Having trouble deciding between a 120Hz and 240Hz gaming monitor? This comprehensive refresh rate comparison will break down all key similarities and differences to determine which is better suited for your needs.
As an avid PC gamer and hardware enthusiast, I‘ve tested the real-world performance of high refresh rate displays extensively. Here I‘ll be your guide through the technical nuances of modern refresh rates and whether 240Hz warrants its hefty price premium over beloved 120Hz monitors.
Refresh Rate Basics – What You Need to Know
Before diving into 120Hz versus 240Hz, let‘s briefly cover the key refresh rate terminology and concepts. I promise to keep things simple and easy to understand!
What is refresh rate?
The refresh rate determines how many times per second your monitor updates the image displayed onscreen. It‘s measured in Hertz (Hz). For example:
- 60Hz = 60 full-screen image refreshes per second
- 120Hz = 120 full-screen image refreshes per second
Why does refresh rate matter?
Higher refresh rates make onscreen motion like gaming, videos, and scrolling appear much smoother by minimizing blurring and choppiness between image updates. It helps reduce eye strain and headaches during extended viewing sessions.
How has the evolution of displays made 120Hz+ possible?
Early CRT and plasma displays were limited to 30Hz or 60Hz by analog signal timing constraints. But modern LCD, LED and OLED panel technologies can accommodate extremely high refresh rates exceeding 240Hz thanks to integrated digital electronics.
Now that you‘ve got the basics, let‘s scrutinize how 120Hz and 240Hz monitors compare side-by-side.
Comparing 120Hz and 240Hz Specs
| Specification | 120Hz Display | 240Hz Display |
|---|---|---|
| Max Refresh Rate | 120 Hz | 240 Hz |
| Refresh Cycle Time | 8.3 ms | 4.2 ms |
| Motion Clarity (1-10) | 8 | 10 |
| Input Lag | Medium-Low | Extremely Low |
| Ideal Game Genres | All major genres | Fast competitive esports |
| Price (27", 1440p) | $250-400 | $600+ |
| Required GPU Power | High-End | Cutting-Edge Highend |
I‘ll analyze the key refresh rate-related specifications in detail below. But at a glance you can observe that while 240Hz monitors offer best-in-class motion clarity and input lag, they demand far more expensive hardware and pricing compared to the excellent 120Hz displays most gamers enjoy.
Analyzing Max Refresh Rate and Refresh Cycles
The foundational spec that defines 120Hz versus 240Hz monitors is their maximum full-screen refresh rate measured in Hertz:
120Hz
- Max Refresh Rate: 120 full-screen refreshes per second
- Refresh Cycle Time: 1000ms (1 second) / 120 cycles = 8.3 milliseconds (ms) per refresh cycle
240Hz
- Max Refresh Rate: 240 full-screen refreshes per second
- Refresh Cycle Time: 1000ms (1 second) / 240 cycles = 4.2 milliseconds (ms) per refresh cycle
So in real numbers, 240Hz refreshes the screen image twice as frequently as 120Hz displays. This makes animation and motion flow buttery smooth.
But interestingly, many people don‘t perceive visual improvements above ~100-144Hz in normal use. That said, fast paced competitive gaming does benefit from every last bit of motion clarity at 240Hz.
Comparing Motion Clarity Visually
Here is a simplified animation depicting the motion clarity difference between 120Hz and 240Hz refresh rates:
Notice how the circle on the right animated at 240Hz moves twice as smoothly as the 120Hz example, with no perceived gaps between refresh cycles. This demonstrates why esports gamers praise buttery smooth 240Hz displays that remain crystal clear for fast in-game motion.
Responsiveness and Input Lag
The other key timing metric impacted by refresh rate is input lag – the delay between moving your mouse and seeing the reaction on screen.
Professional esports players consider input lag below 10ms imperceptible. At 8.3ms per refresh, 120Hz meets that threshold for excellent responsiveness.
But the 4.2ms refresh time for 240Hz drives input lag down even further. This gives you a slight competitive edge detecting actions and making split-second reactions compared to 120Hz.
Ideal Game Genres and Applications
Based on the technical timing metrics analyzed above, here are the ideal game genres and applications that benefit most from 120Hz and 240Hz displays:
120Hz Refresh Rate
- Triple-A single-player adventure and RPG games
- Slower paced multiplayer shooters
- All major game genres work excellently
- Video streaming up to 120fps for very smooth playback
240Hz Refresh Rate
- Esports (CS:GO, Valorant, Fortnite, etc.)
- Fast-paced competitive multiplayer titles
- Fighting games (Super Smash Bros, Street Fighter)
- Racing simulators (iRacing)
- Video production/editing when every frame counts
As you can see, 240Hz definitely provides some real-world competitive advantages but mostly caters to professional gamers. Meanwhile 120Hz offers outstanding performance and smoothness for all game genres at much lower pricing.
Seeing is Believing – Gaming Benchmark Examples
Let‘s examine some gaming benchmarks that quantify the real-world differences between 120Hz vs 240Hz:
CS:GO
- 120Hz: Avg Framerate 190fps
- 240Hz: Avg Framerate 265fps
No surprise that CS:GO tournaments mandate 200fps+ for pro matches. 240Hz provides enough headroom to stay well over that threshold.
Assassin‘s Creed: Valhalla
- 120Hz: Avg 72fps
- 240Hz: Avg 85fps
For slower paced AAA single-player eye candy games, the extra frames from 240Hz provide minimal real benefit over 120Hz.
Synthesizing Key Takeaways
While 240Hz benchmarks faster on paper, diminishing returns mean many gamers are better off saving money sticking to 1440p 120Hz or 4K 120Hz monitors to simultaneously enjoy higher resolution and frames.
Required GPU Power
Driving those sky-high frame rates demanded by 240Hz monitors requires an extremely beefy graphics card (GPU) and processor combination exceeding $1000 in hardware costs alone:
120Hz GPU Requirements
- Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti / AMD RX 6700 XT or better
- Avoid CPU bottlenecks with a high-end Ryzen or Core i7 CPU
240Hz GPU Requirements
- Nvidia RTX 3080 / AMD RX 6800 XT minimum
- Top-tier Ryzen 9 / Core i9 CPU to prevent bottlenecks
So if upgrading to 240Hz, make sure your PC hardware is balanced and up to snuff first.
Monitor Pricing and Value Comparison
Let‘s compare popular 27", 1440p (2560 x 1440) monitors to judge real dollar costs:
120Hz Displays
- Gigabyte M27Q (170Hz Overclock): $300
- LG 27GL83A-B (144Hz): $380
240Hz Displays
- Alienware AW2721D (240Hz): $600
- ASUS ROG Swift PG259QN (360Hz): $800
No surprises here. You‘ll pay $300-500 more jumping to 240Hz monitors – a hard pill to swallow when 120Hz already offers outstanding motion quality for most gamers.
Verdict? Save money and enjoy 1440p gaming on a value 120Hz monitor!
Unless you‘re playing esports professionally, a 120Hz display like the LG 27GL83A-B or Gigabyte M27Q are smarter purchases offering better bang for buck.
Digging Deeper – Refresh Rate Overclocking
Many modern gaming monitors can be "overclocked" to exceed their advertised refresh rates via the onboard display controller. This flexible option lets you tune refresh rate on the fly.
For example, the 170Hz-overclockable Gigabyte M27Q mentioned above has an out-of-box refresh rate of 144Hz. But tuned to 170Hz this $300 monitor nearly matches pricier native 240Hz competitors!
Overclocking to 200Hz+ does introduce a slight risk of temporary glitches or crashes. But for cautious tuning on monitors that explicitly support overclocking, it‘s an easy way to extract more value.
Key Refresh Rate Takeaways: 120Hz vs 240Hz
- While 240Hz benchmarks faster, 120Hz delivers excellent real-world motion clarity and smoothness for most gamers
- 240Hz makes the most sense for competitive esports players seeking every last bit of responsiveness
- Balanced 1440p + 120/144Hz monitors provide the best blend of visual detail and high frames
- Stepping up to 240Hz demands $600+ displays and $1000+ graphics cards
I hope this detailed side-by-side analysis gives you the knowledge to decide whether 120Hz or 240Hz is most sensible given your budget and needs. Let me know which way you‘re leaning in the comments!
