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Monitor Refresh Rate, Explained

Refresh rate, in hertz, is how many times per second a screen draws a new image; a 120Hz screen redraws twice as often as a 60Hz one.

On this page
Bar chart of the 384 monitors on Wiki Shopping by refresh rate. 120Hz is the largest stated group with 36 monitors; 134 monitors do not state a rate.
Monitors on Wiki Shopping by refresh rate, from our listing data on October 23, 2026. Chart by Wiki Shopping.

The short answer

The refresh rate is how many times per second a screen draws a new image. It is measured in hertz (Hz). NIST, the US measurement agency, defines the hertz as one cycle per second, so a 60Hz monitor redraws the picture 60 times every second and a 240Hz monitor 240 times.

A higher rate makes motion look smoother, which matters most in fast games. It only helps when the computer sends that many frames: a game running at 60 frames per second looks the same on a 60Hz and a 144Hz screen.

The math behind the number

Divide one second by the refresh rate to get the time each image stays on screen:

Refresh rateTime per image
60Hzabout 16.7 milliseconds
120Hzabout 8.3 milliseconds
144Hzabout 6.9 milliseconds
240Hzabout 4.2 milliseconds

Going from 60Hz to 120Hz cuts that time in half. Each further step saves fewer milliseconds than the one before, which is why the jump from 60Hz feels larger than the jump from 144Hz to 240Hz.

Refresh rates on Wiki Shopping

How many of the 384 monitors on Wiki Shopping list each refresh rate, on October 23, 2026. Rates with a filter page link to it.

Refresh rateMonitors
60Hz31
100Hz27
120Hz36
144Hz26
165Hz18
180Hz28
200Hz18
240Hz26
Other rates40
Not stated in the listing134

Laptop screens use the same unit. On Wiki Shopping you can filter laptops with a 144Hz screen, laptops with a 120Hz screen and laptops with a 240Hz screen.

How to choose

  • Office work and video. Text and still images do not change many times per second, so size, resolution and the stand may matter more to you here. The monitors for office work page groups that use.
  • Fast games. A high refresh rate pays off when your graphics card can reach those frame rates in the games you play. The monitors for gaming page groups them.
  • Check the connection. A monitor's inputs do not always all support its top rate. The maker's specification page lists which input supports which rate.

How we count

Each monitor on Wiki Shopping has its refresh rate read from the store listing. A monitor whose listing gives no rate is counted as "Not stated". Rates without a link have no public filter page yet. The counts change as listings are added or removed.

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11.6-inch, IPS

+Portable design for carrying between locations
+11.6-inch IPS panel for wide viewing angles
+USB Type-C input for single-cable connection
$61.57-38%Was: $99.99
as of 11/04/2026 00:33 PST - Details
SamsungSpec score 7.3

27-inch, FHD 1080p, 100Hz

+Curved screen design
+27-inch screen size
+Full HD 1080p resolution
$129.99-35%List: $199.99
as of 11/04/2026 07:06 PST - Details
LGSpec score 8.8

27-inch, 4K UHD, 180Hz, IPS

+4K UHD resolution for very sharp detail at 27 inches
+Dual mode offers 180Hz at 4K or 360Hz at Full HD
+IPS panel for wide viewing angles
−4K gaming needs a powerful graphics card to reach high frame rates
$399.99-33%List: $599.99
as of 11/04/2026 17:07 PST - Details
SamsungSpec score 7.4

34-inch, QHD 1440p, 100Hz, 4 to 5 ms

+34-inch ultrawide screen with QHD resolution
+100Hz refresh rate with HDR10 support
+AMD FreeSync adaptive sync support
$219.99-33%List: $329.99
as of 11/04/2026 07:06 PST - Details
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