Most modern smartphones and tablets allow you to adjust the screen refresh rate. Previously, the screen refresh rate in the phone did not exceed 60 Hz. Now the user can set the screen frequency to 90 Hz, 120 Hz, 144 Hz, or use the dynamic change of the screen refresh rate. From the article you will learn what is the screen refresh rate and how to change the screen refresh rate on Android.
What is the display refresh rate?
The screen refresh rate refers to the number of times an image is refreshed per second. Because the image on your TV, monitor, phone, or tablet is a lined up series of frames. Even if the picture is static, it is still a series of frames. The refresh rate of the screen is measured in Hertz, and the number refers to the number of updates. At 60 Hz, the picture is refreshed 60 times per second, and at 90 Hz, it is refreshed 90 times per second.
The higher the screen refresh rate, the smoother the image and less visual discontinuity in dynamic scenes. Any movement on the screen with a high refresh rate looks less blurry. At the same time, a high screen refresh rate results in an additional load and reduced battery life. As the system needs to prepare and display more frames.
What is the display refresh rate for phones and tablets?
The standard screen frequency for phones and tablets is 60 Hz. If your device does not support screen frequency adjustment, then 60 Hz is the maximum possible value for that model.
In inexpensive phones and tablets with support for screen frequency adjustment, you can usually choose no more than 90 Hz. Additional 30 frames allow to improve the smoothness of the image. At the same time, it is difficult to notice a significant change compared to the standard screen frequency.
In the medium price segment and among some flagships the screen refresh rate is usually 120 Hz. In this case, the smoothness of the picture is twice as much. The picture looks nicer and better than at 90 Hz.
Flagship phones support a screen frequency of more than 120 Hz: 136 Hz, 144 Hz, 165 Hz, etc. In such a phone, the smoothness of the picture is even better. At the same time additional 16 and 24 Hz do not always give a significant advantage compared to the 120 Hz refresh rate.
How do I change the display refresh rate on Android phones and tablets?
To change the screen refresh rate, follow these steps:
2. Scroll the page and select the Display menu.
3. In the next menu, scroll down the page and select the ” Display refresh rate” menu.
4. In the new menu, select the suggested screen frequency: 60 Hz, 120 Hz, or automatic mode. Your phone may have a different display refresh rate: 90 Hz, 120 Hz, 144 Hz, etc.
- At 60 Hz the best autonomy is achieved with the standard smoothness of the screen.
- At 120 Hz the picture is smoother, but the battery life will be shorter.
- When selecting the automatic mode, the system will select the optimal screen frequency according to the task in hand. In this case, the optimal balance of operation and power consumption can be achieved.
In Power Saving mode, the screen refresh rate is always set to 60 Hz. Therefore, to use other screen refresh rates, you may need to turn off Power Saving mode first.
What are the advantages of a high display refresh rate?
A high screen refresh rate provides a smoother interface experience. Page scrolling animation and opening and closing windows is faster.
More benefits of high screen refresh rate are achieved in games. In competitive games, players get an additional advantage because information is updated faster. This allows users to react faster to different events.
What are the disadvantages of high display refresh rate?
The most significant disadvantage of high screen refresh rate is a decrease in battery life. At 120 Hz, the screen needs to refresh twice as many frames compared to the standard frequency. This puts additional load on the processor and graphics gas pedal and leads to increased power consumption.
In phones and tablets with high screen resolution the increased refresh rate leads to additional load and overheating. That is why some phone manufacturers lower the screen resolution programmatically when the refresh rate is increased. For example, a resolution of 1440×3080 pixels is used at 60 Hz. If the 120 Hz frequency is selected, the resolution is automatically reduced to 1080×2310 pixels. Therefore, the user has to choose between two options: a high screen refresh rate with reduced resolution or a low screen refresh rate with high resolution.
Another problem is the jelly scrolling effect. On the screens of some phones there can be a visual tearing of the left and right sides of the screen. Also compression and stretching of interface elements may occur when scrolling the page.
Video Guide
Conclusion
This article describes in detail what the display refresh rate is and how to change the screen refresh rate on Android. Increasing the screen refresh rate improves the smoothness of the display and animation when scrolling the page, when switching from one menu to another, etc. Also high screen refresh rate helps to improve gameplay. Information on the screen is updated faster, so the player can react faster to various events. Especially important is the refresh rate of the screen in competitive games. At the same time high refresh rate of the screen creates additional load and increases the power consumption. In some phones, a high refresh rate can lead to unpleasant distortions and effects.
What is the screen refresh rate on your phone? Share your opinion in the comments at the bottom of the article.
FAQ
How do I get 120Hz on my Android?
If your phone or tablet screen supports 120Hz screen refresh rate, then just select 120Hz in the screen settings.
Where is screen refresh rate on Android?
The screen refresh rate setting is in the “Display” menu in the system settings of your phone.
Should I use 120Hz or 60Hz Android?
You should test the phone at 60 and 120Hz. If you are comfortable using the phone with a 120Hz screen refresh rate, then use the 120Hz setting. If you do not care about the refresh rate, then use the 60 Hz setting or use the automatic mode.
Is 60 Hz good for gaming?
60 Hz is good enough for most games. That said, for some competitive games, a 120 Hz or 144 Hz screen refresh rate will give you an extra edge. Because the information on the screen will refresh faster. This will give you the ability to react more quickly to various events.
How can I change my screen refresh rate?
Open your phone settings. Select the “Screen” menu. Then go to the “Screen refresh rate” menu. Select your preferred screen refresh rate.
What is refresh rate in Android phone?
The screen refresh rate is the number of picture frames refreshed per second. At 60 Hz – the screen is refreshed 60 times per second, and at 144 Hz – 144 times per second.
How do I know if my Android screen is 120Hz?
The screen refresh rate can be found on your phone manufacturer’s official website. You can find out the supported screen refresh rate in the application Aida 64 or DevCheck Device & System Info.
Are 90Hz phones worth it?
It is necessary to be guided by all the parameters of the phone. 90Hz does not significantly change the smoothness of the screen compared to 60Hz. However, supporting 90Hz on a phone is better than only supporting 60Hz.
Is 120Hz good for gaming?
A phone with a 120Hz screen refresh rate is a good choice for gaming. Thus the screen refresh rate is not the only parameter in the phone. You should also take into account the response time of the screen, the sensitivity and accuracy of the screen sensor.
Why can’t I change my refresh rate?
Your phone or tablet may not support changing the refresh rate of the screen. In power saving mode, the system automatically sets the screen refresh rate to 60 Hz. You may also need to reduce the resolution of your screen to change the refresh rate.
How to check refresh rate?
You need to open the settings for developers and enable the option to display the screen refresh rate. This will display the current refresh rate.
Does refresh rate affect battery life?
The screen refresh rate affects battery life. Since increasing the refresh rate will put a strain on your battery life.
How many Hz is iPhone 13?
The iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Mini have a refresh rate of 60 Hz.
Is 60 Hz refresh rate bad in mobile?
60 Hz is the standard screen refresh rate for phones. This refresh rate is enough for comfortable use of the phone. Some users do not set the screen to 120 Hz, because 60 Hz is enough for using the phone.
Is 60Hz good for gaming or 120Hz?
For gaming, 120Hz is better. Because the information on the screen will refresh faster than at 60Hz. That makes it easier to respond to different gaming events.
Can you notice 90Hz vs 120Hz?
You can visually tell the difference between a 90Hz and 120Hz screen. A screen with a 120Hz refresh rate will look smoother than a 90Hz screen.
Why does 120Hz drain battery?
Increasing the screen refresh rate adds extra load. Therefore, 120Hz screen frequency drain battery slightly more than 60Hz screen frequency.
