Refresh Rate (Hz): Definition & explanation

Refresh rate describes how many times per second a smartphone display updates its image content. For years, 60 Hz was the standard, but many manufacturers now use 90, 120, or even 144 Hz. At 120 Hz, the image is redrawn 120 times per second, making motion like scrolling, swipe gestures, or game animations noticeably smoother than at 60 Hz. The effect is especially visible during fast movement, such as scrolling through social media or playing action-heavy games. Modern AMOLED displays often use adaptive refresh rates that switch between low values (around 1 Hz for static images) and high values (120 Hz for motion) to save battery life, a technique commonly called LTPO. A higher refresh rate generally increases power consumption since the display must work more frequently — adaptive systems partially offset this. For purchasing decisions, it's important to check whether the high refresh rate runs continuously or only in certain apps, since some manufacturers throttle the rate in less demanding scenarios.