What does screen refresh rate mean?

The refresh rate of the screen is one of the aspects to consider when it comes to getting the best viewing experience. Recently, this figure has become very prominent on mobile phones, monitors and TV screens. Therefore, it is perfectly normal for you to wonder what really happened.

In the following sections, we’ll explain everything you need to know about screen refresh. First, we will explain what exactly we mean when we use this term and why it is so important to consider this feature before purchasing a monitor or mobile phone.

What is screen refresh?

Screen refresh is the feature that determines how many images per second a screen or projector can produce. The unit used is hertz, often abbreviated as hz. Each hertz corresponds to an image displayed in one second. In other words, if a screen has a refresh feature at 60 Hz, it means that it displays 60 images per second.

Having more screen refresh hertz for the user creates a fluency effect. Conversely, if the monitor has a low refresh rate, images appear to present choppy motion.

The most common rate on both monitors, televisions and mobile phones is 60 Hz. However, it is increasingly common for manufacturers to offer 75, 90, 120 or 144hz panels. There are even 360hz ones, the latter is available on most high-end imaging devices.

Why is screen refresh rate important?

For most of the work we do with a phone or computer, a refresh rate of 60 hz or 75 hz will be sufficient. When composing an email, adding text to a document, or browsing the web, we don’t do quick gestures that require rapid frame refreshes in the interface. So when is it really necessary to have a high refresh rate?

Mainly, in video games. Scenes in some games are very dynamic with lots of camera changes and fast movements. Thanks to monitors with refresh rates higher than 90 hz, the player will feel more fluency in the visualization. On the other hand, if we focus on TVs, fans of sports like Formula 1 or movies with a lot of action will be pleased with a higher refresh rate. This type of content is often very energetic, with snappy visuals and quick camera changes.

Refresh rate on mobile phones

Finally, we’re talking about cell phones. Most users will not need a very high screen refresh rate. However, those who want to play games with their device will be pleased to have the same smooth picture transition that a high-end monitor can offer. This also applies to menu navigation and OS toggles.

Despite the rumors that a screen with a high refresh rate offers good images, you should know that this feature directly affects the battery level. This is why some manufacturers have implemented hybrid or adaptive solutions. This way, the device will only activate the high refresh rate on the screen when the user is playing games or watching videos. This is a feature found on phones like the Samsung Galaxy 22 Ultra 5G.

Is higher refresh rate better?

It’s always best for you to have a monitor with more hertz. In fact, there are some additional factors that you should keep in mind before making a decision. Depending on the type of games you’ll be playing or the tasks you’ll be performing with your computer, you can save some money by choosing monitors with a lower refresh rate. The same can be said for cell phones.

On the other hand, it is very important to ensure that the equipment you have can take advantage of the full potential of the monitor. If your computer doesn’t have the hardware needed to run a game above 50 or 60 FPS, having a brand new 144hz display in front of you isn’t going to help.

Finally, resolution, brightness, etc. We recommend that you examine other aspects of the panel that define screen quality, such as Some manufacturers include a higher refresh rate for marketing purposes, especially in the mobile phone area. However, the panel may not offer good image quality or come with a low resolution.