What refresh rate means: 60, 90 and 120 Hz explained

Refresh rate is how many times a screen redraws per second. A 60 Hz screen does it 60 times, 90 Hz does it 90 times, 120 Hz does it 120 times. Android Authority puts a full refresh at 16.6 ms on 60 Hz, 11.1 ms on 90 Hz and 8.3 ms on 120 Hz.

That's the whole definition. The useful part is what it changes.

Where you notice it

Scrolling, swiping and anything moving across the screen. Android Authority's 2025 explainer says higher rates make motion look smoother, though that's not a big step for day-to-day smartphone use. It also says 120 Hz screens "look silky smooth and feel more responsive at the cost of some battery life."

I agree with both halves. The gain shows in scrolling. It does nothing for a banking app.

Games and video

A game only benefits if it runs faster than the screen's old limit. Android Authority says a 120 Hz display "won't benefit from a game capped at 30 frames per second," and that high-refresh gaming needs a powerful processor. Frame rate and refresh rate are different numbers: one is what the game produces, the other is what the screen can show.

For video, 120 divides evenly by 24, 30 and 60, which helps film at 24 fps play without uneven frames. A 60 Hz screen handles 24 fps unevenly. That's one of the few places where the higher number has a mechanical reason.

What it costs in battery

Android Authority measured a 9% battery drop on the Galaxy S20 Ultra when going from 60 to 120 Hz, and said 90 Hz cut browsing time by 200 minutes on the OnePlus 7 Pro. Those are old phones, so the exact figures won't carry to 2026.

The fix is adaptive refresh. Android Authority's LTPO explainer, from November 2021, says these panels can run from 1 Hz to 120 Hz and estimates them as 10 to 20% more efficient, though it admits exact figures aren't well publicized. GSMArena's Galaxy S26 review shows the idea in practice: 120 Hz in Adaptive mode, 60 Hz in Standard, and a drop to 1 Hz when idle. Apple lists the iPhone 17 with ProMotion and adaptive refresh rates up to 120 Hz.

What I'd check on a spec sheet

Is it adaptive? A fixed 120 Hz costs more battery than one that drops to 60 or 1 Hz when you stop.
Does the maker's default use the high rate? GSMArena shows the S26 has a Standard mode at 60 Hz. Check the setting.
Is it 120 Hz, or 90? Some cheaper devices stop at 90, like the Galaxy Tab A11+ below.

Prices checked November 1, 2026 show the spread. The Galaxy Tab A11+ runs at 90 Hz Hz for $299.99. The iPad Pro 11 M5 runs at 120 Hz Hz for $1,199. And one oddity: the ASUS Vivobook 14 Flip is at 60 Hz Hz for $1,899.99. A high price doesn't guarantee a fast screen.

Refresh rate and flicker aren't the same

A fast refresh doesn't mean a screen flickers less. Dimming flicker has its own frequency, covered in OLED or LCD for your eyes. If you're flicker-sensitive, check that number before the refresh rate.

What I'd do

For a phone, I'd want 120 Hz, adaptive, and I'd not pay more than a tier for it. For a laptop used for spreadsheets, 60 Hz is fine. Games and drawing are where I'd spend. Browse the tablet catalog or laptop catalog and check the spec line.

If you're deciding on storage too, see how much storage you need, and if you're waiting on a sale, when to buy electronics around Black Friday 2026.