What is 120 hz really good for on a mobile screen?

Mobile phones with high refresh rate screens have become one of the trends this year. Manufacturers have taken a feature that we used to see only in dedicated devices for gamers as an added value for their mobiles.

Samsung, Xiaomi and Asus are some that have already opted for 120 Hz screens for the premium combination of their mobiles. But what does it mean to have more Hz on a mobile screen? Should you choose a mobile with this feature in mind? Do you need a 120 Hz screen to improve the experience from your mobile? We help you solve all these questions below.

What does it mean for a mobile phone to have a 120 Hz screen

60, 90, 120 Hz… we have seen this in the descriptions of mobile devices, but what does it refer to? Simply put, it is the speed or number of times the content is updated on the screen, and it is called the refresh rate.

Yes, although we cannot perceive it, the screen is continually turning off and on. And the unit that is used to measure this refresh rate and find out how many times the screen updates the image every second is Hz (hertz or hertz).

So if a mobile has a 120 Hz screen it means that its screen has the ability to update (turn on and off) 120 times per second. And yes, that the mobile can refresh the screen more times per second brings a series of advantages to the user experience, as we will tell you below.

Advantages and disadvantages of 120 Hz

Until recently, it was common to find that mobile screens offered 60 Hz. A concept that had not changed in years. However, more and more manufacturers have begun to bet on 90 or 120 Hz screens in their new models.

What real difference does it make to the user that the screen has a higher refresh rate? Fluidity, or that feeling of softness, which will be reflected in different aspects when interacting with the mobile.

You will not notice differences when watching videos on YouTube, but you will feel more fluid in the animations or if you scroll through content with a lot of graphic movement. And of course, you will not have to suffer that annoying feeling of lag that occurs when we scroll through certain web pages.

So as you can see, it goes far beyond offering a great gaming experience, since it notably improves some of the daily actions we perform on mobile.

If it offers so many advantages for the user experience, why don't all manufacturers bet to offer more Hz on their mobile screens? Because this dynamic also has its downsides. One of the main ones is that the higher the refresh rate, the higher the energy consumption.

Although it does not mean that a mobile with a 120 Hz screen consumes twice as much as one with 60 Hz, the consumption is higher. That is, it affects another of the key points in which manufacturers seek to differentiate themselves: the autonomy of the battery.

For example, in a test performed by Ubergizmo with a Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, they got these results:

• Using the 60 Hz screen configuration they achieved an autonomy of about 10 hours and 24 minutes
• And with the 120 Hz screen configuration, the autonomy goes down to 9 hours and 35 minutes.

On the other hand, the PhoneArena team also ran several tests using different on-screen Hz settings, and the results varied by model. For example:

• Using the Samsung S20 Ultra they noticed that the battery decreased 20 to 25% at 120 Hz compared to 60Hz.
• And when testing with the Galaxy S20, the battery decreased by up to 36% with 120 Hz

In any case, it is a significant battery drain. However, it must be taken into account that these devices allow changing the refresh rate of the screen, so the user can alternate between 60 and 120 Hz without problems if he wants to optimize battery performance.

Another detail to keep in mind is that the 120 Hz setting is not active all the time, as it depends on several factors. Continuing with the example of the Samsung S20, it automatically changes to 60 Hz when certain apps are started, if it detects that the battery temperature is higher than 42 ° or when the autonomy drops to a certain percentage.

Leaving the issue of battery life, another problem that usually appears with 120 Hz screens is finding optimized content. Developers have to update their games to support 120Hz displays. But don't worry, there is a good assortment of compatible games, as you will see below.

30 games optimized for 120Hz displays

If you are wondering if you will have enough content to spend long hours of gaming sessions from a mobile with a 120 Hz screen, you can take a look at this list.

You will find some of the optimized games that run at 120 fps…. racing, strategy games, FPS, RPG and even the classic Pac-man in different versions:

Mobile phones with 120 Hz screens

We have already seen the advantages and disadvantages of 120 Hz screens and what it can add to your mobile experience. If considering all these details you are convinced that a mobile with this feature would be ideal for you, you can take into account some of these options:

• Sony Xperia 5 II

  This is the newest model to bet on 120 Hz, along with a series of functions designed for gamers.

• OnePlus 8 Pro

  The screen has been the total protagonist of this terminal with its combination of 6.78 inches with QHD resolution and the refresh rate of 120 Hz.

• Samsung Galaxy S20, S20 + and S20 Ultra

  Samsung has bet heavily on this trend, since we have seen it in three of its high-end phones.

• Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra and Redmi K30 Ultra

  Xiaomi has not been left out of this bet either. On their tenth anniversary, I announce these two models with very different features, but they share a refresh rate of 120 Hz.

• Realme X3 SuperZoom

  Although this proposal has several strengths, we cannot deny that its bet on 120 Hz gives it a plus to close a winning combination, despite the choice of IPS.

• Poco X2

  A mid-range mobile with an affordable price with a couple of features to stand out, such as the battery capacity and 120 Hz screen.

• OPPO Find X2 Pro

  OPPO has put all its bet on the screen in this model with a combination of outstanding features, among which are the famous 120 HZ.

• Asus ROG Phone 2

  This mobile was launched last year postulating as a perfect gaming device with an impressive combination of features, and among them, the possibility of setting the refresh rate at 120 Hz.

• Razer Phone 2

  This 2018 mobile set the bar high for the rest of the mobiles by allowing the refresh rate to be adjusted to 60, 90 or 120 Hz. However, games like Clash Royale or PUGB were not optimized for 120 Hz, removing a bit attractive to one of its characteristic stars.