When we look for a new monitor, we will see such characteristics as 144Hz, 60Hz, or 120Hz. And we all wonder – what does this characteristic indicate? If you do not know it too, let’s find it out together.
What does this Hz mean?
So, Hz is hertz, the frequency unit that indicates the number of times when the screen refreshes to demonstrate a new picture. Simply, it is known as the refresh date. So, if the screen has 144Hz, it means that it refreshes 144 times to demonstrate a new picture; 60 Hz means that the monitor refreshes 60 times to display a brand-new picture, etc.
What is it in practice? For example, we have a movie that has been made at 24 shots per second. It means that the content demonstrates only 24 pictures per one second. The same refers to the monitors. If your screen has a 144 Hz display rate, it indicates that it can show 144 shots per one second.
In reality, it is not the shots
Why? Because the monitor has to refresh 144 times every second even if the pixels are not changed at all. The monitor reveals only the origin that fed to it.
So, it is much more difficult to show an animation like this than just to demonstrate the same unchanged picture. That’s why there are two different refresh rates available on modern screens: 60 Hz for common monitors and 144 Hz for high-end ones.
As you can see, when we increase the number of frames per second (FPS), FPS is also called hertz, everything gets better and clearer in the monitor. The animations become smoother which provides us with a great visual experience while watching movies or playing games. Also, if you do not play any games but use your computer only as a workstation, it does not mean that you cannot enjoy its advantages.
If the monitor comes with a great rate of refresh, it means that it can process a high rate of shots. And in that context, there is one thing you need to remember – the high refresh rate cannot provide a better viewing experience if the rate of refresh is bigger and the shot rate of origin is lower.
Is there any disadvantage?
However, if you opt for a high-refresh-rate display you should not expect the same performance from your graphics card. In fact, many cheap cards cannot keep up with the 144Hz refresh rate and will run at lower fps rates making the whole gaming experience less enjoyable.
The other issue might be the durability of such displays since they feature very powerful backlights that could flicker or suffer from PWM artifacts that easily lead to visual fatigue and headaches after prolonged use. So, if you are going to play games on a display with a high Hz only every now and then it is better to buy an average quality model since it will save some cash.
What is the difference between Hz and FPS?
FPS or Frames Per Second indicate how many different pictures are displayed for a second. If you want to show 60 different images per second, set your fps to 60. But do not mix up Hz with FPS; they are of different purposes.
Is it important for gamers?
Now let’s see how the refresh rate influences the gaming experience.
It does not matter what graphics and platform the games have; the computer hardware renders all of them. In many cases (especially if we speak about the PC platform), shots are displayed as fast as possible to generate them. And, in its turn, it provides a greater and softer gaming experience. The pictures will not have delays between each other, plus the input lag will be lower.
Sometimes we can face a challenge when the shots are visualized quicker than the rate of a refresh. For example, your monitor has a 60 Hz refresh rate. And you play a game with a 75 Hz refresh rate. So, here you can experience “tearing of screen” and have an awful gaming experience.
How can you solve this problem? It is very easy – to buy a monitor with a 120 or 144Hz refresh rate that can demonstrate 120-144 pictures per second and provide a great gaming experience
Other considerations
And as for watching videos, what refresh rate is the best? All films are made at 24 shots per second. The filmmakers often transform them into films with 30 or 60 shots per second by repeating the specific ones. The popular online platform YouTube deals with only 60-shots of videos.
The same thing is with modern home screens. That is why a monitor with a 60Hz refresh rate will be enough to watch video content. The screen with 144Hz will be more suitable for playing games.
Performance aspects
144Hz monitors have become a popular choice for gamers as they offer a smoother gaming experience with less motion blur and screen tearing. This is due to the fact that when running at 144Hz, the graphics card has to produce only half of the frames required when running at a 60Hz monitor. This allows for smoother gameplay and eliminates the need to wait for a frame to be produced and displayed on-screen.
The performance boost provided by a 144Hz monitor should not be overlooked when developing games. While it may not be necessary to run at such high rates, the option is available for those who wish to do so and can improve their play experience. Similarly, you can use a 144Hz monitor as your primary display for other tasks and enjoy the benefits that an increased refresh rate provides even while browsing the web or editing images.
Resolution
It is also an important factor to consider when choosing a gaming monitor. Many 144Hz monitors offer resolutions of 1920x1080 or 2560x1440, while some high-end models offer 4K resolution. It is important to choose a monitor that offers the resolution that you desire as this will affect the overall image quality.
When it comes to refreshing rate, there are many factors to consider when making your purchase. It is important to decide what you plan on using the monitor for and how much you are willing to spend. Those who are looking for a great gaming experience should aim for a monitor with a high Hz refresh rate, while those who are looking for a general use monitor should be content with a that has a 60Hz refresh rate.
Sharpness
The sharpness of a monitor is another important factor to consider. Those who are looking for the clearest image should purchase a monitor that offers a high pixel density, measured in pixels per inch (PPI). A monitor with a higher PPI will offer a sharper image than one with a lower PPI.
In order to take full advantage of a high PPI monitor, it is important that the operating system and software support high-resolution scaling. This allows for images and text to be enlarged while preserving their sharpness and clarity. If your system does not support high-resolution scaling, you may experience text and image blurriness when using a high-PPI monitor.
Is there any advantage in using high Hz?
Yes, Hz is directly related to playing games smoothly. For example, if you play Counter-Strike on a 100Hz monitor, it will be far more comfortable than on a 60Hz one. The reason is that the perception of moving objects by our eyes depends on the speed of image refreshing on the screen (frames per second), so if we have 100 pictures per second on the screen, this game appears smoothers than on a 60Hz monitor.
However, if you mainly use your computer for office tasks, browsing the internet, watching movies, and so on, then you will not see any difference between a 60Hz and 144Hz monitor. In fact, you might even see less motion blur on a 60Hz monitor since it is refreshing at twice the rate as a 144Hz display.
Should I buy a monitor with 144Hz?
Nowadays, it is very easy to find a monitor with a rate of refresh 192-144 Hz. The most common are 144Hz or 165Hz display monitors. If you are into gaming, then the higher the better since 144/165 Hz monitors provide smoother and better visuals compared to 60Hz ones.
However, if you do not want to spend more money on your monitor and use it for office tasks only (email, word processing, etc.) then you can opt for a 60Hz model and save some cash. Of course, the price difference between models may be significant but keep in mind that buying a display with high refresh rates is only beneficial if you play 3D games or watch 3D videos frequently.
FAQs:
How high should my refresh rate be?
The higher the better, but it will depend on your budget. For example; if you are into gaming you may want to buy a monitor with up 144Hz or even more (for ultimate smoothness). If you only use the computer for office tasks then 60Hz is enough.
And if you are into watching 3D, then it is recommended to buy a monitor with 120Hz or 144Hz.
What input lag should I expect?
Input lag depends on the type of monitor (TN, VA, IPS) and its refresh rate (60/144 Hz). But for Full HD monitors (1080p) switching between 60Hz and 144Hz will not result in a significant difference in a gaming experience.
For 4K UHD screens, though, especially those which use TN panels; there can be a difference of up to 20-30ms (comparing 144 Hz against 60 Hz models). This may impact the game’s responsiveness negatively. So if you play games that require fast response time then may want to go with 60Hz models.
Should I buy a 27-inch or 24-inch monitor?
This depends on the size of your room and desk space. So you can choose between a 27 or 24-inch monitor. However, the smaller your screen is the less detailed image you will see; this means that if you use 24 inches monitor with Full HD resolution (1080p) then there will be more pixels per inch. So for better sharpness and detail choose 24inch models (if you can find one).
Conclusion
144 Hz monitor is mainly for gaming and 3D videos. If you want to upgrade your monitor but don't want to spend a lot of money on a 4K monitor then we recommend checking our list of best 1080p monitors.
Also, if your current monitor's refresh rate is lower than 60Hz then you should definitely consider buying a new one. However, if you use it for office tasks only and do not play games or watch videos often (in which case high fps would matter) then we recommend buying an affordable model with 60 Hz.