diff --git a/ssheven-console.c b/ssheven-console.c
index 1e1e718..725d4a0 100644
--- a/ssheven-console.c
+++ b/ssheven-console.c
@@ -131,6 +131,25 @@ inline int idx2qd(VTermColor c)
 
 // closely inspired by the retro68 console library
 void draw_screen(Rect* r)
+{
+	switch (prefs.display_mode)
+	{
+		case FASTEST:
+			draw_screen_fast(r);
+			break;
+		case MONOCHROME:
+			draw_screen_mono(r);
+			break;
+		case COLOR:
+			draw_screen_color(r);
+			break;
+		default:
+			draw_screen_color(r);
+			break;
+	}
+}
+
+void draw_screen_color(Rect* r)
 {
 	// get the intersection of our console region and the update region
 	//Rect bounds = (con.win->portRect);
@@ -234,6 +253,138 @@ void draw_screen(Rect* r)
 	con.win->clipRgn = old;
 }
 
+
+void draw_screen_fast(Rect* r)
+{
+	// don't clobber font settings
+	short save_font      = qd.thePort->txFont;
+	short save_font_size = qd.thePort->txSize;
+	short save_font_face = qd.thePort->txFace;
+	short save_font_fg   = qd.thePort->fgColor;
+	short save_font_bg   = qd.thePort->bkColor;
+
+	TextFont(kFontIDMonaco);
+	TextSize(9);
+	TextFace(normal);
+	qd.thePort->bkColor = whiteColor;
+	qd.thePort->fgColor = blackColor;
+
+	EraseRect(r);
+
+	TextFont(kFontIDMonaco);
+	TextSize(9);
+	TextFace(normal);
+
+	ScreenCell* vtsc = NULL;
+	VTermPos pos = {.row = 0, .col = 0};
+
+	for(pos.row = 0; pos.row < con.size_y; pos.row++)
+	{
+		for (pos.col = 0; pos.col < con.size_x; pos.col++)
+		{
+			vtsc = vterm_screen_unsafe_get_cell(con.vts, pos);
+			draw_char(pos.col, pos.row, r, (char)vtsc->chars[0]);
+		}
+	}
+
+	// do the cursor if needed
+	if (con.cursor_state == 1 &&
+		con.cursor_visible == 1)
+	{
+		Rect cursor = cell_rect(con.cursor_x, con.cursor_y, con.win->portRect);
+		InvertRect(&cursor);
+	}
+
+	TextFont(save_font);
+	TextSize(save_font_size);
+	TextFace(save_font_face);
+	qd.thePort->fgColor = save_font_fg;
+	qd.thePort->bkColor = save_font_bg;
+}
+
+void draw_screen_mono(Rect* r)
+{
+	short minRow = 0;
+	short maxRow = con.size_y;
+	short minCol = 0;
+	short maxCol = con.size_x;
+
+	// don't clobber font settings
+	short save_font      = qd.thePort->txFont;
+	short save_font_size = qd.thePort->txSize;
+	short save_font_face = qd.thePort->txFace;
+	short save_font_fg   = qd.thePort->fgColor;
+	short save_font_bg   = qd.thePort->bkColor;
+
+	TextFont(kFontIDMonaco);
+	TextSize(9);
+	TextFace(normal);
+	qd.thePort->bkColor = prefs.bg_color;
+	qd.thePort->fgColor = prefs.fg_color;
+
+	EraseRect(r);
+
+	TextFont(kFontIDMonaco);
+	TextSize(9);
+	TextFace(normal);
+
+	short face = normal;
+	Rect cr;
+
+	ScreenCell* vtsc = NULL;
+	VTermPos pos = {.row = 0, .col = 0};
+
+	for(pos.row = minRow; pos.row < maxRow; pos.row++)
+	{
+		for (pos.col = minCol; pos.col < maxCol; pos.col++)
+		{
+			vtsc = vterm_screen_unsafe_get_cell(con.vts, pos);
+
+			face = normal;
+			if (vtsc->pen.bold) face |= (condense|bold);
+			if (vtsc->pen.italic) face |= (condense|italic);
+			if (vtsc->pen.underline) face |= underline;
+
+			if (face != normal) TextFace(face);
+			draw_char(pos.col, pos.row, r, (char)vtsc->chars[0]);
+			if (face != normal) TextFace(normal);
+
+			if (vtsc->pen.reverse)
+			{
+				cr = cell_rect(pos.col, pos.row, *r);
+				InvertRect(&cr);
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	// do the cursor if needed
+	if (con.cursor_state == 1 &&
+		con.cursor_visible == 1)
+	{
+		Rect cursor = cell_rect(con.cursor_x, con.cursor_y, con.win->portRect);
+		InvertRect(&cursor);
+	}
+
+	TextFont(save_font);
+	TextSize(save_font_size);
+	TextFace(save_font_face);
+	qd.thePort->fgColor = save_font_fg;
+	qd.thePort->bkColor = save_font_bg;
+
+	// draw the grow icon in the bottom right corner, but not the scroll bars
+	// yes, this is really awkward
+	MacRegion bottom_right_corner = { 10, con.win->portRect};
+	MacRegion* brc = &bottom_right_corner;
+	MacRegion** old = con.win->clipRgn;
+
+	bottom_right_corner.rgnBBox.top = bottom_right_corner.rgnBBox.bottom - 15;
+	bottom_right_corner.rgnBBox.left = bottom_right_corner.rgnBBox.right - 15;
+
+	con.win->clipRgn = &brc;
+	DrawGrowIcon(con.win);
+	con.win->clipRgn = old;
+}
+
 void ruler(Rect* r)
 {
 	char itoc[] = {'0','1','2','3','4','5','6','7','8','9'};
diff --git a/ssheven-console.h b/ssheven-console.h
index edd2015..c4df38b 100644
--- a/ssheven-console.h
+++ b/ssheven-console.h
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ void console_setup(void);
 void draw_char(int x, int y, Rect* r, char c);
 void draw_screen(Rect* r);
 
+void draw_screen_fast(Rect* r);
+void draw_screen_mono(Rect* r);
+void draw_screen_color(Rect* r);
+
 void bump_up_line();
 
 int is_printable(char c);
diff --git a/ssheven-constants.r b/ssheven-constants.r
index 9077481..4925cf3 100644
--- a/ssheven-constants.r
+++ b/ssheven-constants.r
@@ -22,15 +22,8 @@
 /* size in bytes for recv and send thread buffers */
 #define SSHEVEN_BUFFER_SIZE 4096
 
-/*
- * terminal type to send over ssh, determines features etc. some good options:
- * "vanilla" supports basically nothing
- * "vt100" just the basics
- * "xterm" everything
- * "xterm-mono" everything except color
- * "xterm-16color" classic 16 ANSI colors only
- */
-#define SSHEVEN_TERMINAL_TYPE "xterm-16color"
+/* default terminal string */
+#define SSHEVEN_DEFAULT_TERM_STRING "xterm-16color"
 
 /* name for the preferences file (pascal string) */
 #define PREFERENCES_FILENAME "\pssheven Preferences"
diff --git a/ssheven.c b/ssheven.c
index 1071233..ed1fd82 100644
--- a/ssheven.c
+++ b/ssheven.c
@@ -23,6 +23,33 @@ struct preferences prefs;
 enum { WAIT, READ, EXIT } read_thread_command = WAIT;
 enum { UNINTIALIZED, OPEN, CLEANUP, DONE } read_thread_state = UNINTIALIZED;
 
+void set_terminal_string(void)
+{
+	/*
+	 * terminal type to send over ssh, determines features etc. some good options:
+	 * "vanilla" supports basically nothing
+	 * "vt100" just the basics
+	 * "xterm" everything
+	 * "xterm-mono" everything except color
+	 * "xterm-16color" classic 16 ANSI colors only
+	 */
+	switch (prefs.display_mode)
+	{
+		case FASTEST:
+			prefs.terminal_string = "vt100";
+			break;
+		case MONOCHROME:
+			prefs.terminal_string = "xterm-mono";
+			break;
+		case COLOR:
+			prefs.terminal_string = "xterm-16color";
+			break;
+		default:
+			prefs.terminal_string = SSHEVEN_DEFAULT_TERM_STRING;
+			break;
+	}
+}
+
 int save_prefs(void)
 {
 	int ok = 1;
@@ -125,7 +152,7 @@ void init_prefs(void)
 
 	prefs.pubkey_path = "";
 	prefs.privkey_path = "";
-	prefs.terminal_string = SSHEVEN_TERMINAL_TYPE;
+	prefs.terminal_string = SSHEVEN_DEFAULT_TERM_STRING;
 	prefs.auth_type = USE_PASSWORD;
 	prefs.display_mode = COLOR;
 	prefs.fg_color = blackColor;
@@ -185,6 +212,8 @@ void load_prefs(void)
 		prefs.hostname[0] = (unsigned char)strlen(prefs.hostname+1);
 		prefs.username[0] = (unsigned char)strlen(prefs.username+1);
 		prefs.port[0] = (unsigned char)strlen(prefs.port+1);
+
+		set_terminal_string();
 	}
 
 	if (buffer) free(buffer);