SetRes

SetRes is a feather-light command-line application that gives you the possibility to change the screen solution, colors and frequency by just entering a line of code.
It has a simplistic syntax that doesn't require previous experience with Command Prompt tools, as well as some usage examples. The program is geared toward all user levels.

Doesn't require installation

The whole tool's packed into a single .exe file that can be saved anyplace on the disk or transferred to a USB flash drive to launch it on any computer with as little effort as possible. It doesn't update the registry with new records or create extra files on the HDD without your permission. To eliminate it from the computer, you just have to delete the executable.

Seamlessly change your monitor settings

The usage is SETRES w h colors refresh, where "w" and "h" represent the width and height of the new resolution, colors are expressed in bits, and the refresh rate is displayed in Hertz.
It's necessary to call the application's process from a PowerShell window, since double-clicking its executable brings up a window that shows the usage syntax and numerous examples, ranging from 320x200, 32 bit, 60 Hz to 1680x1050, 32 bit, 60 Hz, depending on the capabilities of your monitor.
Modifications immediately take effect, so there's no need to restart the computer. Unfortunately, there is no option implemented to reset the configuration to default, which means that you have to write down your actual width, height, colors and refresh rate, in case the new specifications are not compatible.

Evaluation and conclusion

Although SetRes hasn't been updated for a while, we didn't have any trouble getting it to work with the latest edition of Windows in our tests. It tweaked the monitor settings fast while remaining light on system resources usage.