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.
The Numbers
| Refresh rate | Time per frame | Improvement over previous step |
|---|---|---|
| 60 Hz | 16.7 ms | — |
| 144 Hz | 6.9 ms | 9.8 ms faster per frame |
| 240 Hz | 4.2 ms | 2.7 ms faster per frame |
| 360 Hz | 2.8 ms | 1.4 ms faster per frame |
The jump from 60 to 144 Hz is by far the biggest. Each step after that still helps, but the gains get smaller.
What Changes When You Go Higher
- Smoother motion: more images per second, so scrolling, cursor movement and game cameras look fluid.
- Less motion blur: each image stays on screen for less time, so moving objects look sharper when your eyes track them.
- Lower input lag: a new frame can appear sooner after your input, which helps in fast games.
60 Hz: Fine for Office Work
60 Hz is the standard for office monitors and many laptops. Text, documents and video look perfectly good. It’s only in fast motion — scrolling, gaming, dragging windows — that 60 Hz looks choppy once you’ve seen something faster.
144 Hz: the Biggest Upgrade
Almost everyone notices 144 Hz immediately, even on the desktop. For gaming it’s the most cost-effective upgrade you can make. Mid-range graphics cards can run most games well above 100 FPS at 1080p or 1440p, so you actually see the benefit.
240 Hz and Above: for Competitive Players
240 Hz is noticeably smoother than 144 Hz to experienced players in fast shooters, but the difference is smaller than the 60 → 144 jump. To benefit, your game needs to run near 240 FPS, which usually means competitive titles at lower settings and a strong CPU. 360 Hz and faster panels are aimed at esports.
What You Need to Actually Get the Refresh Rate
- The monitor set correctly. Many high-refresh monitors run at 60 Hz until you change the setting in Windows (Settings → System → Display → Advanced display) or macOS.
- The right cable. DisplayPort handles high refresh rates at any common resolution. HDMI needs version 2.0 or 2.1 for 144 Hz+ at 1440p or 4K.
- A fast enough PC. Refresh rate is the ceiling; frame rate (FPS) decides how many new images you actually get.
- Fast pixel response. If pixels can’t change colour quickly enough, a 240 Hz monitor smears like a slower one.
Check the first three with the refresh rate test, which measures what your screen is running at right now, and the fourth with the ghosting test.
What About Variable Refresh Rate?
G-Sync and FreeSync let the monitor match its refresh rate to your game’s frame rate, removing tearing and reducing stutter when FPS drops below the maximum. It’s valuable at any high refresh rate, and almost every gaming monitor supports it today.
Which Should You Choose?
- Office, school and video: 60–75 Hz is enough; 120 Hz is a nice extra.
- General gaming: 144–165 Hz at 1440p is the best balance of smoothness, sharpness and price.
- Competitive shooters: 240 Hz or higher, paired with a GPU and CPU that can keep up.
- Laptops and phones: 120 Hz makes everyday use noticeably smoother and is worth having.
Test It Yourself
Key Terms
- Refresh RateHow many times per second a display draws a new image, measured in hertz (Hz).
- 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.
Published · More in display tests.