lcd screen refresh rate for sale

Shopping for a new TV used to be just a matter of TV brand and screen size. These days, there’s way more to consider, like the different types of display technology, HDR support, and smart features.

One label that you’re sure to see on just about every TV box is refresh rate. It’s a hardware specification that describes how motion is handled on any given TV. Before you buy your next TV, it’s worth taking this spec into consideration—particularly if you’re an avid gamer or sports fan who watches a lot of fast-paced action. We"ll help dispel the mysteries of this technology to help you make the right decision.

To put it in the simplest terms, a display’s refresh rate describes the number of times per second the display resets the image, whether you’re shopping for a TV or a computer monitor. The refresh rate is measured in Hertz (Hz).

Essentially, the higher your display"s refresh rate, the less amount of time that will pass between each individual video frame being displayed on screen. Higher refresh rates mean that a TV or monitor can display more frames per second (fps) which, depending on the content it"s fed, could affect how smooth and pleasing your video looks.

There are essentially two types of common refresh rates available when it comes to contemporary TVs: 60Hz and 120Hz. Generally, 60Hz TVs are more affordable than 120Hz TVs because the 120Hz spec is usually found on TVs that offer premium hardware and software features in addition to higher-quality motion handling.

In 2022, TCL and Samsung both announced TVs with a 144Hz native refresh rate. This spec has been available in some computer monitors for years, and in fact, some monitors offer native refresh rates that go much higher, up to 360Hz.

While the refresh rate describes the number of frames of video per second a particular TV or monitor is capable of displaying, the frame rate describes the playback speed (in seconds) of a piece of video content. The frame rate of a piece of video content will be listed in fps (frames per second). A frame rate that divides cleanly into a TV’s refresh rate will make video smoother to watch.

For example, broadcast television in the U.S. plays at a standard 30fps (actually just below this at 29.97fps), which fits nicely into a 60Hz TV"s refresh rate. However, most movies are shot at 24 frames per second (fps), which was settled upon in the early days of film. This is the frame rate you"ll likely see when you pop in a Blu-ray disc or a film on streaming service. If you settle in to watch a movie on Netflix, you"re probably watching something at 24fps.

The problem is, the average 60Hz TV can"t render native 24fps content without a little bit of help, since every three seconds the TV gets out of sync. To combat this, many modern 60Hz TVs use a telecine technique called 3:2 pulldown, where frames are doubled in alternating sequences in order to "meet up" with the display"s 60Hz refresh rate. Unfortunately, 3:2 pulldown usually results in a motion artifact called judder, where some sequences during playback can have a stuttering or skipping effect.

While many modern 60Hz TVs do 3:2 pulldown so successfully that you probably won"t notice the amount of judder in most scenarios, you can save yourself any trouble by purchasing a 120Hz TV. That"s because 24fps divides evenly (5 times) into a 120Hz refresh rate.

In addition, if you"ve recently bought a next-gen gaming console, you"re likely going to be displaying content at much higher frame rates than film or broadcast TV. This is where having a TV with a higher refresh rate can really pay off.

Currently, the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5 are all capable of displaying 4K games at 120fps, and while there aren’t very many games yet that hit this benchmark, you can expect to see more of them in the coming years. If you"re a PC gamer who wants to play on the big screen, you"ll also reap the benefits from a 120Hz TV, as high frame-rate games have been available in that ecosystem for quite some time.

If you own one of these consoles but don’t own a TV with a native 120Hz refresh rate, you won’t have the best possible gaming experience at your fingertips. That"s not to mention other gaming advantages that often come with premium TVs, like Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM).

Regardless of frame rate, higher refresh rates tend to eliminate blur from fast motion, which isn’t just valuable for gaming: It also matters during high-action content, like sports. Because 120Hz TVs check for new information twice as often as 60Hz TVs, they can sometimes render particular sequences in sports with more clarity.

All of the options in our round-up of the best gaming TVs feature a native refresh rate of 120Hz, and several of the picks in our round-up of the best TVs do, as well.

The best — and easiest — way to know what refresh rates your system can support is by playing games and seeing how they perform. Use a frame rate monitoring utility like Fraps to display your current FPS (frames per second) as you play. Most frame rate monitoring utilities will have the ability to benchmark your average FPS , which keeps track of how your system performs over the course of a gameplay session.

Ideally, you’ll want the game’s frame rate to match the monitor’s refresh rate 1:1 for an ideal experience. For example, your system should be outputting 144 FPS to get the full benefit of a 144Hz monitor.

That said, you can still enjoy a higher refresh rate, even if it doesn’t reach the limits of what your display is capable of. Playing at 110Hz is better than playing at 60Hz, and you can always upgrade your CPU and GPU later to get to 144 FPS.

If your system struggles to run games higher than 60 FPS, it’s unlikely you’ll see much benefit from a high-refresh rate display, but it might be worth investing in one if your PC is capable of producing higher than 60 FPS.

This means that a single frame was divided into two fields containing the image’s odd-numbered lines and even-numbered lines, and the TV screen would display these fields in the correct order when displaying the video.

*** There is plenty of confusion about the NTSC 29.97 and 59.94 frame rates. Many people just round these up to 30 and 60 frames per second. But this isn’t actually correct because modern HD cameras can record at 29.97 or 30 and 59.94 or 60 frames per second. So, they are actually two different rates. However, you can just think about 30 and 60 Hz to make things easier. ***

By the way, Hertz is a standard for describing the frequency of something, i.e., the number of cycles per second, and it can describe the frequency of anything, not just video frame rates.

Content recorded on film is traditionally recorded at 24 frames per second (fps). Although some movies have been shot in higher frame rates, this still holds today.

Over time, it hasn’t changed much because people have become used to watching movies at 24 frames per second. It ‘looks like a movie’ at this frame rate – and most viewers prefer it.

Well, due to the standard video frame rates that we’ve just discussed, televisions were designed with a refresh rate to match the frequency of the video transmissions.

Now, these frame rates were developed for analog TV systems. Even so, they’ve remained the standard even with the new digital broadcasting systems – ATSC in the US and DVB in Europe.

The higher video frame rate will display smoother motion as there are more frames to capture it – and it is this which determines how smooth the action will appear on your television – not your TV’s refresh rate.

In some instances, movies can look smoother on a 120 Hz TV because each frame can be repeated exactly 5 times to mirror the 120 Hz refresh rate (24 fps x 5 = 120).

But, a 60 Hz TV can’t interpolate a 60 Hz source because it can’t show more than 60 frames per second – meaning it can only interpolate content with a lower rate than 60 Hz.

This annoys some people more than others. However, motion blur is caused by several factors, and the refresh rate of the TV will have little effect on these.

You just need to find out the native refresh rate – which you should find in the specifications on the manufacturer’s website – or in a technical review of that model.

It’s an essential issue related to TV refresh rates because people get confused between television refresh rates and the motion blur they see on screen.

If it says anything higher than 120 Hz, then it isn’t the real native refresh rate – and even with the correct numbers, there aren’t too many instances where a higher refresh rate will significantly affect your daily use.

There are only two native refresh rates for 4K TVs – 60 Hz and 120 Hz. Any number you see quoted above this isn’t the TV’s real refresh rate – it’s just created by image processing techniques. Most people will see little difference between 60 and 120 Hz refresh rates, so it’s not something to worry about too much.

The difference in performance between 60 Hz and 120 Hz is relatively small. In some circumstances, viewers may notice smoother motion on the screen, but it will make little difference for most people. You will only get the full benefit of a 120 Hz TV if you have content that is created at this frequency.

It can be challenging to know the native refresh rate of your TV because many manufacturers quote elevated numbers. The native refresh rate can only be 60 or 120 Hz. If a manufacturer quotes a ‘motion rate,’ the native refresh rate is often half that number, although this varies. Another way is to check quality reviews for that TV, which should quote the actual number.

If you have a game created at 120 Hz and can use the latest HDMI 2.1 specification on all your hardware, you will benefit from higher refresh rates. Otherwise, it will unlikely make much difference.

In most cases, the refresh rate has little effect on the performance of a TV. On TVs with a high refresh rate, the picture may appear smoother to some people – with less motion blur. But the main limitation is the frame rate of the content, which is unlikely to be created at higher refresh rates, so your TV’s refresh rate will make little difference.

The best 120Hz TV we"ve tested is the Samsung Q95B OLED. It"s an incredible TV with fantastic picture quality and great gaming features. Like all TVs on this list, it has a 120Hz refresh rate and supports HDMI 2.1 bandwidth on all four of its HDMI ports. You can take full advantage of the Xbox Series X and the PS5, including 4k @ 120Hz gaming. Its near-instantaneous response time delivers a fantastic gaming experience, with no noticeable ghosting behind fast-moving objects. It also has fantastic low input lag, ensuring your actions are in-sync with the action on screen, and it has a few great gaming features, including FreeSync support to reduce screen tearing.

Stay productive and reduce your exposure to blue light with the Dell P2422H 24" 16:9 IPS Monitor, which features an In-Plane Switching (IPS) panel that provides wide 178° vertical and horizontal viewing angles. It features a Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution, a 1000:1 contrast ratio, and a 60 Hz refresh rate. There are plenty of video input options, including DisplayPort 1.2 and HDMI 1.4. Need more USB ports? The monitor can act as a USB hub, with four USB Type-A ports available. Additionally, the stand allows you to adjust the tilt, swivel, pivot, and height of your monitor.

Hardware vendors understand how the experience changes with different display specs and features and have flooded the market with a plethora of options. But which features and specs are most valuable for how you use your monitor? For example, should you get 4K, 1440p, 1080p or just plain HD resolution—and what"s the difference anyway? How much do refresh rates and response times matter? Are things like flicker-free, low blue light mode, G-Sync and FreeSync crucial? And how should your priorities change if your focus is gaming versus professional applications versus general use?

Why you can trust Tom"s HardwareOur expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.Determine your monitor’s main purpose: gaming, professional or general use. Generally, gamers should prioritize fast refresh rates and low response times, professionals should prioritize color accuracy and general use users have less specific needs but will often opt for a monitor with a high-contrast VA panel.The higher the resolution, the better the picture. A monitor’s resolution tells you how many pixels a monitor has in width x height format. 1920 x 1080 (also known as 1080p, Full HD (FHD) and HD) is the minimum you need. But you"ll get sharper images with QHD and even sharper with 4K.Size matters too.Pixel density has a big impact on monitor quality, and our sweet spot is 109 pixels per inch (ppi). A larger monitor will have low pixel density if it"s a lower resolution. For viewing from typical desktop distances, 32 inches is plenty ‘big." It’s not hard to find a 32-inch gaming or general use monitor at 4K resolution for under $1,000.Refresh rates: bigger is better. This tells you the number of times your monitor updates with new information per second and is measured in hertz (Hz). Bigger numbers equal better, smoother, less choppy images. Refresh rate is especially important for gamers, who"ll want a monitor with at least 75 Hz (most monitors designed for gaming offer at least 120 Hz), combined with the lowest response time you can find. If you’re not gaming, a 60 Hz refresh rate should do.Response times: Shorter is better, but it"s not a big priority unless you’re gaming. Response time tells you how long a monitor takes to change individual pixels from black to white or, if its GTG response time, from one shade of gray to another. Longer response times can mean motion blur when gaming or watching fast-paced videos. For gaming monitors, the highest response time you’ll likely see is 5ms, while the fastest gaming monitors can have a 0.5ms response time.Panel tech: For image quality, TN < IPS < VA. TN monitors are the fastest but cheapest, due to poorer image quality when viewing from a side angle. IPS monitors have slightly faster response times and show color better than VA panels, but VA monitors have the best contrast out of all three panel types. For more on the difference between panel types, see the dedicated section below.Consider a curved monitor.Curved monitors are supposed to make your experience more immersive with a large field of view(opens in new tab) and are said to be less eye-straining. However, they can be prone to glare when viewing from certain angles (light sources are coming from various angles instead of one). Effective curved monitors are usually ultrawide and at least 30 inches, which both point to higher costs.

Images on an LCD panel are comprised of millions of tiny dots. Each pixel consists of three sub-pixels, one for each primary color. A monitor’s resolution provides a screen’s length x width in pixels. The more pixels you can pack into each square-inch of a monitor, the more realistic and smooth the image. A higher resolution (QHD or better) is important if you want a monitor that"s bigger than 27 inches.

For the best picture, more pixels are better. But when gaming, those pixels can also slow you down if you don’t have a beefy enough graphics card. Most video interfaces don’t support refresh rates faster than 60 Hz for 4K/UHD or 5K signals. That"s starting to change (for a premium), but you still need a very expensive graphics card to play at 4K and push past 60 frames per second (fps). The GeForce RTX 3080 can usually get there, as can the GeForce RTX 3090, but good luck finding one!

If you want ultimate speed that"s also not too taxing on your GPU, FHD (1920 x 1080) delivers the highest frame rates (you won"t find gaming monitors today with lower resolution). But avoid stretching that resolution past 27 inches, as you may notice a dip in image quality, with pesky individual pixels being visible.

There are three major LCD technologies used in today’s PC monitors: twisted nematic (TN(opens in new tab)), vertical alignment (VA(opens in new tab)) and in-plane switching (IPS)(opens in new tab). Each has several variations that offer different advantages. We won’t get into the intricacies of how these differing panels work. Instead, the chart below explains how each impacts image quality and the best use cases for each panel.

PerformanceFastest: low response times, highest refresh rates, minimal motion blur; Low input lagLongest response times typically; Higher refresh rates possibleSlower response times than TN, faster response times than VA; Gaming-quality refresh rates are rare

While that graph should be enough to make a quick decision on panel type, if you want to dive deeper, consider the following:Contrast is the most important factor in image quality and reliability (5,000:1 is better than 1,000:1). As such, we consider VA panels to offer the best image quality among VA, IPS and TN.We’ve reviewed plenty of TN screens that can hold their own in the color department with more expensive IPS and VA displays. While the general perception is that TN offers less accurate color and contrast than VA and IPS panels, there’s a chance you won’t notice the difference. Many gaming monitors use TN panels for their speed. We’ve found that color quality differs by price more than it does by panel tech.

Competitive gamers should prioritize speed, which calls for high refresh rates (144 Hz or more), as well as the lowest response time and input lag (see our gaming monitor reviews(opens in new tab)) possible. This will likely limit you to 25 or 27 inches, possibly with lower pixel density and without extended color or HDR.

But maybe you"re a casual gamer who won"t notice the difference between 60 fps or 144 fps. You can settle for 75 Hz or even 60 Hz coupled withFreeSync or G-Sync(more on that below) and prioritize things like strong image quality, pixel density and 30 inches or larger. If your budget allows, this could also allow for more saturated color or even HDR.

Ideally, you want a monitor with at least a 75 Hz, combined with the lowest response time you can find. Refresh rate is particularly important for gamers, so most gaming monitors have a refresh rate of at least 120 Hz, (the fastest availabile is 360 Hz), and you’ll want a maximum response time of 5ms.

Lower resolution + good graphics card = faster refresh rates. Look at the on-screen display (OSD) above from the Acer Predator Z35(opens in new tab) curved ultrawide. Its resolution is low enough where a fast graphics card can hit a 200 Hz refresh rate with G-Sync enabled. If you’re buying a monitor for the long-term, remember that the graphics card your PC uses 1-3 years from now may be able to hit these speeds with ease.

Worried about input lag? Input lag is how long it takes your monitor to recognize output from your graphics card or when you’ve pushed a button on your keyboard or mouse and is something gamers should avoid. High refresh rates generally point to lower input lag, but input lag isn’t usually listed in specs, so check our monitor reviews(opens in new tab) for insight. Sites like DisplayLag(opens in new tab) also offer unbiased breakdowns of many monitors’ input lag.

Gaming monitors usually have Nvidia G-Sync (for PCs with Nvidia graphics cards) and/or AMD FreeSync (for running with PCs using AMD graphics cards). Both features reduce screen tearing and stuttering and add to the price tag; although, G-Sync monitors usually cost more than FreeSync ones.

Regardless, if your budget only has room for a low to mid-speed graphics card, you’ll certainly want a monitor with either G-Sync or FreeSync that works at a low minimum refresh rate.

So, should you opt for G-Sync or FreeSync? Here’s what to consider:Which hardware do you already have? If you’ve already nabbed a shiny new RTX 3080, for example, the choice is clear.Team Nvidia or Team AMD? If you"re not tied to either, remember that G-Sync and FreeSync offer comparable performance for the typical user. We learned this when we tested both against each other in ourNvidia G-Sync vs. AMD FreeSync(opens in new tab) faceoff.What"s the Adaptive-Sync"s lowest supported refresh rate? G-Sync monitors operate from a 30 Hz refresh rate up to the monitor’s maximum, but not all FreeSync ones do.FreeSync monitors usually support Adaptive-Sync up to a monitor’s maximum refresh rate, but it’s the lower limit you must note. We’ve reviewed screens that bottom out at as high as 55 Hz. This can be problematic if your graphics card can’t keep frame rates above that level. Low frame rate compensation (LFC), which G-Sync kicks in at below 30 Hz, is a viable solution but will only work if the max refresh is at least 2.5 times the minimum (example: if the maximum refresh rate is 100 Hz, the minimum must be 40 Hz for LFC to help).Many FreeSync monitors can run G-Sync.Nvidia has tested and certified some of these as G-Sync Compatible. Many non-certified monitors can also run G-Sync too, but performance is not guaranteed. See our article on how to run on G-Sync on a FreeSync monitor for more.

Overdrive and motion blur reduction are available in many gaming monitors (under various brand names). To understand their value, you’ll first need to understand ghosting. Ghosting is that blurry trail a moving object creates on the screen sometimes. That’s caused by uneven pixel transition, or when it takes a monitor’s pixel longer to change from Color A to Color B than from Color B to Color A.

Overdrive reduces ghosting by speeding the rate at which pixels transition through higher voltages. When done correctly, the pixel reaches that level quickly, then changes for the next frame before voltage gets too high.

Both gaming and professional monitors are more than qualified to serve as general use displays. But if you want to avoid spending extra money on a specialized monitor, you need something that works well for every kind of computing, entertainment and productivity. Here’s how to decide what’s best for you:Contrast is king, so VA panels are too. We consider contrast the first measure of image quality, followed by color saturation, accuracy and resolution. When a display has a large dynamic range, the picture is more realistic and 3D-like. VA panels typically offer 3-5 times the contrast of IPS or TN screens. If you place a VA and IPS monitor next to each other with matched brightness levels and calibration standards, the VA screen will easily win in terms of image quality.Consider flicker-free if you"ll be staring at the screen for over 8 hours. They won’t flicker at any brightness level, so even those particularly sensitive to flickering will be pleased.Low blue light isn’t a buying point. Most operating systems, including Windows 10(opens in new tab), have modes for reducing blue light, based on the theory that blue light interferes with sleep. But although many monitors offer this feature, it"s not necessary. Low blue light can make a computer image less straining on your eyes, but so can accurate calibration. And since reducing blue brightness also affects all other colors, you may experience an unnatural look in graphics and photos. This is especially distracting in games and videos. There"s no need to prioritize low blue light, but it’s becoming harder to find monitors without it.

Professional users have special needs. If you’re a photographer, print proofer, web designer, special effects artist, game designer or someone that needs precise color control, this section’s for you. Here’s what to know:Monitors vendor-certified as color accurate cost more but are worth it. If you want a monitor that’s accurate out of the box, this is your best choice. It’s especially important for monitors without calibration capabilities. Professional monitors should come ready for work with no adjustment required. A DeltaE (dE)(opens in new tab) value of 2 or lower is a good sign. A dE under 3 is typically considered invisible to the human eye.You want calibration options. There are two ways to accomplish this: the on-screen display (OSD) and software. Check our reviews for monitor-specific calibration recommendations.Calibration options should include choices for different color gamuts, color temperatures and gamma curves. At minimum there should be sRGBand Adobe RGB standards, color temperatures ranging from 5,000 to 7,500K and gamma presets from 1.8 to 2.4. Monitors used for TV or movie production should also support the BT.1886 gamma standard.Flicker-free goes a long way if you’re spending eight hours or more in front of a computer screen. Many pro monitors today offer this.

No matter what PC you have, your monitor choice has a dramatic effect on everything you do. That makes buying a new monitor a worthy investment and one that can benefit you immediately, whether your playing games or doing work, with the right selection. Just make sure you don"t waste money on a screen with excess features or without the specs you need to help your PC shine.

The Hisense U8H matches the excellent brightness and color performance of much pricier LCD TVs, and its Google TV smart platform is a welcome addition. But it’s available in only three screen sizes.

The Hisense U8H is the best LCD/LED TV for most people because it delivers the performance of a much pricier TV yet starts at under $1,000, for the smallest (55-inch) screen size. This TV utilizes quantum dots, a full-array backlight with mini-LEDs, and a 120 Hz refresh rate to deliver a great-looking 4K HDR image. It’s compatible with every major HDR format. And it’s equipped with two full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 inputs to support 4K 120 Hz gaming from the newest Xbox and PlayStation consoles. Add in the intuitive, fully featured Google TV smart-TV platform, and the U8H’s price-to-performance ratio is of inarguable value.

That’s not to say the U8H has pixel-precise light control—it’s not an OLED TV, after all—but it does a terrific job most of the time. In fact, in our tests, the U8H bested last year’s upgrade pick, the Samsung QN90A, in certain scenarios: The intro to Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities on Netflix features the filmmaker against a pitch-black backdrop. Though last year’s QN90A failed to maintain perfect control over dimming elements during this scene (the black backdrop brightened distractingly once a sufficient amount of brighter content appeared on screen), the U8H did not. (For the record, the newer QN90B also passed this test.) The U8H’s mini-LEDs also help the screen look uniformly bright: Although the U8H is still not as good as an OLED TV in this respect, it shows very little indication of being a backlight-driven display, even during tricky scenes with large swaths of dim lighting.

And thanks to Hisense’s inclusion of Filmmaker Mode, it’s easy to rein in the U8H’s brightness abilities for a more-subdued and filmic experience in a darker room. Our measurements revealed that this mode has a very accurate white balance, mostly accurate colors (green is a bit oversaturated, but not egregiously so), and a perfect “dark room” gamma (which controls how quickly the video signal transitions from dark to light). Additionally, the TV’s 120 Hz refresh rate means it can play Blu-ray discs at 24 fps without the judder that’s usually present on TVs with 60 Hz refresh rates.

The TV’s higher refresh rate also reduces motion blur in faster-moving sports and allows for smoother, more stable motion in games. Two of the four HDMI inputs support 4K gaming at 120 Hz. The U8H measured low input lag while playing in 4K resolution, and Hisense’s helpful GameZone setting in the picture menu allowed me to confirm the presence of 120 Hz playback and variable refresh rate during games.

The onboard Google TV smart platform is another feather in this TV’s cap. As usual, however, it will be much more satisfying to use if you have a Google account and already take advantage of Google’s connected services, like Photos. The experience of navigating the TV’s smart features—scanning QR codes to sign into apps, using the onscreen keyboard, and browsing your Google Photos to set a photo as a screensaver—was very satisfying in terms of responsiveness and speed. Powering on the TV and booting into an app took just seconds. The included Bluetooth remote is also equipped with a handy “Hey Google” button, allowing you to pull up Google’s assistant and use voice commands to search for content or set a reminder. If you have multiple users with their own Google accounts, you can designate separate profiles (attached to a Gmail account) so that each user can customize the experience to their liking, as well as access their own Google Drive or Photos. While some reviewers have reported instances of momentary freezing while using the U8H’s platform, I didn’t personally experience any instances of slowdown that were egregiously worse than with any other smart-TV platform.

In terms of design, the Hisense U8H is not as svelte as our upgrade pick, but it’s plenty sturdy and doesn’t look or feel cheap. Two narrow, metal feet jut out from beneath the panel and steadily hold the TV. They can be attached in two separate spots, either closer in toward the middle of the panel or out toward the edges, to account for different-size TV stands. The feet are also equipped with cable organization clasps—a nice touch for keeping your TV stand free of cable clutter. Though the TV is primarily plastic, its bezels are lined with metal strips, providing a bit more durability in the long run. I moved it around my home, and it was no worse for wear, but we’ll know more after doing some long-term testing.

The Hisense U8H has some difficulties with banding, or areas of uneven gradation, where transitions that should appear smooth instead look like “bands” of color (sometimes also called posterization). Like many current 4K HDR TVs, the U8H uses an 8-bit panel rather than a 10-bit panel, which affects the color decoding and color presentation process. This is usually relevant only with HDR video and games. When playing games on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, I saw a few instances where the content wasn’t rendered correctly and displayed ugly splotches of color on the screen. However, this almost always occurred during static screens (such as a pause menu or loading screen); I rarely spotted it during actual gameplay. Hisense has stated that it would address the problem in a future firmware update, but at the time of writing it was still present. This is a flaw that may give dedicated gamers pause, but we don’t consider it to be a dealbreaker for most people.

Although the UH8 TV has four HDMI inputs, only two of them are fully HDMI 2.1–compatible. And one of those is designated as the eARC input (intended as an audio connection for a soundbar or AV receiver connection). So if you’re pairing an external audio system with the U8H, you may have only one input remaining that can support HDMI 2.1 features like 4K 120 Hz playback, variable refresh rate, and auto game mode; this could be a dealbreaker if you own more than one current-gen gaming console. If you’re in that boat, you may want to splash out some extra dough for our upgrade pick. Additionally, folks using pre-HDMI source devices—like the five-cable composite connector with green, red, blue, and red/white audio inputs—should be aware that this TV requires an adapter to allow those devices to connect, and an adapter is not included in the box.

Finally, like most TVs that use vertical alignment (VA) LCD panels, the U8H has a limited horizontal viewing angle, which may be a bit annoying if you’re hoping to entertain a large crowd. Our upgrade pick uses a special wide-angle technology to address this.

If you’re watching in a darker room and want the most accurate picture you can get—preserving the director’s intent—select the U8H’s Filmmaker Mode as your picture mode. In a brighter room, we recommend the Theater Day picture mode. In either case, you should go into the backlight settings, disable the automatic light sensor, and set the backlight to your personal preference. This is true whether you’re watching SDR or HDR content.

LCD: LCD stands for liquid crystal display, and it’s the most common kind of television besides OLED (defined below). LCD TVs shine an LED backlight through a panel of liquid crystal, a malleable substance that reacts to electricity, opening or closing when jolted. In LCD TVs, the liquid crystal opens to allow the backlight through or closes to block it. The specific details of the opening/closing are dependent upon the arrangement of the pixels: The most common LCD arrangements are Vertical Alignment (VA) and In-Plane Switching (IPS), with the former tending to produce higher contrast and the latter tending to produce wider viewing angles. All so-called “LED” TVs are really LCD TVs, as are all current QLED and ULED TVs.

OLED: An organic light-emitting diode, or OLED, TV creates light inside each individual pixel without using a backlight and can dim each pixel individually all the way down to black, which LCD TVs can’t do. This tech gives an OLED TV an infinite contrast ratio and other benefits to help create an overall better-looking image, although at considerable additional cost. You can read more about OLED technology in this article.

Mini-LEDs: Every LCD TV made today currently uses LEDs to produce the light that shines through the LCD panel. Most TVs use LED lights that pass through a diffuser to light up the entire LCD screen. Mini-LEDs, which some TVs use, are much smaller than traditional LEDs, so TV makers can install more of them and thus create more zones of local dimming, which means less blooming or halos around bright objects. Mini-LEDs are completely different from micro-LEDs, an available (though very expensive) technology that employs individual red, green, and blue LEDs to produce an image without needing an LCD panel at all.

Nits: Also called candelas per square meter (cd/m²), this unit of luminance measures how much light a TV can produce. Previously, TVs could output 200 to 300 nits, and standard dynamic range (SDR) content was graded and mastered with 100 nits as the standard. With high dynamic range (HDR), content is mastered with 1,000, 4,000, or 10,000 nits as the standard; so, the more nits an HDR TV can display, the more accurately it can display the highlights in HDR material without having to reduce the brightness of the highlights or clip them.

Quantum dots: Quantum dots are a color-enhancing technology primarily found in LCD TVs (though some 2022 OLED TVs now have them as well). Chiefly employed as a filter that’s painted onto a substrate, quantum dots are microscopic nano-crystals that, when struck with blue light, produce very vivid red or green light (depending upon the size of the crystal). Quantum dots are the primary technology that allows LCD TVs to produce the wide color gamut required to display HDR content properly, as they greatly increase the color saturation of red and green.

Refresh rate: All digital displays (including TVs) have what’s called a refresh rate, measured in hertz (Hz), shorthand for cycles per second. A TV’s refresh rate refers to how quickly it displays new incoming video information on a nanosecond-to-nanosecond basis. While there are many possible refresh rates, most TVs come with either a 60 Hz refresh rate (meaning 60 screen refreshes per second) or a 120 Hz refresh rate (120 screen refreshes per second). Ideally, a TV will have the highest refresh rate possible, but there are diminishing returns for higher refresh rates during many types of content. A 120 Hz TV has advantages when watching 24p content or mitigating judder (definitions below), and tends to produce less input lag when playing video games, but it won’t provide advantages for most forms of cable TV or streaming content. In 2022, some manufacturers introduced 144 Hz TVs meant to appeal specifically to gamers, but the majority of TVs still have 60 or 120 Hz refresh rates.

Judder: This term refers to a slightly jerky motion that can occur when 24p film content appears on a TV with a 60 Hz refresh rate. In such situations, to make 24 frames match up to the 60 Hz display, half of the frames appear two times and the other half appear three times. This display technique causes judder, which is most noticeable on panning shots. Some 120 Hz displays avoid this effect by repeating each film frame five times, while some 60 Hz panels run at 48 Hz to show each frame twice.

Motion smoothing: Motion smoothing, sometimes called MEMC (Motion Estimation/Motion Compensation), refers to a TV’s ability to intelligently create new frames to create smoother-looking or less juddery motion. Most modern TVs can artificially increase their refresh rates to smooth out fast or difficult sequences, but the efficacy of this motion smoothing is often dependent upon the TV’s native refresh rate. Motion smoothing is also the cause of the “soap opera effect,” where cinematic/24p content looks more like a daytime soap opera due to the insertion of unnecessary frames. The best TVs come with multiple motion smoothing presets, and some even allow the user to fine-tune the degree of judder reduction and frame interpolation employed. When used correctly, motion smoothing can make content like sports and nature documentaries look more realistic, but we prefer it be turned off for content like premium TV, movies, and video games.

LG Curved UltraWide Monitors offer a large panoramic view and 4-screen split capability so you can see more of your work at once. The LG collection of UltraWide PC monitors include Freesync Monitors and IPS monitors. Find the best computer monitors for designers, photographers, gamers and other professionals who need more room for big ideas.

Bring your gameplay to the next level with LG UltraGear™ Gaming Monitors. Find wide monitor screens with the latest gamer-approved features like NVIDIA G-SYNC™ compatibility, and vibrant IPS monitor display.

Whether you"re looking for a computer monitor for your home office, or need a new UHD monitor to elevate your play, we"ve got you covered. Check out all the latest monitors from LG – including our 4K,IPS and LCD monitors as well as our UltraGear™,UltraWide and UltraFine™collections to find the right PC monitor for your space and your life.

However, the Samsung QD-OLED S95B has also hit unbelievably low prices considering it uses a next-gen screen, and it actually has an even higher 144Hz refresh rate that may tempt PC gamers.

The best 120Hz 4K TVs are a fantastic choice for both gamers and movie lovers. The 4K resolution they offer bring you a boatload of pixels for better clarity while the 120Hz refresh rate means that games play buttery smooth.

For gamers, a 120Hz refresh rate means you’ll experience a smoother and sharper picture without that nauseating motion blur you may find when you turn the camera quickly in-game. Add in fast response times and several vital HDMI 2.1 ports, and you"ll find that the best gaming TVs are mostly 120Hz TVs.

Some players may not notice a massive difference, but refresh rates are crucial for fast-paced shooters where quick reflexes and frame pacing really counts. Meanwhile, 24fps movies will play without the "judder" you’ll find on some cheaper TVs.

We’ve tested hundreds of TVs over the years and know what to look for. Below you"ll find a list of all the 120Hz 4K TVs we recommend. Some of them feature a 144Hz refresh rate, but they also support 120Hz. This isn"t an essential upgrade over 120Hz in our opinion – read our guide to whether 144Hz TVs are a big deal for exactly why – but the option is there for hardcore PC gamers who want it.

The Sony X90K is an excellent value TV, delivering top performance for the price. It has a full-array LED backlight, which features local dimming. The result is deep blacks. Paired with the LCD panel’s quantum dots, there’s enhanced brightness and color – although it"s not the brightest TV on the market.

However, it really shines as a gaming TV, especially for PS5 owners. The X90 has a fantastic suite of gaming features, which is why it"s in second place in this guide. Aside from 4K/120Hz video support (available only on two of the set’s four HDMI inputs) it has both variable refresh rate (VRR) and auto low latency mode (ALLM). Input lag as measured by our 4K test meter was 13.8ms, a very good result.

The Samsung Q80B is a high value mid range 4K QLED screen that we consider to be a fantastic all-rounder as it"s well-suited for everyday TV viewing and supports high frame rate gaming.

However, with four HFR (high frame rate) compatible HDMI inputs, useful Game Bar user interface, and a polished smart home interface, only serious home cinephiles are likely to feel shortchanged.

Indeed, the prominence of Samsung’s Game Hub, a full page portal to streaming games services, given it’s clear that’s where its key appeal lies. QLED, after all, is impervious to screen burn, which translates nicely to anxiety-free gaming sessions. The Samsung also has four HDMIs that all support 4K 120Hz playback. There’s also ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), Nvidia G-Sync and FreeSync Premium Pro support for gaming.

This includes a high 120Hz display, Game Mode Pro to help reduce input lag, an Auto Low Latency Mode, Variable Refresh Rate that"s compatible with the PS5 and FreeSync for PC/Xbox gamers. All of those features should definitely help serious gaming enthusiasts or aspiring esports players looking to have the biggest advantage possible. It helps that the U7G features many standards to Hisense’s U Series line-up including Dolby Vision, IQ and Atmos alongside HDR10+ – in our tests, we were very impressed with the brightness and overall image quality for the price.

Samsung"s S95B combines Samsung"s impressive quantum dot technology with OLED to create something that promises to offer the best of both worlds: the color and contrast of OLED with the dazzling brightness of QLED. Bright highlights of mostly dark scenes look stunningly intense and pure, bringing such AV treats as night time cityscapes and star-lit skies to more natural, HDR life than we’ve seen them exhibit on any TV technology bar Samsung’s expensive MicroLED screens. The brightness applies across the whole screen: sun-drenched scenes in particular are dazzlingly bright.

Let"s get something clear from the start, this is not one of the best gaming TVs or 120Hz TVs for several reasons. It"s lacking Dolby Vision gaming with 4K 120Hz signals—if you want Dolby Vision you have to stick with 4K at 60Hz. What"s more, only 2 of the 4 HDMI 2.1 ports support 4K 120Hz and variable refresh rates—all of this is disappointing for such a cutting-edge TV.

In addition to the 120Hz video there are twin HDMI 2.1 ports with variable refresh rate (VRR) and auto low latency mode (ALLM), and there"s Auto HDR Tone Mapping for PS5 gaming. In the US there"s also a built in ATSC 3.0 tuner, so it"s ready for next-gen digital TV broadcasts.

It sounds pretty good for a flat screen too. The QN85B’s six speaker drivers, along with its Object Tracking Sound technology and Q Symphony compatibility, all point to a TV that’s had more care lavished on its audio performance than is the norm. It"s not very bassy – as ever, we"d recommend a soundbar or AV receiver – but it"s better than many rivals.

For example do you want an OLED or an LED TV? We"ve written a an OLED vs LED vs LCD guide that covers the tech types in depth, but in summary, LED has a backlight whereas OLED pixels produce their own light.

It might seem like an obvious consideration, but bear size in mind when you"re looking for a new 120Hz 4K TV. If you"re going to be using it as your main screen, you"ll need to be sure it fits into the space you have available. If it"ll be in a second room specifically for gaming, you might not want to go for the biggest available size but instead choose a small display, like the LG C2, which is available in 42-inches.120Hz panel: why does it matter?Do refresh rates really matter enough to justify buying a new television set? We"d argue that without an advanced television, the upgraded hardware in your new Sony or Microsoft console becomes superfluous. All that power won"t translate into better performance unless your TV can support it.

Hertz, or refresh rate, determines the number of frames that your television can display per second. Because both the PS5 and Xbox Series X can generate 120 frames per second (fps) in 4K UHD resolution, you need a television panel that works up to 120 Hertz to make that mode work.

Your current 4K TV likely can only support 60Hz/4K. That worked perfectly well with the Xbox One X and PS4 Pro, both of which could hit 60FPS in 4K for some games. Yet if you upgrade to the latest console, your frame rate can"t substantially improve unless you play at a lower resolution like 1440p. So you won"t see the performance boost you might be expecting.

VRR is a tool that enables your TV to automatically adjust its Hz based on the output from your gaming console. While the Xbox Series X and PS5 offer a 120Hz 4K maximum, individual games" frame rates will fluctuate and drop based on what"s happening on screen. The more frames you drop, the more tearing and stuttering you"ll see as the television tries to adjust.

With VRR activated, your television will adjust its refresh rate on the fly so it never deviates from the game"s fps output. That way, even if the game performance is struggling, the gameplay will remain smooth and seamless.

For more on the differences between refresh rate, input lag and refresh time, read our guide: Input lag and monitor speed explained.Why are 120Hz devices important?It"s worth noting that, just as 4K TVs require 4K sources to output in native 4K, a 120Hz TV will need 120Hz gaming or video to really get the most of out of its capabilities.

Many of the best streaming devices will come with 120Hz as standard, as with the Apple TV 4K (2021) or Nvidia Shield TV – though many more budget models and streaming sticks may be capped at 30fps or 60fps. So it"s important to make sure that every link in the chain can match the specs you"re hoping to utilise in your screen.

Confused about 120Hz and 120fps? Don"t be. The former refers to the number of frames a game outputs while the latter refers to how many frames the associated screen can display.Today"s best 120Hz 4K TV deals

The refresh rate (or "vertical refresh rate", "vertical scan rate", terminology originating with the cathode ray tubes) is the number of times per second that a raster-based display device displays a new image. This is independent from frame rate, which describes how many images are stored or generated every second by the device driving the display.

On cathode ray tube (CRT) displays, higher refresh rates produce less flickering, thereby reducing eye strain. In other technologies such as liquid-crystal displays, the refresh rate affects only how often the image can potentially be updated.

Non-raster displays may not have a characteristic refresh rate. Vector displays, for instance, do not trace the entire screen, only the actual lines comprising the displayed image, so refresh speed may differ by the size and complexity of the image data.

Raster-scan CRTs by their nature must refresh the screen, since their phosphors will fade and the image will disappear quickly unless refreshed regularly.

In a CRT, the vertical scan rate is the number of times per second that the electron beam returns to the upper left corner of the screen to begin drawing a new frame.vertical blanking signal generated by the video controller, and is partially limited by the monitor"s maximum horizontal scan rate.

The refresh rate can be calculated from the horizontal scan rate by dividing the scanning frequency by the number of horizontal lines, plus some amount of time to allow for the beam to return to the top. By convention, this is a 1.05x multiplier.1280 × 1024 results in a refresh rate of 96,000 ÷ (1024 × 1.05) ≈ 89 Hz (rounded down).

CRT refresh rates have historically been an important factor in videogame programming. In early videogame systems, the only time available for computation was during the vertical blanking interval, during which the beam is returning to the top corner of the screen and no image is being drawn.screen tearing.

Unlike CRTs, where the image will fade unless refreshed, the pixels of liquid-crystal displays retain their state for as long as power is provided, and consequently there is no intrinsic flicker regardless of refresh rate. However, refresh rate still determines the highest frame rate that can be displayed, and despite there being no actual blanking of the screen, the vertical blanking interval is still a period in each refresh cycle when the screen is not being updated, during which the image data in the host system"s frame buffer can be updated.

On smaller CRT monitors (up to about 15 in or 38 cm), few people notice any discomfort between 60–72 Hz. On larger CRT monitors (17 in or 43 cm or larger), most people experience mild discomfort unless the refresh is set to 72 Hz or higher. A rate of 100 Hz is comfortable at almost any size. However, this does not apply to LCD monitors. The closest equivalent to a refresh rate on an LCD monitor is its frame rate, which is often locked at 60 fps. But this is rarely a problem, because the only part of an LCD monitor that could produce CRT-like flicker—its backlight—typically operates at around a minimum of 200 Hz.

Different operating systems set the default refresh rate differently. Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows 98 (First and Second Editions) set the refresh rate to the highest rate that they believe the display supports. Windows NT-based operating systems, such as Windows 2000 and its descendants Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7, set the default refresh rate to a conservative rate, usually 60 Hz. Some fullscreen applications, including many games, now allow the user to reconfigure the refresh rate before entering fullscreen mode, but most default to a conservative resolution and refresh rate and let you increase the settings in the options.

Old monitors could be damaged if a user set the video card to a refresh rate higher than the highest rate supported by the monitor. Some models of monitors display a notice that the video signal uses an unsupported refresh rate.

Some LCDs support adapting their refresh rate to the current frame rate delivered by the graphics card. Two technologies that allow this are FreeSync and G-Sync.

When LCD shutter glasses are used for stereo 3D displays, the effective refresh rate is halved, because each eye needs a separate picture. For this reason, it is usually recommended to use a display capable of at least 120 Hz, because divided in half this rate is again 60 Hz. Higher refresh rates result in greater image stability, for example 72 Hz non-stereo is 144 Hz stereo, and 90 Hz non-stereo is 180 Hz stereo. Most low-end computer graphics cards and monitors cannot handle these high refresh rates, especially at higher resolutions.

For LCD monitors the pixel brightness changes are much slower than CRT or plasma phosphors. Typically LCD pixel brightness changes are faster when voltage is applied than when voltage is removed, resulting in an asymmetric pixel response time. With 3D shutter glasses this can result in a blurry smearing of the display and poor depth perception, due to the previous image frame not fading to black fast enough as the next frame is drawn.

This gif animation shows a rudimentary comparison of how motion varies with 4Hz, 12Hz, and 24Hz refresh rates. Entire sequence has a frame rate of 24Hz.

The development of televisions in the 1930s was determined by a number of technical limitations. The AC power line frequency was used for the vertical refresh rate for two reasons. The first reason was that the television"s vacuum tube was susceptible to interference from the unit"s power supply, including residual ripple. This could cause drifting horizontal bars (hum bars). Using the same frequency reduced this, and made interference static on the screen and therefore less obtrusive. The second reason was that television studios would use AC lamps, filming at a different frequency would cause strobing.NTSC color coding) and 50 Hz System B/G (almost always used with PAL or SECAM color coding). This accident of chance gave European sets higher resolution, in exchange for lower frame-rates. Compare System M (704 × 480 at 30i) and System B/G (704 × 576 at 25i). However, the lower refresh rate of 50 Hz introduces more flicker, so sets that use digital technology to double the refresh rate to 100 Hz are now very popular. (see Broadcast television systems)

Similar to some computer monitors and some DVDs, analog television systems use interlace, which decreases the apparent flicker by painting first the odd lines and then the even lines (these are known as fields). This doubles the refresh rate, compared to a progressive scan image at the same frame rate. This works perfectly for video cameras, where each field results from a separate exposure – the effective frame rate doubles, there are now 50 rather than 25 exposures per second. The dynamics of a CRT are ideally suited to this approach, fast scenes will benefit from the 50 Hz refresh, the earlier field will have largely decayed away when the new field is written, and static images will benefit from improved resolution as both fields will be integrated by the eye. Modern CRT-based televisions may be made flicker-free in the form of 100 Hz technology.

Many high-end LCD televisions now have a 120 or 240 Hz (current and former NTSC countries) or 100 or 200 Hz (PAL/SECAM countries) refresh rate. The rate of 120 was chosen as the least common multiple of 24 fps (cinema) and 30 fps (NTSC TV), and allows for less distortion when movies are viewed due to the elimination of telecine (3:2 pulldown). For PAL at 25 fps, 100 or 200 Hz is used as a fractional compromise of the least common multiple of 600 (24 × 25). These higher refresh rates are most effective from a 24p-source video output (e.g. Blu-ray Disc), and/or scenes of fast motion.

As movies are usually filmed at a rate of 24 frames per second, while television sets operate at different rates, some conversion is necessary. Different techniques exist to give the viewer an optimal experience.

The combination of content production, playback device, and display device processing may also give artifacts that are unnecessary. A display device producing a fixed 60 fps rate cannot display a 24 fps movie at an even, judder-free rate. Usually, a 3:2 pulldown is used, giving a slight uneven movement.

While common multisync CRT computer monitors have been capable of running at even multiples of 24 Hz since the early 1990s, recent "120 Hz" LCDs have been produced for the purpose of having smoother, more fluid motion, depending upon the source material, and any subsequent processing done to the signal. In the case of material shot on video, improvements in smoothness just from having a higher refresh rate may be barely noticeable.

In the case of filmed material, as 120 is an even multiple of 24, it is possible to present a 24 fps sequence without judder on a well-designed 120 Hz display (i.e., so-called 5-5 pulldown). If the 120 Hz rate is produced by frame-doubling a 60 fps 3:2 pulldown signal, the uneven motion could still be visible (i.e., so-called 6-4 pulldown).

High-end smartphones increasingly boast blazing-fast 90Hz, 120Hz, and even faster refresh rate displays. This sounds great on paper and it’s yet another way that smartphones attempt to differentiate themselves from one another. But should you buy a phone because of this latest display tech trend? It honestly depends.

The benefits of high refresh rate phones and even how they work are not always well understood. While games and content can look a lot smoother, whether it’s worth the extra battery consumption depends greatly on the user and the handset. With that in mind, here’s everything you need to know about display refresh rates.

Displays aren’t static. Content and motion appear smooth on your phone’s screen because every pixel constantly updates to display the latest content from your handset’s processor. But this doesn’t happen randomly. Panels update their content at regular intervals, known as the refresh rate.

The refresh rate measures the period of time between a phone’s display updates. In other words, how often and quickly the content on the screen refreshes. Measured in Hertz (Hz), the refresh rate counts the number of times the display fully refreshes every second. A 60Hz display refreshes 60 times per second, 90Hz is 90 times per second, 120Hz is 120 times per second, and so on. So a 120Hz display refreshes twice as fast as a 60Hz panel and 4x faster than 30Hz.

Faster update times also mean lower latency because the pixels refresh more often. For example, it takes 16.6 ms to fully refresh a 60Hz display, 11.1ms for 90Hz, and just 8.3ms for a 120Hz rate. Refresh rate isn’t the only factor in round-trip display latency, but it’s the most significant contributor.

Your smartphone’s screen doesn’t refresh all at once each cycle, though. Instead, each horizontal row of pixels refreshes in turn until the whole display updates at the required rate. You can see this in action if you film a display in slow motion, and it’s the reason why displays flicker if you view them through your smartphone camera’s viewfinder. In other words, your display is constantly updating and refreshing, but it takes the cycle time to complete one full refresh.

A quick note on touch sample rate — a related but different metric. Also measured in Hz, the sample rate tells you how many times per second the touchscreen looks for input from the user’s finger. A higher-touch sample rate means less lag between input (touch or swipe) and action, which is especially important for fast-paced games.

Higher refresh rate displays make moving content look and feel smoother and snappier. Even swiping through your emails and interacting with Facebook’s UI or your web browser can look smoother than the standard 60Hz rate. Although that’s not a game-changer for day-to-day smartphone use, it’s undoubtedly nicer to look at and there are also more meaningful benefits to be found in fast motion content, such as video and gaming.

However, most video content plays back at the industry standard 24 frames per second or 24Hz. As such, display processing needs to either adapt the frame rate to the content or upscale the content to the frame rate. 120Hz displays are great because they can playback content at 60Hz, 30Hz, and 24Hz with even frame divisions. Other refresh rates require processing when scaling 24Hz video. Poor quality processing can induce judder into your videos, which obviously isn’t good.

Faster displays make a big difference when it comes to gaming too. Higher frame rates and faster response times can have a noticeable impact because visual latency is lower and gameplay appears smoother. PC gamers regularly swear by 120Hz and even 144Hz displays. Now mobile gamers can benefit too, albeit on a much smaller screen. However, high frame rate gaming requires a beefy, energy-hungry processor too. This ensures that the graphics frame rate keeps up with the high display refresh rate. The game you’re playing also needs to support high refresh rates too. A 120Hz display won’t benefit from a game capped at 30 frames per second.

Unfortunately, high refresh rates reduce battery life. During our test on the OnePlus 7 Pro, we noted 200 fewer minutes of browsing time when using the 90Hz mode versus the more standard 60Hz. We also recorded a 9% drop in battery life when switching the Galaxy S20 Ultra between 60Hz and 120Hz modes. However, newer handsets with more efficient displays provide decent battery life, thanks to adaptive 90Hz and 120Hz refresh rates. This is helping to lessen the trade-offs associated with early high refresh rate panels.

Higher refresh rates have a negative impact on screen on time, but manufacturers have come up with some clever technologies to limit their impact on battery life. Variable refresh rate AMOLED panels powered by low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) backplane technology is leading this revolution.

Implementations vary, but a combination of LTPO and software changes allows for dynamic refresh rates from 120Hz down to 1Hz, although in reality lowering refresh rates to 60, 24, and 10Hz is more common. The idea is simple in principle, reducing the number of display updates when viewing static content, such as images and web pages, improves battery life while still benefiting from the smoothness of very high refresh rates when scrolling through content.

Examples of LTPO variable refresh rate phones that can hit 10Hz and lower include the Samsung Galaxy S22 series, Oppo Find X3 Pro, OnePlus 10 series, and others. Samsung also employs a novel technology in its Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus phones. The display refresh rate drops as low as 48Hz but communication between the processor and display falls as low as 10Hz to save on some more power.

That said, refresh rate is a small part of a smartphone’s display specifications. You shouldn’t buy a fast display if the color is awful, after all. Ultimately, aspects like color gamut, contrast, white point and color temperature, HDR capabilities, and resolution have an equally significant impact on your phone’s screen quality. That said, high refresh rates are now an essential factor in modern mobile displays and are increasingly hard to ignore when picking up a new phone.

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