Is There a Big Difference Between 120Hz and 144Hz?

The visual difference between 120Hz and 144Hz really isn’t that stark, and that’s mostly because 24 extra refreshes a second isn’t technically all that much. As long as it was backed by a powerful system, if you were to ‘A-B’ a monitor between these two refresh rates, you may not even notice the difference. If you’d been using a 144Hz monitor for quite some time, and your eyes were fully acclimated to that refresh rate, then suddenly, your display dropped to 120Hz, you would probably pick up on it. It might not even be a conscious thing at first, perhaps more of mild eye irritation. If, on the other hand, you jumped from 60Hz to these higher refresh rates sequentially, you’d notice a big improvement upon 60Hz, but differentiating them would still be pretty difficult. Individual difference plays a large part in what you notice. Some people just have eyes more attuned to perceiving subtle contrasts in refresh rates.

Is There a Big Difference Between 144Hz and 240Hz?

Technically, yes, there is a big difference between 144Hz and 240Hz. 96 extra refreshes a second is pretty significant and amounts to overall smoother gameplay. However, even though 144Hz to 240Hz is a larger jump in speed than that of 60Hz to 144Hz, the difference between the former won’t be as noticeable as the difference between the latter. This is because as the refresh rate increases, our ability to perceive it weakens. It’s also important to note that a system capable of making the most of a 240Hz monitor would cost a pretty penny, and even then, if you were playing on Ultra settings, you may not actually be experiencing the full force of that 240Hz screen.

Can the Human Eye See 240Hz?

Historically, it was believed that the human eye could only perceive the flicker rate of a display between 50 and 90Hz, but by that metric, there’d be no difference to us moving from a 120Hz display to a 240Hz display, and there definitely is a difference. Think of it like this. If you set up a strobe light to flicker at a 240Hz rate and had someone move a toy boat quickly across the room, you would see the boat as frozen in place in multiple junctures of its journey. If the human eye couldn’t perceive 240Hz, the boat would appear to move smoothly across the room rather than the stuttered effect we do actually see. Whether we can appreciate 240Hz to the fullest extent is questionable as it’s certainly true that the higher the frequency of a refresh rate becomes, the harder it is to distinguish differences. Some studies claim to have discovered that the upper limit of human Hz perception lies around the 250Hz zone, but bear in mind that humans or a varied bunch. Everyone is different, and therefore, our perception of Hz is too. In any case, it’s around 250Hz that the brain registers something we’re seeing on screen as having realistic motion, which is to say the general flow of the images is true to life, even if the game is pretty wacky.

Can the Human Eye See 144Hz?

As it’s possible to appreciate 240Hz, it goes without saying that the human eye can see 144Hz. Even if it’s only slightly dissimilar to 120Hz, there is an extra level of refinement to motion quality. If we take 250Hz as a general capacity standard for those with 20/20 vision, not only can we perceive 144Hz, but there’s room to shoehorn in over 100 more Hz. Telling the difference between 144Hz and 250Hz may still be quite difficult for some, as 144Hz motion is pretty dang silky in its own right, but it’s not quite on par with how we view motion in the natural world around us.

Can the Human Eye See 1000fps?

We don’t know its origins, but the myth goes that the human eye can only perceive 24 frames per second. Of course, this is a complete fabrication as we wouldn’t even deem a game playable if it fell below the 30fps mark, but then, how many frames per second can our eyes perceive? Well, actually…1000. That’s right, folks; we are fantastical beings indeed! We can hypothetically perceive 1000 frames per second because that’s roughly how fast the neurons in our brains work. The key thing to remember is that sight isn’t all about conscious recognition. Even though our eyes may be limited on what they can focus on, the information carried through to our brain is way more expansive. It’s weird, we know. It sounds like an oxymoron, but we are genuinely registering things we’re not even aware of every single day. Do bear in mind, though, that 1000fps is just a generalized hypothetical figure. Your true capacity for perceiving frames may be far superior or inferior to someone else.

Can the Human Eye See 120fps?

Yes, the human eye can definitely see 120fps! Not only can we subconsciously register 120fps thanks to our super speedy neurons, but we can literally register it with our eyes. The difference between 60 and 120fps is 8.4ms, which may come across as being fairly negligible, but in that 8.4ms is the power to eliminate any residual motion blur from the 30 – 60fps jump and smooth the game out a whole heck of a heap! However, if you’re an experienced PC gamer, you’ll already be aware that frame rates aren’t all about visuals, but reducing latency too. It’s all about feeling, guys! The increase in frames from 60 to 120 a second means interaction between you and the game will be enhanced, allowing you to play better than ever.

Why Does 240Hz Look Weird?

There are a few reasons why 240Hz may look weird to some. Do you remember when HD televisions were first released? Your well-to-do friend was the first person you knew to get one. You go over to their house to witness the next generation of entertainment technology, but to your surprise, there’s something just not quite right about it. Sure, it’s clearer than your TV back home, but it still seems…off slightly. This is because you’re witnessing something known as ‘The Soap Opera Effect’. This occurs because most television shows are shot using cameras with a much slower frame rate than the refresh rate of your friend’s display. It’s a side effect of motion interpolation, a process in which the display fills in the ‘judder’ of the slow frame footage with its own frames, smoothing motion out. The only issue is that this motion isn’t natural and in most instances can make moving objects appear superimposed on the set. This doesn’t really apply to gaming, but 240Hz may still seem weird to you if you’ve been playing on a 60Hz monitor for years.

Do I Need Over 60 Hertz?

144Hz should be considered the norm for any gamer who doesn’t wish to play in 4K . The cost of 144Hz monitors has been dropping in price year on year, with some great options available for under $200 easily achievable. Anything lesser will show a significant difference in performance and gaming experience when it comes to responsiveness. As for 240Hz, it’s a big investment and only beneficial if you have a GPU that can handle the high-performance required to pump out 240FPS in your chosen games. This is especially the case if you play FPS games such as CS:GO, PUBG, or BF5.

60Hz vs 144Hz vs 240Hz vs 360Hz – which refresh rate is better for gaming?

Taking a closer look at the main differences between 60hz, 144hz, and 240hz

Updated: Mar 4, 2024 11:30 am

Charlie Noon

Gaming Monitor

Reviewed By: Talal Musa

Fact Checked By: Jack Goodall

Share this article...

60Hz vs 144Hz vs 240Hz vs 360Hz – which refresh rate is better for gaming?

WePC is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices subject to change. Learn more

Table of Contents

Today’s best monitor deals

High refresh rate monitors – what are they, and how do they work?

Comparing 60Hz vs 120Hz vs 144Hz vs 240Hz vs 360Hz

60Hz monitors

ASUS ProArt Display (PA279CRV)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Hz in monitor?

Which is the highest refresh rate monitor available on the market?

Conclusion

If you are looking for a new gaming monitor or simply a new monitor for your setup, then you might be wondering if you should go for a high refresh rate monitor. A 60Hz monitor can be too slow, or a 240Hz monitor can be overkill – so you need to assess your requirements before you decide on a monitor.

Now, by a “high” refresh rate, we mean a refresh rate that is around 240Hz. Usually, monitors have a refresh rate of 60Hz or more, and gaming monitors start from 120Hz or 144Hz. With so many refresh rates out there, you might be confused about which one is right for you.

To make this easier for you, our team of experts at WePC has researched refresh rates, compared monitors, and put together a brief guide on refresh rates.

Today’s best monitor deals

LG 49″ UltraGear Curved gaming monitor – Save 35% NOW!
SAMSUNG 32″ Odyssey Neo G8 – Save 23% now!
INNOCN 49″ Curved Monitor Ultrawide Gaming – Save 26% NOW!
Acer Nitro XZ306C Curved Gaming Monitor – Save 37% NOW!
ViewSonic Omni VX2418C 24 Inch Curved Gaming Monitor – Save 38% NOW!
SAMSUNG 43-Inch Odyssey Neo G7 – Save $500 NOW!
Corsair XENEON 27QHD240 27-Inch OLED Gaming Monitor – Save $100 now!
Alienware AW3423DW Curved Gaming Monitor – Save 8% NOW!
Acer Nitro XFA243Y Sbiipr 23.8” Full HD (1920 x 1080) VA Gaming Monitor – Save 44% NOW!
BenQ Mobiuz EX2710U – Save 24%

High refresh rate monitors – what are they, and how do they work?

Much like the term suggests, a high refresh rate monitor is a monitor that offers a faster refresh rate, which delivers smoother visuals – especially when it comes to graphically demanding tasks like fast-paced gaming or watching action movies.

A ‘120Hz refresh rate’ means that the monitor will update the picture 120 times in a second. If you compare a 60Hz monitor to a 240Hz one, you will see a noticeable difference in the smoothness of the visuals. However, the between 240Hz and 360Hz might be minimal to the point where it is unnoticeable.

Getting a high refresh rate monitor is more than just buying a monitor. There are a lot of factors that need to be considered. For instance, to unleash the full potential of a 240Hz monitor, you will need an equally capable graphics card and CPU.

Refresh Rate Comparison Moving Objects Glow

Of course, not everyone needs a 240Hz monitor, and in fact, a very high refresh rate might be an overkill for many people. For casual gaming, a 120Hz, 144Hz, or a 165Hz monitor should suffice. If you emphasize resolution and color accuracy more, then a graphics-oriented monitor with a 60Hz or a 75Hz refresh rate will be enough.

Comparing 60Hz vs 120Hz vs 144Hz vs 240Hz vs 360Hz

Refresh rate	Good for	Cost
60Hz	Slow-paced content, casual gaming, day-to-day work	Affordable
144Hz	Casual gaming, fast-paced gaming	Mid-range
240Hz	Fast-paced gaming, competitive gaming	Expensive
360Hz	Competitive gaming	Expensive

Now that we know the use cases, let’s take a more in-depth look at all these refresh rates –

60Hz monitors

As mentioned earlier, a 60Hz refresh rate is suitable if your main concern is not the refresh rate. Most monitors (non-gaming ones) have a refresh rate of 60Hz or 75Hz or something around these lines. These monitors are suitable for day-to-day work where you do not have to deal with fast motions. Further, monitors that are designed for digital artists also have low refresh rates. This is because the emphasis is more on resolution and colors.

ASUS ProArt Display (PA279CRV)

How We Review

144Hz monitors

Much like the 120Hz monitors, 144Hz monitors are also usually entry-level and budget options. In fact, if you browse gaming monitors online, you will find a lot more 144Hz options than 120Hz. Again, these monitors are good for casual gaming and should be sufficient for enthusiasts.

SAMSUNG Odyssey G32A

How We Review

240Hz monitors

The “high refresh rate” monitors start with 240Hz – as this is something that only serious gamers should be getting. The 240Hz gaming monitor has been around for some time now and is certainly worth getting. That said, they are only recommended if you have a high-spec computer that can handle running games at high FPS – especially if you want to run G-Sync. If this is the case, we would personally recommend grabbing one of the best graphics cards on the market to get you started.

Alienware AW2723DF

Refresh rate

240Hz

Response time

1ms

Screen size

27″

Resolution

2560 x 1440 (1440p)

How We Review

360Hz monitors

If you have a high-end gaming PC, then a 360Hz monitor would definitely do justice to all that computing power. Usually, a 360Hz monitor is an overkill for common users, as this is mostly used for professional esports players. On average, they are much quicker than 240Hz alternatives; however, they will come at a cost. The latest 360Hz monitors are some of the most expensive in today’s market, with many retailing at the higher end of the price spectrum.

BenQ Zowie XL2566K

Refresh rate

360Hz

Response time

0.5ms

Screen size

24.5″

Resolution

1920 x 1080

Panel type

How We Review

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Hz in monitor?

The ‘Hz’ refers to the refresh rate in monitors and is short for ‘Hertz.’ A high refresh rate, like 240Hz, means that the frames get updated 240 times in one second.

Which is the highest refresh rate monitor available on the market?

The highest refresh rate available commercially (at the time of writing) is 540Hz. The ASUS ROG Swift Pro PG248QP monitor comes with a very high 540Hz refresh rate, which is incredibly fast.

Conclusion

We’ve gone over the key differences between 60Hz, 120Hz, 144Hz, 240Hz, and 360Hz to ultimately answer which high refresh rate monitor is best for gaming. Of course, the answer isn’t as black and white as we would like, but when is it in the tech world?

The main point to take away is that if you are a competitive gamer who loves fast and responsive equipment, you can’t go wrong with a faster refresh rate monitor. It is worth noting, however, that you will need to ensure your PC can handle the upgrade, but many will consider this a small price to pay for that competitive edge.

What is the refresh rate of your gaming monitor? Did you notice the dramatic difference between 60Hz and 144Hz? Drop us a comment below or head over to the WePC community to share with the team.