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Lakris

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 6, 2020
95
66
Norway
is it just me that doesn't notice a real difference between the 60hz refreshing rate and the 120hz?
I upgraded from a iPhone 14 to iPhone 15pro and don't notice the difference. I use an iPhone 12 at work and can't see the difference. I don't use my phone for gaming og streaming and I use glasses/lenses but I don't know if that's the reason.
 
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stiliyan

macrumors newbie
Oct 13, 2020
5
1
I was using 12 pro and iPad pro with 120hz screen and didn't notice it. As soon as I switched to 13 pro and low battery mode kicks in, it becomes really apparent to me. It is a noticeable difference for me and I haven't played a single game on any of my iPhones.
 
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JonnyMacx86

macrumors regular
Feb 10, 2024
152
330
Halifax, NS
I was using 12 pro and iPad pro with 120hz screen and didn't notice it. As soon as I switched to 13 pro and low battery mode kicks in, it becomes really apparent to me. It is a noticeable difference for me and I haven't played a single game on any of my iPhones.
Same. I don't notice unless the screen I was just looking at in one refresh rate suddenly changes. Honestly I think too much importance is put on 120Hz. Heck, the DOS games I grew up with in the 80's were sometimes as low as 7Hz
 
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James6s

macrumors 65816
Sep 22, 2015
1,049
2,022
Cumbria, UK
Some people think having a 60hz display is a deal breaker and a load of crap vs 120hz. I can’t really see any difference and it shouldn’t affect your decision when buying an iPhone at least. Some in my family have 60hz android devices and they are shockingly bad, choppy, laggy, slow etc and way way worst than an iPhone 60hz.
 

Sheepish-Lord

macrumors 68030
Oct 13, 2021
2,532
5,149
While I do see the difference, this is why responses times on displays are more important than refresh rates especially for Apple devices since ProMotion is a variable refresh rate vs static. However, the miniLED displays Apple uses/used have some of the worst response times it’s embarrassing. This means the minLED+ProMotion is used as a “crutch” but it can only do so much as the ghosting/blur is still very obvious.

The normal LCD on MacBook Airs, iPads, iPhones, etc has a decent response time so for 60hz it’s solid but Apples OLED+ProMotion is the superior due to OLED almost instant response times. Pick up a new OLED iPad Pro and a regular iPad Air then report back ha.
 

MacCheetah3

macrumors 68020
Nov 14, 2003
2,287
1,233
Central MN
Basically, a vast majority (probably in the 99% area) of the “condition” is psychology, and the majority of that is successful marketing. Imagine saying that on an Apple forum 😄 — although, I think, “gamers” are far worse about drinking the mythic Kool-Aid than Apple fanatics.

Anyway… I don’t want (and probably not allowed to in this section) go too deep into the topic but I’ll leave you a few tidbits:

• Consistency is very important — For example, if a game’s frames per second is fluctuating 120->163->150->101->133->200 that will feel laggy, choppy, jarring, etc. In contrast, if the frame rate is only fluctuating between 58 and 63, it will appear (very) smooth.
• The minimum beneficial frame rate is nowhere near 60 FPS — This relates to reaction time.

To start:

1000 (milliseconds per second)
———————————————— = frame time (in milliseconds)
frames per second

So, for example, 1000 ms / 60 FPS = 16.666… ms

Next:

The fastest artificially-assisted reaction time is 50 miliseconds from stimulus to action, which was achieved using electro-muscular stimulation (EMS) by researchers from the University of Chicago (USA) and Sony CSL (JPN). A typical human reaction time is about 250 ms.

For those of you not wanting to do the math, a 250 ms frame time is 4 FPS.

Going a bit further, here’s a test:


By the way, my average was 198 ms after one test attempt.

• Different isn’t necessarily better — I notice a difference in 60 vs 30 FPS. However, it’s typically subtle and just different. The motion is no more “real” than when at 30 frames per second. That feeling varies by person but there’s a factual/objective limitation, our brains require performing interpolation at some point too. In other words, there are diminishing returns as motion rate increases.


 

krspkbl

macrumors 68020
Jul 20, 2012
2,451
5,885
There is a difference for me but I can see how for a lot of people they won't notice or care.

My main screen at my PC is a 165Hz monitor and both my TVs are 120hz (to be fair they don't have much content that goes that high).

I have a 15 Pro Max and had an iPad Pro. Setting up the standard iPad 10th gen and 15 Plus for my mum/gf I could notice the difference. I think if I had to go back to a 60hz display it'd be rough at first but I'd get used to it after a few days.

When I got my MacBook Air M3 15" the refresh rate felt awful as it was going between 165hz on my PC and 60hz on the air but now it doesn't really bother me anymore. If I wasn't looking between both displays regularly then I wouldn't care at all.

Also I think on iPhone you're not always going to get 120Hz. You'll get it in the animations of iOS but I think some apps might not use it properly or have poor optimisation. If you're going from 120fps to 60fps it's not going to be a great experience. Also it might hitch/stutter at times as 120hz is more demanding than 60hz of course :)
 

dmr727

macrumors G4
Dec 29, 2007
10,698
6,002
NYC
There's enough of a difference for me that I don't plan on purchasing a 60Hz device from now on, but I also completely understand that many (most?) don't care enough to make a purchasing decision based on it. I just loooove that buttery smoothness! :)
 
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Tsepz

macrumors 601
Jan 24, 2013
4,889
4,698
Johannesburg, South Africa
When I moved from 11 Pro Max to 13 Pro Max I definitely noticed it, the 13 Pro Max just felt soooooo much more smoother and seamless, gestures feel much more natural and fluid, I could go on and on, lol!

Used my 15 Pro Max alongside a iPhone X sometime ago and also a friend’s 12 Pro Max and I definitely see the difference, the X and 12PM are still fast and smooth but not AS smooth and fluid as a ProMotion iPhone.
 

jazzzyJeff

macrumors 6502
Feb 22, 2024
354
544
Some people may not notice the diff at all just like some are bothered by PWM while others aren't.

For me the diff is definitely noticeable. I could read the text while scrolling on my 13Pro and the scrolling felt more connected to the amount of force you apply. While it was totally blurry on my iPad Air 4 and less responsive.
The diff is much more significant when you use 120Hz and go back to a 60Hz display.

Personally, I can't go back to a 60Hz display after being on my 13P. Scrolling would hurt my eyes after a few mins on 60Hz devices.
 

Lakris

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 6, 2020
95
66
Norway
Definitely notice the difference between 60hz and 120hz. I could never go back to 60hz, makes me feel nauseous!
Why is it that some people get nauseous because of this?
I remember the first times I tried an iPad, I got nauseous after a little scrolling. but I don't react the same way with iPhones. I don't have that problem anymore, but I always get nauseous easily so it may be a connection.
Likely because pages still aren’t scrolling at 120 hz though the setting is set to it.
Why is that?
 

Blaidd

macrumors newbie
May 19, 2024
17
5
Flicking between 60 and 120 now on my iPhone, and I definitely notice it.

Using 60 gives me a headache.
 

Blaidd

macrumors newbie
May 19, 2024
17
5
But why don't I notice a difference when using a phone with 60hz?
Go to settings, accessibility, then into motion. Flick the limit frame option at the bottom. It’s really noticeable. Edit - for me anyways
 

Lakris

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 6, 2020
95
66
Norway
Go to settings, accessibility, then into motion. Flick the limit frame option at the bottom. It’s really noticeable. Edit - for me anyways
yes, its very noticeable for me to but not when I use an iPhone 12 at work.
 
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