What Is Refresh Rate? Hz Explained for TVs and Monitors

Look at the specification of almost any television, monitor or laptop and you will find a number followed by Hz. That figure is the refresh rate, and it has become one of the main ways screens are compared. It matters more for some things than others, though, and the way it is advertised is not always as straightforward as it looks.

The basic idea

A screen does not show one continuous picture. It draws a still image, then replaces it with the next one, again and again, fast enough that your eyes see smooth movement. The refresh rate is how many times per second the screen redraws itself, measured in hertz. A 60Hz display redraws 60 times every second; a 120Hz display does it 120 times.

A higher rate means each image stays on screen for a shorter time, so movement can look smoother and less smeared, particularly when the picture moves quickly across the screen.

Refresh rate is not frame rate

The two terms are often mixed up, but they describe different ends of the chain:

• Frame rate is how many images per second the source produces, whether that is a film, a broadcast, a game console or a computer.
• Refresh rate is how many times per second the screen can show a new image.

The screen can only display as many new frames as the source sends. A film shot at a traditional cinema frame rate will not gain extra real frames because the TV refreshes faster. A computer game that produces a high frame rate, on the other hand, can only show all of those frames on a screen fast enough to keep up.

Common refresh rates and where you meet them

Read the marketing terms closely

TV boxes sometimes advertise figures such as "motion rate" or "effective refresh rate" that are higher than the panel's real refresh rate. These numbers usually combine the native rate with processing tricks such as inserting black frames or backlight flicker. They are not necessarily dishonest, but they are not the same thing. When comparing models, look in the full specification for the native refresh rate of the panel.

Motion smoothing and the "soap opera" look

Many TVs can create in-between frames of their own, estimating what should appear between two real frames. This is called motion interpolation or motion smoothing. It can make sport and fast pans look cleaner, but it also gives films an unusually slick, video-like appearance that many viewers dislike. If a film looks strangely like a daytime drama, look in the picture settings for an option with a name such as motion, smoothness or clarity and try turning it down or off. A dedicated film or filmmaker mode, where available, usually switches it off for you.

Variable refresh rate

Games rarely produce a perfectly steady frame rate. When the frame rate and the refresh rate drift out of step, you may see tearing, where the top and bottom of the picture look briefly misaligned, or small stutters. Variable refresh rate (VRR) lets the screen adjust its timing to match whatever the console or computer is sending. If you play games, it is a feature worth looking for on both the screen and the device feeding it.

How to check and change it on a computer

On Windows 11, open Settings, then System, then Display, and select Advanced display. The refresh rate drop-down shows the options your screen and connection support. On a Mac, open System Settings, then Displays, where supported screens show a refresh rate menu.

If a higher rate is missing from the list, the lead or port may be the bottleneck. Older HDMI connections and some adapters cannot carry high refresh rates at high resolutions. Our guide to connecting a laptop to a TV covers the ports and settings to check.

Does a higher refresh rate matter for you?

• Mostly films and series: a standard 60Hz screen is generally fine, and picture quality, contrast and viewing angles will matter more.
• Lots of live sport: a higher native rate can help fast action look cleaner. Viewers who stream matches over the internet, as described in our piece on how British IPTV keeps fans connected to the action, also benefit from a steady connection, since a high refresh rate cannot fix a stuttering stream.
• Gaming: a high refresh rate and VRR make the biggest difference here, provided the console or computer can produce the frames.
• Everyday computer work: higher rates make scrolling and cursor movement feel smoother, which some people value and others barely notice.

The refresh rate is one useful number among several. Knowing what it measures makes it easier to judge whether a higher figure is worth paying for, or whether the screen you already own just needs a setting changed.