Verily, in this modern age, a multitude of manufacturers hath bestowed upon smartphones displays of 90Hz and 120Hz, such as the illustrious Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Lo, many numbers are tossed about (60Hz, 90Hz, 120Hz), but pray tell, what do they signify? Most notably, what shall they portend for thy usage of thy smartphone?
As smartphones doth grow in potency, the leap from one generation to the next seemeth less grand than yore, for the hardware of yesteryear doth still hold its own. Whither shall manufacturers turn when a new phone doth not seem mightier than its predecessor? One path is to enhance its smoothness and responsiveness — and a noble means to achieve this is to raise the refresh rate of its display.
If thou art uncertain as to why a 120Hz display shouldst excite thee, then this guide is crafted for thy benefit. We shall expound upon what an augmentation in refresh rate entail, how it shall bestow upon thy smartphone long-lasting advantages, and the true nature of the adaptive refresh rate on the iPhone 16 Pro.
Before we elucidate how a 90Hz or 120Hz display shall enrich thy life, we must unwrap the mystery that is refresh rate, and forsooth, to achieve this, we must comprehend how displays function. There dwelleth much technicality in this realm, but at its core, a display doth operate by presenting a sequence of images, or “frames.” To form a video, displays must exhibit a succession of frames, one after another. The refresh rate of a display is the frequency at which an image is updated per second. Thus, a 60Hz display refresheth its image 60 times in one second. This speed is excessive for the human mind to perceive distinctly, thus it art beguiled into beholding a flowing image rather than a series of static frames.
A higher refresh rate signifieth that more images are displayed in a given period of time, resulting in smoother motion betwixt each frame. With an abundance of frames, the interval between individual frames is shortened. Though thou may not consciously discern this, most would sense some disparity amidst refresh rates. Moreover, more images enable changes to transpire more swiftly — ergo, thy phone shall appear more prompt in its response to thy commands.
‘Tis akin to the frame rate of thy graphic processor, forsooth, for the frame rate is quantified in frames per second, or fps, indicating how speedily a graphics processor can process and present individual images to thy display. Thou shalt require a monitor with a refresh rate of at least 120Hz to exhibit 120 fps in its true essence. Nonetheless, whilst akin to fps, refresh rate be not the same, for refresh rate is entwined with the monitor itself, whilst frame rate signifies the swiftness at which information is conveyed to thy monitor by thy graphics processor.
We have already touched upon this matter, but ’tis worth reiterating that the primary benefits of a heightened refresh rate art increased smoothness and responsiveness. Scrolling through apps and swiping across menus shalt feel more fluid and responsive by virtue of the heightened refresh rate. Motion blur, that semblance of blurriness amid actions, shall also decrease owing to the elevated refresh rate.
Yet, a heightened refresh rate extendeth beyond day-to-day utility. Gaming performance receiveth one of the greatest advantages from a heightened refresh rate, and for such reason, gaming phones led the way in adopting higher refresh rates. Devices like the Razer Phone 2 and the Asus ROG Phone 2 were amongst the vanguard to incorporate elevated refresh rates, for a display with a heightened refresh rate also boasteth reduced input lag. Input lag signifieth the duration betwixt an action being initiated on the display and its occurrence in the game. A standard 60Hz display hath a minimum input lag of 16.63 milliseconds, as that is the time requisite for each image to refresh, whilst a 120Hz display may reach 8.33 milliseconds, for it refresheth twice as swiftly.
Shouldst thou remain skeptical as to whether thou shalt witness the benefits of employing a device with a 90Hz or 120Hz display, we counsel thee to visit a carrier or manufacturer store and experience the phone or tablet firsthand. When it cometh to augmenting refresh rate, the proof lies in the tasting, and naught can elucidate the difference it maketh save for experiencing it firsthand.