A TV with a high refresh rate is one of the most important criteria to look for when purchasing a television.
TV refresh is something that most of us are not familiar with. Many people often mistake it for frame rate.
In this article, we shall discuss everything about the refresh rate. We will learn about its significance and also look at the good refresh rates for TVs and gaming TVs.
We will also learn why a TV with high refresh rate matters.
Let us start our discussion.
Table of Contents
What Is Refresh Rate?
The refresh rate of a television refers to the number of times an image on the screen refreshes per second. You measure the refresh rate in Hertz (Hz). Let us say a TV has a refresh rate of 120 Hz. It implies that the image on this TV refreshes 120 times per second. The higher the refresh rate, the better is the picture quality.
Televisions that have faster refresh rates have better motion-handling capabilities. Handling motion is crucial especially when you are watching an action movie on TV r playing video games.
When you compare a TV that has a high refresh rate of 120 Hz with the one having 60 Hz, the former will have a better picture quality than the latter. As mentioned earlier, if the TV has a high refresh rate, better will its picture quality be. When you are looking to purchase a new television, you will come across devices with various refresh rates., 60 Hz, 120 Hz, 240 Hz, and even more. When it comes to the LCD TV, most appliances will have a regular refresh rate of 60 Hz. 120 Hz is usually considered the native refresh rate, which is commonly seen in most expensive TV models.
What is Frame Rate and How it is Different from the Refresh Rate?
Refresh rate and frame rate are two terminologies that people often mistake one for the other. In reality, both are different. A refresh rate is nothing but the number of frames your screen displays per second. Whereas, frame rate refers to the number of frames the video source displays every second. Your TV should have a refresh rate that is equal to or more than the video frame rate. This is a thumb rule if you want to minimize the motion blur on the screen.
Videos that contain higher frame rates have smoother motion, provided the TV has an equal or even more higher refresh rate. Let us assume that the television has a slower refresh rate than the video frame rate. In such a case, the frame will not be clear, and even the overall image will be a blur.
There is a difference between TV shows and movies. They film the former at 30 frames per second (fps) and the latter at 24 fps. If you have a TV with a 30 Hz refresh rate, it will suffice to watch the maximum content. Nevertheless, it is advisable to purchase a TV that has a faster refresh rate.
What Is The Difference Between a 60 Hz TV and a 120 Hz TV?
There is much debate on which TV to buy? Whether to purchase the one having a refresh rate of 60 Hz or the one with 120 Hz? Both devices look identical when you are watching a show filmed at 30 fps. However, there is a huge difference in how each appliance handles the motion. The television with a higher refresh rate is better at handling motion for watching movies that are filmed at 24 fps.
The refresh rate of your television should match the video frame rate. In order to achieve this, the device will display each frame several times. For your better understanding, here is a simple example: Let us assume you have a TV with a 60 Hz refresh rate and are watching a show filmed at 30 fps. To match both the rates, the TV doubles each frame and displays the single one as half for long.
When you take a TV with a 120 Hz refresh rate, the same video filmed at 30 fps will look identical. This is because the television here quadruples each frame and displays the single one as a quarter for a long.
While this all seems to be fine, the actual problem arises when you have to watch a movie on a TV with a refresh rate of 60 Hz. We all know that most movies are filmed at 24 fps. This rate is not a preferable one for a 60 Hz TV. We will tell you why: In order to match the refresh rate with the frame rate, this device follows an approach called 3:2 pulldown. In this method, it displays one single frame two times and then the next frame thrice.
In the 3:2 pulldown method, you can notice that the video displays a few frames longer than the others. As a result, when you are watching a movie on 60 Hz TV, you are bound to observe the judder effect. Following this, the motion looks jerky, and the video plays slower than it actually should.
Let us consider a TV with a refresh rate of 120 Hz and assume that you are watching a movie on this device. Here, the television displays every single frame five times. That said, the look intended by the filmmaker will not be lost. You will hardly find any content with 120 fps content. However, there are some movies and videos games that use a high frame rate.
Let us now learn which is the good refresh rate for television and gaming TV.
What is an Ideal Refresh Rate for TVs?
Usually, televisions come with a refresh rate of either 60 Hz or 120 Hz. Both the models are good and help you watch movies or videos without any problem. However, an appliance with 120 Hz is the best option to watch movies or play video games. Televisions that have faster refresh rates have better motion-handling capabilities. Hence, TVs with a refresh rate of 120 Hz are usually considered an ideal figure.
When it comes to televisions, they have a problem. Most devices feature HDMI 2.0 inputs. This functionality restricts the video sources to a refresh rate of 60 Hz only. As a result, even if it is a TV with a refresh rate of 120 Hz, you cannot enjoy the video to its maximum capacity. In order to make the most out of your 120 Hz TV, this is what you can do. Ensure that the model you purchase has an HDMI 2.1 port. This is a must for a next-generation gaming console.
What Is an Ideal Refresh Rate for a Gaming TV?
For a gaming TV with older consoles, a refresh rate of 60Hz will suffice. However, fewer models like the Xbox One S/X, Xbox Series X, and PS5 come with a capacity to support 120Hz. That said, they have a faster refresh rate and will guarantee a better display of the motion.
When watching sports like basketball, a gaming TV with a higher refresh rate keeps with the pace on the basketball ground. It enables a smooth picture and reduces the blurriness of the image. However, there is one thing you need to take care of. If you want to make the most out of your 120 Hz TV, ensure that the TV you purchase has an HDMI 2.1 port.
Apart from the above, there is one more thing you require for your gaming TV. Your television should have a special feature that helps support the VRR (variable refresh rate). The specialty of VRR is that it synchronizes the TV’s refresh rate to the frame rate of your game and that too, in real-time. Let us assume that