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Best Refresh Rate for Gaming

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Updated March 31, 2022

Arming your setup with the best monitor that will net you the best gaming refresh rate can keep you from falling victim to latency or drops in frame rate. You will want to find a display that won’t end up with a less than ideal frame rate or lag issues. This is especially true if you are a professional gamer or a streamer on platforms like Twitch. Here, we will discuss refresh rates in gaming and the perfect Hz for the best gaming experience.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • Refresh rate is how much a digital screen displays new images. When the refresh rate is low, video quality and FPS drop, even on high-resolution screens. Latency ties into a poor refresh rate, which could be troublesome to competitive gamers. Even if you have a 1080p monitor gaming experiences will lack smoothness if the refresh rate can’t keep up.
  • The best refresh rate for gaming is anywhere from 75Hz to 240Hz, with a 120Hz monitor being a safe average. For a nice sweet spot, consider the best 144hz 1440p monitor that has a good refresh rate and a decent resolution.
  • For an optimal gaming experience, look for a display that has a high response and low refresh rate.

What is Refresh Rate?

Refresh rate refers to the number of times your monitor refreshes information per second. The unit of measurement for this is hertz (Hz), and for gamers, the higher the Hz, the better. When the refresh rate is too low, expect screen tearing, FPS drops, and choppy video performance. On old-fashioned CRT monitors, constant refreshing is how images could appear, and faster refresh rates prevented flickering. However, modern LCD screens are not subject to flicker and instead utilize refresh rates to determine how many frames per second are displayed. Aside from your refresh rate, you should also get a monitor with the best gaming resolution.

Insider Tip

Refresh rate refers to the number of times your monitor refreshes information per second. Learn what is a monitor’s refresh rate with our resource article. 

Refresh Rate vs. Response Time

It’s possible to mix up refresh rate and response time. Response time is how quickly a pixel will jump from one color to the next. With a faster shift, images will appear clearer and less impacted by blur. While it can have a hand-in input lag, response time is more about the difference in motion blur and picture quality. With that said, it is essential to seek out a gaming monitor with a high refresh rate and a low response time. Suppose you don’t have a massive amount of money to drop on a highly high-resolution ISP display. In that case, a TN panel monitor will still have the right specs to make a difference in your image quality and frame rate. A TN panel, which is one of the best panels for gaming, will fetch a lower price than an ISP, making them ideal for gaming.

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What is The Best Refresh Rate for Gaming?

The average rate for modern computer monitors is 60Hz. As video games require greater detail, precision, and speed, especially in competitive gaming, a much higher rate has become the industry standard for gaming monitors. Any monitor built for gaming should have a refresh rate of at least 75Hz. On the higher end, you will find rates usually in the range of 120Hz, 144Hz, and 240Hz. You can find out how to check monitor refresh rates if you are unsure about yours. The best refresh rate for video games depends on your budget and the resolution you are running your games. A higher refresh will fetch a higher price. Shop for one that will fit your budget, as a less expensive 120Hz monitor will still provide excellent reaction times.

STAT: In a study by The University of Vaasa of ten people who played video games at least semi-regularly, six out of the ten considered frame rate as very important and two somewhat important. (source)

F.A.Q.

How does hertz affect your gaming experience?

Hertz is how the refresh rate is measured. Modern monitors operate at 60Hz or 60 hertz per second. Slow response times will make for input latency and choppy video quality.


What should my monitor’s refresh rate and response time be for video games?

The hoverboard wheel size you should buy depends mainly upon the environment in which you are riding. Smaller wheel sizes work better on flat, indoor surfaces, while larger wheel sizes work better for off-road riding on uneven surfaces. Ideally, the ideal average refresh rate is 120hz, and the response time is about two milliseconds.


What is input lag?

Input lag is the delay between entering a command (like clicking or hitting keys on the keyboard) and executing that command.