The Impact of Screen Refresh Rates on Mobile Experience

In our present fast-moving digital age, the smooth performance and response of our devices has become as important as what they do and how they do it. While most people talk about camera quality, battery life, and storage when they discuss smartphones, what they may not realize is that the element we don’t pay much attention to actually plays a big role — the screen refresh rate. It may appear to be a technical issue best left to engineers, but the refresh rate is a feature end users are very aware of, in particular when they are scrolling or going through content, playing games, or watching videos.

What Is a Refresh Rate?

Put simply, a screen’s refresh rate is the number of times per second the display updates what is on the screen. We measure it in hertz (Hz). So a 60Hz refresh rate means the screen refreshes 60 times every second, and a 120Hz screen refreshes 120 times per second.

To the average person, this may be a minor point. After all, what really is the difference between 60 times vs 120? In fact, that is not the case. The difference is like watching someone move through syrup, which is very laborious, and at the other end of the scale, someone gliding across ice. What you see on a high refresh rate screen is a much more fluid image, with a very seamless experience.

Mobiles’ refresh rate development over time.

A few years back, 60Hz was the standard in the smartphone industry. It did the job it was meant to do for basic functions like sending texts, using the web, and making calls. But as mobile technology improved and we saw more of our friends using their phones for very demanding tasks like high-definition gaming and video streaming, the desire for smoother visuals grew.

Manufacturers introduced to the market phones with 90Hz, 120Hz, and even 144Hz displays. We saw these high refresh rate screens first on the premium flagships, which also included the top gaming devices, but they have since made their way down to mid-range and budget smartphones.

How higher refresh rates improve the mobile experience.

1. Improved Scrolling and Navigation.

When users make the switch from 60Hz phones to 120Hz ones, one of the first things they notice is the smoothness of the scroll. As you navigate your social media feed, look through a photo gallery, or toggle between apps, everything has a very fluid feel. We see less motion blur, and our eyes have to do less work to follow moving content.

This improved flow, which in turn makes day-to-day phone use feel faster to the user, even when in reality the processing speed is the same. It plays with your mind to think the phone is more responsive, which in turn greatly increases user satisfaction.

2. Improved Gaming Performance.

In the world of mobile gaming, refresh rate is a game-changer, literally. What high refresh rates do is they increase the frames per second, which in turn presents to the player better visual clarity and faster response. Games which support 90Hz or 120Hz feel very responsive, in particular in fast-paced genres like racing, shooting, or action-adventure.

While, in isolation, refresh rate does not change the graphics quality, what it does do is take the graphics and present them more smoothly, which can mean the world in competitive gaming where every second is a matter of victory or defeat.

3. Improved Video Playback.

Most video content is at 24, 30, or 60 frames per second, which means that while your phone may have a 120Hz display, it does not necessarily improve video quality. What we see is that although we have variable screen refresh rates, some video platforms are supporting higher frame rate videos, and a high refresh rate screen improves how those play out. As we head into the future and high frame rate content becomes more the norm, high refresh rate screens will play a larger role in what we consume.

4. Total Response Time.

Even on small tasks, which include typing, opening and closing apps, or dragging items around the screen, high refresh rate displays perform better. We see that animations are smoother, and the touch input has a more direct response to the user’s actions.

These are subtle details that may go unnoticed at first. It makes the phone an appealing, premium experience which you may not be able to put your finger on exactly.

Downsides of High Refresh Rates

While refresh rates do improve the experience in many ways, they also have their trade-offs.

1. Battery Performance Impact.

High refresh rates’ greatest issue is that they drain battery life. Refreshing the screen 120 times per second uses more power than doing the same at 60 times per second. Also, this may cause faster battery drain, which becomes especially noticeable when the phone is used for very graphics-intensive tasks.

Many manufacturers report that they use adaptive or variable refresh rate technology for this issue. What these do is lower the refresh rate of the screen when it is displaying the same image for a while or performing easy tasks, and raise it up when we need to. It is a great solution in theory but still has a way to go.

2. Reduced App Support.

Not all applications and games are designed to take advantage of high refresh rates. Some are capped at 60 frames per second, which in turn means you don’t get to see the full benefit of a 120Hz screen. As we go forward and developers adapt to the new standards, this issue will sort itself out, but at present the experience is variable.

3. Price and Affordability.

Higher refresh rate displays were a feature that came around with the high-end flagships, but that is changing. In budget phones, however, we still see that users are still put with 60Hz. To get a 120Hz screen, you may have to pay more, which for some people isn’t practical or a necessary thing to do.

At what point does a higher refresh rate pay off?

Whether or not you should care about refresh rate is based on how you use your phone. For mainly using your device in calls, messages, and basic browsing, a 60Hz screen will do the job. But if you are into gaming, watching videos, or you prefer a smooth user interface, that’s when you will see a difference in going to 90Hz or 120Hz.

For users aiming for a great experience, and they are the ones that spend hours on the app, multitasking, or playing games — that is where high refresh rate comes into play. It is not a luxury feature — it is a true add-on which enhances how the device feels in your hand.

Looking Ahead: The Next of Refresh Rates.

As we see display technology advance, we may also see higher refresh rates which may go up to 144Hz or even more on the next generation of smartphones. Also, it is very likely that we will see more advanced adaptive refresh rate tech that will do an even better job at fine-tuning performance while also improving battery life.

In the future, high refresh rates will be the norm, as they were for high-def screens in past years. Once users get that in their systems, it is hard to go back. Also, we see this with the transition from non-touch phones to smartphones — once you experience the upgrade, anything else is out of date.

Final Thoughts

In terms of what factors play into the purchase of a smartphone, the screen refresh rate may not be high on many people’s lists, but it does in fact greatly affect how we perceive performance and responsiveness, as well as visual quality. Although it is not the sole element which defines great mobile experience, it does take a large role in enhancing it.

As technology advances past basic communication and smartphones become an everyday extension for work, play, and creativity, which means that every improvement is noticed. And while a year ago you may have paid little attention to the refresh rate, today it is a key feature which changes the way we use our screens.

It is not true that the speed is due to the processor. What you see is a result of the refresh rate, which is working away in the background to improve on every swipe, scroll, and tap.