PlayInfoBox

Home /Education /Monitor Refresh Rate (Hz) Basics

Monitor Refresh Rate (Hz) Basics

Tap each step to follow along in order.

  1. What refresh rate means

    Refresh rate is how many times per second a monitor redraws the image on screen, measured in Hz (hertz).

  2. The felt difference between 60Hz and 144Hz

    A 60Hz display redraws 60 times a second, while a 144Hz display redraws 144 times β€” on the 144Hz screen, scene changes and fast motion look noticeably smoother.

  3. What sets 240Hz and higher apart

    Monitors above 240Hz help competitive players pick up on very fine motion differences where split-second reactions matter, though the jump feels smaller relative to 144Hz than 144Hz felt over 60Hz.

  4. How refresh rate relates to frame rate (FPS)

    No matter how high a monitor's refresh rate is, you won't feel the extra smoothness if the game itself isn't producing enough frames per second β€” refresh rate and graphics card performance need to be considered together.

  5. Genres that benefit most from a high refresh rate

    Fast-paced genres like first-person shooters and fighting games, where quick reactions and precise aim matter, show the benefit of a high refresh rate most clearly.

  6. Check and change refresh rate in your display settings

    On Windows, the Advanced Display Settings menu shows your current refresh rate and lets you change it within whatever range your monitor supports; macOS offers a similar option under Displays.

Worth knowing before you buy a new monitor

Refresh rate comes up almost as often as resolution when shopping for a monitor. The same game looks noticeably smoother on a higher-refresh display, so it's worth picking a refresh rate that matches how you'll actually use the monitor rather than just chasing the highest number available.

Panel type and response time matter too

Refresh rate isn't the only factor behind how smooth motion looks β€” a panel's response time (how quickly a pixel changes color) and the type of panel used both affect motion clarity and ghosting. A high refresh rate on a slow panel won't deliver the crisp motion you'd expect, so it's worth checking both specs together rather than refresh rate alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still game on a 60Hz monitor?

Yes, absolutely β€” you just may notice more choppiness during fast motion compared with a 144Hz-or-higher display, especially in fast-paced genres.

My monitor is 144Hz but the game only runs at 60fps β€” is the higher refresh rate pointless then?

If your graphics card can't produce 144 frames per second, you won't feel the full benefit of 144Hz. Lowering in-game graphics settings or upgrading your graphics card can help close that gap.