What is refresh rate?
Refresh rate (measured in Hz) is how many times per second your display updates the image. 60Hz means 60 updates per second. 144Hz means 144 updates per second.
Does refresh rate matter?
For gaming: Yes. Higher refresh rates make motion smoother and reduce input lag. The jump from 60Hz to 144Hz is immediately noticeable to most people in fast-paced games.
For office work and browsing: The jump from 60Hz to 120Hz makes scrolling smoother and the interface feel more responsive. Beyond 120Hz, the difference is marginal for non-gaming tasks.
For video playback: Most video is filmed at 24 to 60 frames per second, so a 60Hz display is sufficient. Higher refresh rates do not improve video quality.
Diminishing returns
How to check your actual refresh rate
Use our Refresh Rate Test to verify your monitor is running at its advertised rate. Many monitors default to 60Hz even when they support higher rates. You may need to change the setting in your display preferences under Windows Settings or System Preferences on macOS.
The relationship with frame rate
Your refresh rate only matters if your GPU can produce enough frames to match it. A 144Hz monitor showing 60fps content looks the same as a 60Hz monitor showing 60fps. For the full benefit, you need your games running at frame rates equal to or above your refresh rate.