What Is Refresh Rate?
Refresh Rate (Vertical refresh rate): How many times per second a display draws a new image, measured in hertz (Hz).
Definition
Refresh rate is how many times per second a monitor, TV or phone screen updates its image, measured in hertz (Hz). A 60 Hz display draws a new image every 16.7 ms; a 144 Hz display every 6.9 ms; a 240 Hz display every 4.2 ms.
Refresh Rate vs Frame Rate
Refresh rate belongs to the display. Frame rate (FPS) is how many images the computer produces. You only see 144 distinct images per second when both the monitor runs at 144 Hz and the game runs at 144 FPS or more.
Why Higher Is Smoother
Each extra refresh shows motion in a finer step and keeps each image on screen for less time, which reduces perceived motion blur and input lag. The jump from 60 to 144 Hz is the most noticeable; gains beyond 240 Hz are smaller.
A Common Problem
High-refresh monitors often run at 60 Hz until the setting is changed in the operating system, or because the cable can’t carry the higher rate. The refresh rate test shows what your screen is actually running at.
Measure It
Related Guides
- 60Hz vs 144Hz vs 240Hz – Which Refresh Rate Do You Need?A higher refresh rate makes everything on screen look smoother. Here's how big the jumps really are, and what it takes to use them.
- How to Check a Used Monitor Before BuyingTen minutes of checks can save you from buying a screen with dead pixels, a weak backlight or a refresh rate that never works. Here's exactly what to test.
- Is 8000 Hz Polling Rate Worth It?Higher polling rates sound like a big upgrade. Here's what they really change — in milliseconds — and when they're worth turning on.
Related Terms
- Response TimeHow long a display's pixels take to change from one colour to another, usually measured grey-to-grey (GtG) in milliseconds.
- Input LagThe delay between an input — a click, keypress or mouse movement — and its result appearing on screen.
- Polling RateHow many times per second an input device sends its state to the computer, measured in hertz (Hz).
Part of the TapTest glossary · More in display tests.