For many years, graphics have been one of the most important things to gamers. Good graphics entail more realistic visuals and allow game developers to be more creative with how they design their titles. With the hugely popular seventh generation of game consoles also came a greater range of resolutions. Soon enough, it wasn’t only graphics that gamers were looking out for.

However, in more recent years, higher frame rates have become equally important as good graphics and high resolutions. As games become more competitive, and as online games continue to grow in popularity, it’s never been more important to focus on frame rates!

In order to display games at higher frame rates, your TV will need to have the right capabilities. Most importantly, your TV will need to have the right refresh rate. Refresh rates are measured in Hertz. As such, you might wonder whether a 120Hz display is truly better than a 60Hz display.

If you want to make the most of your gaming TV experience, you’ll want to join the Reliant tech experts down below!

Why Is 120Hz Better Than 60Hz In A Gaming TV?

Absolutely. In fact, TVs with refresh rates over 120Hz are often targeted at gamers specifically. Video Games benefit the most from higher refresh rates, rather than other content. Video content is designed to play at a specific frame rate. Most commonly, this is around 24FPS. This is referred to as a cinematic frame rate. Video games, on the other hand, can render at much higher frame rates.

If you want to make the most of 120FPS frame rates, then you will need to make sure that you have a TV with a 120Hz refresh rate. The refresh rate of a TV refers to how many times, per second, the screen can refresh its image. The faster this is, the smoother the resulting motion appears. This means that the TV has the ability to present every frame that is rendered by an attached console.

A 120Hz television is able to display every frame of a 120FPS game. Thus, if you want to enjoy fast-paced high-frame-rate gaming, then you’ll need a 120Hz TV to match!

With a 120Hz TV, you can also comfortably play games at lower frame rates. This means that 120Hz TVs are absolutely essential for gamers who want to enjoy games at their best.

Should Frame Rate Match Refresh Rate?

Before we go on, however, it’s worth noting that your TV’s refresh rate should match your console’s frame rate as much as possible. For instance, if you want to enjoy a game at 120FPS, you’ll want a TV with a 120Hz refresh rate. Likewise, you’ll want a TV that can output at 60Hz for a 60FPS game. When refresh rates and frame rates are misaligned, it can easily result in screen tearing that makes your games appear unsightly!

Luckily, you don’t have to find yourself torn between a 60Hz or 120Hz TV. Instead, you should look out for a TV with a variable refresh rate! Variable refresh rates allow your TV to change its own refresh rate based on the frame rate of the content it’s displaying.

This technology ensures that your TV’s refresh rate is always perfect for every game you play, for a completely smooth experience.

Is 120Hz Totally Necessary For Gaming?

120Hz refresh rates are not totally necessary for gaming. You can easily enjoy any game on a TV with a lower refresh rate. However, you’ll need to make sure the frame rate matches. 120Hz is totally essential if you are dead set on playing at 120FPS. Without a compatible refresh rate, 120FPS gameplay will be riddled with screen tearing!

If you have a TV that’s capped at 60Hz, you might need to head to the settings of your console. Modern consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X allow you to change the output to match a TV’s refresh rate. If you have a 60Hz TV, be sure to cap your console’s frame rate.

If you only plan on playing games at 60FPS, at most, then there’s no need to grab a 120Hz TV! However, if you’re planning to play at 120FPS, you will certainly need a 120Hz TV!

This can also be done on an individual basis in most popular titles!

Are There Any Refresh Rates Higher Than 120Hz?

Yes. Another popular type of gaming TV boasts a refresh rate of 144Hz. You can also purchase some TVs with refresh rates around 240Hz! However, TVs with refresh rates this high aren’t totally necessary! The highest most popular consoles can output is around 120FPS. Gaming PCs can easily exceed this frame rate and reach 240FPS. The only thing is, if you have a gaming PC, you would be better off with a PC monitor anyway!

Opting for a 120Hz TV can be a great way to save a little bit of extra money! Opting for a 240Hz TV would simply be overkill!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 4K Or 120Hz Better For Gaming?

Neither of these is necessarily better than the other when it comes to gaming. In fact, you can easily have both. Higher resolutions are recommended for gamers who want total immersion in digital worlds. Higher refresh rates are best for those who want responsive and intuitive gameplay. However, most modern consoles are able to support both!

Is 4K Overkill For Gaming?

Absolutely not. In fact, most game consoles and video game titles are created with 4K in mind. If you want your games to look their best, then a 4K display is almost completely essential. An 8K TV, on the other hand, could be considered overkill. Modern game consoles cannot currently output at 8K resolutions.

Can You Tell A Difference Between 1080p And 4K?

Yes. However, it will; depend on the size of your display. A 4K resolution packed into a smaller TV screen will not appear too dissimilar to 1080p. On a much larger screen, however, the higher pixel count of a 4K resolution is able to spread out much more. Allowing you to make the most of it!