Technology is changing extremely fast, and it is hard to keep up with what it brings.
However, there are things that it is good to know about, such as the quality of the things you are watching or playing.
When you are watching something, your screen shows you frames per second, and the higher the frames per second, the smoother the visual.
A state of art development in this technology is the 120 Hz displays that can show you 120 frames per second. We will examine 120 Hz displays and explain what they are.
What Is Refresh Rate?
Before you understand what a 120 Hz display is, you need to understand what is the refresh rate.
So anything you watch on display is composed of many individual frames or photos that are shown to you at a very high speed in sequence, and this is how you view a video, and the rate at which you view this is called a refresh rate.
What Is A 120 Hz Display?
As mentioned earlier, when you are using a screen, you see different frames changing rapidly to give you those movies or TV shows you are watching.
However, these frames are not just one frame per second or minute; there are many of them, and the more the frame per second, the better the display.
These frames are known as frames per second. Most movies are at 24 frames per second, but this could increase exponentially, up to 120.
To showcase these movies in these frames, you need screens that can accommodate them. These are known as Hz.
The higher the Hz of a screen in a monitor or a phone, the higher frames per second it can show.
120 Hz can show 120 frames per second which is exponentially high considering most movies are only 24 frames per second. 120 Hz is smoother than 90 or 60 Hz as they show more frames per second.
There are a few different sizes of TVs that offer a 120hz display. The most common ones are 32 inches, 40 inches, and 50 inches.
However, there are also some larger sizes available, such as 60 inches and upto 100 inches tvs. These larger sizes usually have a higher price tag, but they offer a better picture quality and a smoother overall experience.
What Is Frame Rate?
You should note that the benefits of refresh rate are dependent on Frame rate or what is popularly known as Fps, and so, more often than not, the potential of a high refresh rate is not realized completely.
In simple words, any video content that you view, be it movies or even games, their graphics are expressed in fps. So movies ideally run at an fps of 24, while games run at an fps of 120.
FPS Vs. Hz
5 Benefits of 120Hz Display
A 120Hz display provides several benefits to users. It offers faster response times, smoother motion graphics, and improved viewing angles compared to traditional 60Hz or lower displays.
Additionally, it can display true 4K resolution content at high frame rates for an immersive experience.
1. Faster Response Times
The 120Hz refresh rate results in a much faster response time.
This means that images on the screen can update quickly, allowing for smoother motion graphics and reduced input lag when gaming or watching video content.
2. Improved Viewing Angles
With a higher refresh rate comes improved viewing angles. This allows users to view content from more angles without experiencing any loss in image quality.
3. True 4K Resolution
With true 4K resolution content, users can experience a much more detailed picture that is not possible with lower refresh rates.
This results in an immersive experience when watching movies or playing games.
4. Reduced Motion Blur
With a 120Hz display, motion blur is significantly reduced. This allows for clearer and more defined images when playing games or watching videos.
5. Low Power Consumption
Due to the higher refresh rate, 120Hz displays consume less power than other displays with lower refresh rates.
This makes them ideal for prolonged use without worrying about wasting energy.
What About Touch Response Rate?
To add more to your confusion, mobile manufacturers add terms like touch response rate or touch sample rate, which is also measured in Hz.
As the name suggests, a touch response rate measures and scans how fast your phone’s screens react to your touch.
The higher the touch response rate, the faster your mobile will operate.
Which Devices Can Have 120 Hz?
120 Hz is actually not the newest technology but not the oldest.
It is somewhere in the middle but even now, finding devices that are 120 Hz or above might be a trouble as they get more expensive when you increase the Hz.
However, every device, whether it is a mobile phone or a monitor, has various options, 60 Hz, 90 Hz, or 120 Hz.
This could be higher up to 240 Hz. Nevertheless, every device that is coming out nowadays has a 120 Hz or higher Hz rate, if you want it.
Difference in 60Hz, 90Hz & 120Hz Refresh Rate For Your Smart Phone & TV
So what does a higher refresh rate means to you? A higher refresh rate allows you to stream content and play games smoothly. A higher refresh rate also makes navigating through various apps fast and easy.
However, the refresh rate alone cannot benefit you in terms of viewing.
The content that you are viewing or the game that you are playing should have also have a similar fps rate, as explained above in the article.
For example, if the game that you are playing has an fps rate of 90, and so is the refresh rate of your phone, then you will be able to control the game without any lags or issues and vice versa.
So buying a 120 Hz phone is ideal because it can match down to even a 24 fps rate, but a 60 Hz phone cannot match up to a 90 fps rate. The same goes for refresh in your TVs too.
60Hz, 90Hz & 120Hz Refresh Rate Comparison
Variable Refresh Rates
A higher refresh rate can make navigation, control & viewing smooth for you, but it costs you your phone’s battery life.
However, manufacturers have now come up with a technology that helps in saving your phone’s battery life too.
For this, they have started using AMOLED panels that are powered by LTPO or low-temperature polycrystalline oxide.
How it works is pretty simple. It reduces the number of display updates when you are viewing static content like an image from your gallery and increases the display updates in case of motion content. This helps in keeping your phone’s battery life in check.
Is It Expensive?
As we mentioned above, when the Hz increases on a screen, it shows smoother video, and the quality increases with it.
This means more expensive production expense, thus making the retail price more expensive than 90 or 60 Hz screens.
Whether it is worth this money or not totally depends on what you want as most movies and TV shows are at 24 fps, so even a 60 Hz would do.
But if you want to play games or such, having a 120 Hz display would be a better choice.
Read: 10 Best TV Deals
The Verdict
To conclude, a 120 Hz display is the screen resolution that can show you 120 frames per second, giving you a smoother experience when you are watching something or playing a game.
The higher the frames per second, the smoother and more expensive it gets.
The decision to pay for that extension depends on what you need on your device, but most mobile phones do not have different varieties, and they come with a 120 Hz or higher screen rate.
FAQ’s
Should I buy a phone with higher refresh rate?
Budget phones having a refresh rate of 90 or 120 Hz is readily available in the market.
Although a higher refresh rate is something that helps you to operate your phone smoothly, it shouldn’t be the only criterion while buying a phone.
You should also consider other factors, prioritize the ones that you can’t compromise on, and then buy a phone accordingly.
Should I buy a 120Hz TV?
Honestly, a lot of content you view does not support a 120 Hz refresh rate, so spending more on a 120 Hz tv to view the same quality thing that you can on a 60 Hz tv is pretty pointless.
What are the phones that offer a refresh rate of 120Hz?
Here is a few lists of phones that feature a refresh rate of 120 Hz:
- Samsung Galaxy A53
- Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro
- Oppo Find X5 Pro
- Samsung Galaxy S22 series
- Asus Rog Phone 6
Amit Gupta is the founder of National Planning Cycles, a company that helps startups, individuals, and small businesses with their financial planning. He has a vast amount of experience in the finance sector, having managed Google Play accounts for some of the world’s most successful unicorns. Amit is an expert in his field, and he uses his knowledge to help others achieve their individual goals.