120Hz Monitor: Does High Refresh Rate Display Matter and Buying Guide

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120Hz Monitor
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120Hz Monitor has become the new big things in gaming. Read this article till the end if you are considering about buying one. We have discussed whether high refresh make gaming more fun and the best 120Hz displays in all price range.

Are High Refresh Rate Monitor Worth?

Before discussing its worth, we need to first understand the terms related to high refresh rate. Some of these terms include Hz, motion resolution, screen tearing, and input response. First of all, what is the meaning of Hz? 

120Hz Monitor

What is Hz?

Hz is an initial for hertz, which is a unit of frequency.  In any context, 1Hz is one cycle per second. Except Hz refer to the refresh rate of a display. The frequency at which an image is refreshed on a display is known as Refresh Rate. Movement is represented by the difference between frames, therefore visible frame rate hard caps the refresh rate.

If you can run a game at 100 frames per second, playing it on a monitor that can refresh at that rate could be a real benefit. However, if you’re watching a movie at the standard 24 frames per second, a higher refresh rate display will make no difference.

Are High Refresh Rate Monitor Worth?
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What is Motion Resolution?

If your computer can play a game at a high enough frame rate to match a 120Hz or 240Hz panel, the observed sharpness of a moving image will change greatly. Blurring occurs as a result of how the human brain processes the collection of individual frames shown on a monitor. Brain adds together a set of frames to generate a clear moving image. However some detail is lost in the process.

A higher refresh rate helps to reduce blur by giving our brains much more information to act on, thus lowering perceived blur. However, not all users are able to tell the difference between a 60Hz and 120Hz Monitor. And some can even tell the difference between 120Hz and 240Hz. This is because our brain works differently with regard to moving objects. 

What is Screen Tearing?

Because refresh rates and frame rates are so different, they usually mismatch. You can see screen tearing in these scenarios. If your computer’s video card is throwing out frames at a pace that exceeds the refresh rate of the monitor then you can see the screen tearing effect.

Although you always face the risk of screen tearing when your frame rate exceeds your refresh rate, this is only to a limit. There are more, smaller tears in games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, where frame rates are usually well above 100 fps.

 A single tear will stands out, yet several minor ones go unnoticed by most people. Frame syncing technologies such as V-Sync, Freesync, and G-Sync also help in the prevention of screen tearing.

What is Input Response Time?
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What is Input Response Time?

The refresh rate of a display has a big impact on the input lag. For example, a 60Hz monitor would never have a noticeable lag less than 16.67 milliseconds. Because that is the amount of time it takes between refreshes. A 120Hz display cuts that time in half to 8.33ms, while a 240Hz display cuts it even more to 4.16ms.

For ultra-competitive gaming or those who prefer games to feel as smooth as possible, reducing lag may be worthwhile. This is another issue that some people will detect more readily than others. The refresh rate has nothing to do with input lag. The refresh rate simply refers to how quickly you see the outcome of your action on screen.

Best Fast Refresh Rate Monitors in All Price Range

Best Fast Refresh Rate Monitors in All Price Range
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We have discussed about high refresh monitors all its related components. Now we have mentioned the best displays in all price categories from expensive to cheap. 

Best 120Hz Monitor Overall

Gigabyte AORUS FO48U

The Gigabyte AORUS FO48U is overall the best 120Hz monitor you can get. It’s an excellent gaming monitor with exceptional visual quality thanks to its OLED panel. This monitor’s 48-inch screen size provides an immersive gaming experience that is suitable for small spaces. OLEDs are fantastic for dark room gaming due to their near-infinite contrast ratio and perfect black consistency, resulting in deep and inky blacks.

This monitor’s maximum refresh rate is 120Hz, which is excellent for gaming with gaming consoles as it has two HDMI ports in the back. It can also take full use of consoles with 4k gaming at up to 120 frames per second. Finally, at 120Hz, action is incredibly smooth, with minimum input lag for a responsive experience.

Best 120Hz Monitor in Mid-Range

Gigabyte M32U

If the Gigabyte AORUS FO48U OLED is too pricey for you but still want the greatest 4k 120Hz monitor, consider the Gigabyte M32U. It differs from the FO48U by having a smaller 32-inch screen. On the other hand, images appear sharper due to the higher pixel density. It lacks an OLED panel, making it less suitable for dark-room gaming. But it also gets brighter even in well-lit environments.

It nevertheless provides a great gaming experience with a fast response time at 120Hz. If you are a PC gamer than you take full advantage of the 144Hz experience due to variable refresh rate feature. At a mid-price range you cannot get a better deal than this Gigabyte 120Hz monitor.  

Best 120Hz Monitor in Budget

ViewSonic XG2431

If you’re on a tight budget and want a good monitor for 120Hz gaming, consider the ViewSonic XG2431. It’s an excellent gaming display with incredibly crisp motion at 1080p resolution. 

In addition to little input lag and low blur behind fast-moving objects, offering a responsive gaming experience.

The only downside of being on a budget is to make significant compromises. You are getting fast refresh rate at 24 inch of display side but you are missing the emersion of 4k and 32 inch display.

 Despite being a low-cost model, it contains a few useful features for gamers, such as a USB hub for charging your controllers and an optional lighting strobing feature to enhance the look of fast motion.

Best Cheap 120Hz Monitor

LG 24GL600F

If you want something even less than the ViewSonic XG2431, the LG 24GL600F is a good low-cost alternative. It’s a good gaming monitor, but it has a slower response time than the ViewSonic, which results in more visible blur behind fast-moving objects, but the motion handling is still excellent.

It still offers low input lag, allowing you to react swiftly to on-screen action, which is ideal for fast-paced games. Unfortunately, dropping down to a low-cost monitor like this one results in significant picture quality loss. It has bad viewing angles and is best enjoyed right in front of you. Nevertheless, it still delivers the fast refresh rate experience.

Conclusion

If you are a hard-core gamer or someone who loved playing fast pace games then 120Hz monitor will definitely bring more fluid and immersive experience. We have discussed all the major points related to the refresh rate and related elements as well as listed the best higher refresh rate monitors in all price range in the article above. Hope this helps you make a better decision.

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