Glossary / TV

refresh rate

Refresh rate is how many times a TV updates its picture each second, measured in hertz (Hz). Higher rates can make compatible motion and gameplay look smoother, but do not guarantee better picture quality.

What refresh rate means

A TV’s refresh rate is the number of times its display updates the picture each second. It is measured in hertz (Hz): a 60 Hz display updates 60 times per second, while a 120 Hz display updates 120 times per second.

On TVFit, you may see native refresh rates such as 50 Hz, 60 Hz, 100 Hz, 120 Hz, or 144 Hz. A higher number can allow smoother-looking motion when the source provides compatible content, but refresh rate alone is not a rating of overall picture quality.

Why it matters for gaming

Refresh rate is most relevant when a game, console, or PC can produce frames at a matching rate. A display with a higher refresh rate may show motion more smoothly than a lower-rate display when the rest of the setup and content support it.

It can matter less for films, shows, and other content made at lower frame rates. The TV may also use picture processing, and the catalog entry does not by itself explain how motion will look in every type of content.

Refresh rate is separate from Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). VRR can coordinate the display’s timing with a compatible source, while ALLM is a gaming-related switching feature. A product listing that includes these features confirms their presence in the catalog data, not their implementation quality or the result in every setup.

Native rate versus supported rates

A product page can list a native refresh rate and also list display refresh rates supported. These are not necessarily the same thing.

Native refresh rate describes the display specification recorded for the product.
Supported refresh rates describe signal or display modes the product is listed as supporting.
A supported rate does not by itself show which input, resolution, connection, or operating conditions are required.
A native 144 Hz listing does not, on its own, explain every mode the TV accepts or how each mode performs.

TVFit’s catalog includes supported-rate entries such as 60 Hz, 120 Hz, and 144 Hz, as well as a listing that includes 24 Hz, 25 Hz, 30 Hz, 50 Hz, and 60 Hz. If the product page does not provide more detail, the exact conditions behind those entries remain unknown.

What to check on a product page

When comparing TVs, check whether the listing identifies:

The native refresh rate, including whether it is 50, 60, 100, 120, or 144 Hz.
Any separately listed display refresh rates supported.
Gaming features such as VRR or ALLM.
Whether the product page states the relevant inputs, resolutions, or other conditions for a supported rate.

A refresh-rate number is a capability or specification, not a guarantee of low input lag, smooth processing, accurate motion handling, or a better overall TV. Similarly, a game-feature flag does not establish how well that feature works or whether it applies to every input and mode.