Are All TVs 120 Hz? The Ultimate 120Hz TV Buying Guide
With the rise of high-refresh gaming monitors and TVs that support frame rates up to 120Hz, there has been some confusion around what 120Hz means and whether all new TVs support it. In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll break down everything you need to know about 120Hz TVs and whether you really need one.
What Does 120Hz Mean?
120Hz refers to a TV‘s refresh rate, which is the number of times per second the display updates with a new image. The higher the refresh rate, the smoother motion will look.
Standard TVs and monitors have a 60Hz refresh rate. This means the screen refreshes 60 times per second. A 120Hz TV refreshes twice as often, at 120 times per second. This results in smoother, more fluid motion with less blurring or judder during fast action scenes.
Do All New TVs Have a 120Hz Refresh Rate?
Not necessarily. Many affordable, entry-level 4K TVs still max out at 60Hz. However, 120Hz is becoming more common on mid-range and high-end 4K TVs. Here are some general refresh rate guidelines for new TVs:
– Budget/Entry-level 4K TVs: Usually 60Hz
– Mid-Range 4K TVs: Often 120Hz
– High-End/Flagship 4K TVs: Typically 120Hz or higher (up to 240Hz)
To be sure, always check the specs before buying. The product details or manual should clearly list the max refresh rate.
What Inputs Support 120Hz?
To take full advantage of a 120Hz refresh rate, the devices and cables you connect must also support120Hz output:
– For TVs, 120Hz typically requires an HDMI 2.1 input. HDMI 2.0 may support 120Hz at lower resolutions like 1440p.
– Game consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S can output 120 fps gameplay over HDMI 2.1.
– Gaming PCs with high-end GPUs can also achieve 120Hz output with HDMI 2.1 or DisplayPort.
– You‘ll need a high-speed HDMI cable rated for the bandwidth of 4K 120Hz. Many Ultra High Speed "8K" cables meet this requirement.
If your devices, cables or inputs max out at 60Hz, you won‘t be able to get 120Hz output even if the TV supports it.
Benefits of a 120Hz TV
Here are some of the main benefits of choosing a TV with a 120Hz refresh rate:
Smoother Motion: The increased refresh rate makes motion look more fluid and natural, with less motion blur. Fast action like sports, video games and action movies benefit the most.
Improved Gaming Experience: A 120Hz refresh rate allows games to run at up to 120 fps for ultra smooth gameplay. It also enables variable refresh rate (VRR) and auto low latency mode (ALLM) features designed to optimize the gaming experience.
Faster Response Time: Higher refresh rates allow for lower response times, which means less input lag between a button press and reaction on screen. This is especially advantageous for gaming.
Enhanced Viewing: 120Hz makes 24p film content and 30Hz or 60Hz video look smoother and more cinematic, thanks to technology like black frame insertion on OLED TVs.
Future Proofing: As gaming consoles, movies, streaming and broadcasts move to higher frame rates, a 120Hz TV will be able to take full advantage without upgrading.
Do You Really Need 120Hz?
For most TV uses like streaming movies, regular TV broadcasts and casual gaming, a 60Hz TV is sufficient. 120Hz becomes more beneficial for fast-action use cases like sports, gaming and home theater.
Here are some guidelines on who will benefit most from 120Hz:
– Competitive gamers and hardcore gamers who want the smoothest gameplay.
– Sports fans and action movie buffs who want clearer motion and less blur.
– Cinephiles who want film content to look as smooth and stutter-free as possible.
– Anyone with an Xbox Series X/S or PS5 who wants to enable performance modes with frame rates up to 120 fps.
If you‘re not a hardcore gamer or home theater enthusiast, a quality 60Hz TV will still provide a great viewing experience for most content. But 120Hz delivers tangible improvements for high-speed motion and gaming.
Finding the Right 120Hz TV
If you decide 120Hz is right for you, here are some tips for picking the best 120Hz TV:
– Look for true, native 120Hz panels, not 60Hz panels with motion interpolation.
– Make sure you have HDMI 2.1 inputs to fully support 4K 120Hz.
– Check that VRR, ALLM and other gaming features are supported.
– Look for fast response times under 10ms.
– OLED TVs handle motion exceptionally well, thanks to instant pixel response times.
– Don‘t pay extra for anything higher than 120Hz, which provides diminishing returns.
It‘s also worth checking professional reviews like RTings.com to see a TV‘s motion handling scores before buying.
Setting Up a 120Hz Connection
To enable 120Hz output, you‘ll need:
– A 120Hz-capable TV.
– A device or console that supports 120Hz output.
– An Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1 certified cable.
You‘ll then need to:
1. Connect your device to the correct HDMI port on your TV, often labeled with "120Hz" or "HDMI 2.1."
2. Set your device‘s resolution to 4K and frame rate to 120Hz. On consoles, this is often done in the display settings.
3. Enable any other relevant gaming features like VRR or ALLM.
4. Match the device‘s output to the TV‘s capabilities and enjoy ultra smooth 120Hz!
120Hz TVs: Bottom Line
While not essential for everyone, a 120Hz refresh rate provides tangible benefits for sports fans, gamers, and home theater enthusiasts who want the absolute smoothest motion clarity. When paired with devices and cables that also support 120Hz output, it delivers an unparalleled level of fluidity that 60Hz can‘t match.
Just make sure the 120Hz capabilities are real and native to the panel. Avoid false 120Hz claims that use motion interpolation tricks on 60Hz TVs. With the right setup, a true 120Hz TV takes your experience to the next level.You may be wondering if you really need a 120Hz TV. With new consoles and gaming PCs supporting 120 fps, high refresh rates are becoming more popular. But do you have to buy a 120Hz TV to keep up? Let‘s take an in-depth look at what 120Hz means and whether it‘s worth upgrading your television.
What Does 120Hz Mean?
First, 120Hz refers to a TV‘s refresh rate – or how many times per second the image updates. According to CNET, standard televisions and monitors have a 60Hz refresh rate, meaning the display refreshes 60 times per second. A 120Hz TV updates twice as often, at 120 refreshes per second.
This results in much smoother motion with less blurring. When you‘re watching sports or playing intense video games, that higher refresh rate makes a big difference!
How Common Are 120Hz TVs?
It used to be only high-end TVs that offered 120Hz refresh rates. But according to Rtings, 120Hz has gone mainstream in the last few years. Here‘s a quick overview of the prevalence of 120Hz:
– Budget 4K TVs: Typically 60Hz only
– Mainstream 4K TVs: Around 26% have native 120Hz panels
– High-end 4K TVs: Up to 80% support native 120Hz
So while not standard yet, 120Hz is making its way into more mid-range and premium televisions. Of course, always check the specs to confirm a TV‘s max refresh rate before buying.
Which Devices Work with 120Hz TVs?
To enjoy flawless 120Hz motion, your media devices and cables must also support it.
– For TVs, you‘ll want HDMI 2.1 inputs to handle 4K 120Hz signals. Some HDMI 2.0 ports may accept 120Hz at 1440p.
– The PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles output 4K 120Hz over HDMI 2.1 for super smooth gaming.
– High-end gaming PCs with Nvidia 3000 series or AMD 6000 series GPUs can also achieve 120Hz at 4K.
– Don‘t forget a certified Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1 cable, which has enough bandwidth for 4K 120Hz.
Without HDMI 2.1 across all your gear, you won‘t unlock the full motion potential of a 120Hz TV. Match your devices to your display‘s capabilities for the best experience.
Why Does 120Hz Look Better?
You might be wondering why a higher refresh rate matters at all. Here‘s a closer look at the visual benefits you‘ll get from upgrading to 120Hz:
Smoother Motion: According to RTings, 120Hz displays update the image twice as often as 60Hz TVs. This means sharper, clearer motion with less perceived blur. Fast-moving sports and video games really shine at 120Hz.
No More Judder: 120Hz helps eliminate the stuttering effect called "judder" that you sometimes see in movies and TV shows. Scenes with quick camera pans or fast action will look crystal clear.
Reduced Input Lag: Lower response times let 120Hz TVs react faster to your button presses. DisplayNinja says top 120Hz TVs have input lag under 10ms, which is imperceptible.
Cinematic Effect: OLED TVs use 120Hz to make lower frame rate content like 24 fps movies appear smoother and more film-like. This "black frame insertion" is unique to OLED.
Future Proofing: More movies, shows, and games will offer frame rates up to 120 fps soon. A 120Hz TV ensures you‘ll be able to enjoy them without an upgrade.
When Do You Need a 120Hz TV?
If you‘re mainly streaming movies and shows at standard frame rates, a 60Hz display is fine. But 120Hz really enhances specific use cases:
– Competitive Gaming: For fast-twitch FPS and racing games, 120Hz provides extremely fluid, lag-free visuals for an advantage.
– Sports: The faster refresh rate keeps up with the constant motion in sports, for clearly-defined action.
– Home Theater: Cinephiles will appreciate 120Hz making all content look as smooth as possible during playback.
– Next-Gen Consoles: The PS5 and Xbox Series X support up to 120fps. You‘ll want a native 120Hz TV to unlock performance modes.
For those key scenarios, upgrading to 120Hz delivers a stark improvement in motion quality. It‘s up to you whether those benefits are worth the investment.
Choosing the Right 120Hz Television
Okay, 120Hz sounds great. But not all 120Hz TVs are created equal. Here are some tips for picking the best 120Hz model for your needs:
– Stick with true, native 120Hz panels. Avoid simulated 120Hz from 60Hz TVs.
– Ensure you get full-spec HDMI 2.1 ports for 4K 120Hz support.
– Check for gaming features like variable refresh rate (VRR), auto low latency mode (ALLM) and fast response times.
– OLED TVs like the LG C1 handle motion beautifully thanks to instant pixel response.
– Don‘t overspend on 240Hz or 360Hz TVs. Diminishing returns make 120Hz the sweet spot.
For example, the Samsung QN90A Neo QLED 4K TV packs a native 120Hz panel with HDMI 2.1 starting around $1,200 for the 50-inch model. The LG C1 4K OLED also offers 120Hz from $1,300. Both provide amazing motion performance for the price.
How Far Should You Sit from a 120Hz TV?
To fully appreciate the visual clarity of 120Hz, you‘ll need to sit close enough to your TV. RTings recommends these viewing distances:
– 1080p TV: 1 to 1.5x the screen diagonal
– 4K 60Hz TV: 0.5 to 0.75x the diagonal
– 4K 120Hz TV: 0.33 to 0.5x the diagonal
So for a 55-inch 4K 120Hz TV, you‘ll want to sit 1.5 to 2.5 feet away. Compare that to 4 to 5.5 feet for 1080p! Sitting close lets you see the enhanced motion resolution and crisper image.
Setting Up 4K 120Hz Gaming
Gaming is where 120Hz TVs really shine. For the smoothest 4K 120fps gameplay, make sure to:
1. Connect your console or PC to an HDMI 2.1 port on your TV.
2. Use the display settings to enable 4K resolution and 120Hz output.
3. Turn on relevant gaming features like VRR, ALLM or Nvidia Reflex.
4. Select performance modes in games that support higher frame rates.
Once configured properly, games like Call of Duty or Forza Horizon 5 on new consoles will run butter-smooth at 4K 120 fps. It‘s a night and day difference compared to 60Hz.
Which Games Benefit from 120Hz?
Not all games demand high frame rates. Here are the genres that benefit most from 120Hz displays according to Nvidia:
– Shooters: Fast-paced FPS games like Apex Legends or Halo Infinite.
– Racing: Forza, Gran Turismo, F1 – precision and speed are key.
– Fighting: Super-responsive controls for games like Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter.
– Sports: NBA 2K, Madden, FIFA – 120Hz keeps the action clear for competitive online play.
– Rhythm: Music and dancing games require accurate timing, which 120Hz delivers.
For slower-paced, cinematic games, high frame rates aren‘t as impactful. But fast, competitive genres really come alive at 120 fps.
The Visual Science Behind 120Hz
On a technical level, having a higher refresh rate helps minimize display artifacts that create blurring and judder. It all comes down to persistence of vision.
Persistence of vision is how our eyes perceive multiple still frames as continuous, smooth motion. But according to Nvidia, displaying each frame for too long causes blurring, since our eyes track moving objects across the screen.
At 60Hz, each frame stays illuminated for 16.7ms before the next one appears. 120Hz halves that to 8.3ms, giving less time for blur and smoother perceived animation. It‘s much closer to the Sub-10ms perfect "crystal clear" threshold.
By better matching our visual perception, 120Hz provides much more clarity and sharpness for motion. Combine that with near-instant response times of modern TV technologies like OLED, and you‘ve got the perfect recipe for buttery smooth images.
Do You Need the Absolute Highest Refresh Rates?
As high refresh displays get more advanced, you might see TVs boasting 240Hz, 360Hz or even higher specs. But is it worth paying extra for those?
The consensus among experts seems to be that 120Hz hits the sweet spot. While your eyes can perceive up to 1000Hz in theory, DisplayNinja says most people see extremely minimal improvements past 240Hz in real-world use.
Since 120Hz aligns nicely with common frame rate multiples like 24, 30, 60 and 120fps, it‘s become the mainstream standard for a premium, high-refresh experience.
Of course, hardcore esports gamers might still want 240Hz or 360Hz displays for their hyper-competitive play. But for casual gamers and movie fans, 120Hz delivers more than enough motion resolution at a reasonable price.
120Hz Brings Your Favorite Content to Life
While a 60Hz TV still provides a great viewing experience for most, stepping up to 120Hz delivers tangible advantages for sports fans, gamers and home theater enthusiasts. With the right devices and setup, it unlocks a new level of fluidity and responsiveness.
If you‘re considering an upgrade, keep an eye out for real native 120Hz panels, HDMI 2.1 support and fast gaming features. Sit close to fully appreciate the boosted clarity. Then enjoy your movies, shows, and games with buttery smooth motion and minimal blurring.
Once you go 120Hz, you‘ll never want to go back! Let me know if you have any other questions about getting the most out of a new high refresh rate TV. I‘m always happy to help a friend out with the latest display technology.
