42 for bug 200868

@Nietzsche Keen: The first solution is not really a solution, as a user should be able to use all parts of the nvidia-settings gui when launched from the menu (rather than from the command-line with sudo), and currently that doesn't work with changing the resolution and refresh rates. Running sudo nvidia-settings from the terminal is certainly a workaround, but not a solution.

Second, changing the resolution settings under System-Preferences-Screen Resolution is also not a solution, as due to the way the nvidia driver handles things and interacts with X the refresh rates don't show up correctly to GNOME, so it is not clear to someone with the nvidia driver using that gui what the refresh rate of their card/screen really is, nor can they change it easily. The nvidia-settings app shows the correct values.

At any rate, as -Zeus- noted above, most everyone knows how to work around the bug, it's a question of getting the app fixed so that it behaves correctly.