Does 120Hz even Matter on iPhone Displays?

From the powerful A14 Bionic chips to Ceramic shield tech, the iPhone 12 is one of the best smartphones you can buy right now. However, the iPhone 12 sticks to the 60Hz refresh rate, while most competitors offer 120Hz. So, does the 120Hz even matter on iPhone displays? Let’s find out.

Back in July, rumors claimed that 2020 iPhones would have a 120HZ screen, but it turned out to be vague claims and none of that is true. To be honest, Apple would have included its iPhone models with a 120HZ refresh rate screen this year given that they are powered by the A14 Bionic, a powerful CPU that can handle a 120 HZ screen. So, it’s disappointing that there is no higher refresh rate for 2020 iPhones.

Benefits of 120Hz Displays

Does 120Hz even matter on iPhone displays?

At this point, you might probably wonder: Why do people even care about high refresh rate screens in the first place? Or, what is difference here?

Well, the higher the hertz (Hz) is, the smoother experience you will get. This applies to all monitors, TVs, and tablets out there. Most displays on the market usually start at 60Hz. And, that means their screens refresh 60 times each second, therefore offering up to 60 fps.

For example, when you scroll through a social media feed, each refresh redraws your device screen and shows movements between your scrolls. Therefore, higher refresh rates can redraw the screen more often and make the animation much smoother. 

However, the difference between 60Hz and 120Hz could be noticeable if you have been using a higher refresh rate monitor for a long time. In addition, high refresh rates can improve almost every touch interaction with the screen, whether you’re playing games or just typing.

Why Apple sticks to the 60Hz Display in iPhone 12 lineup?

So, we know that Apple is totally capable of giving 120Hz to its new products like its rivals. Moreover, it also had a great opportunity to introduce this as a new feature to the iPhone lineup this year. But, in the end, Apple didn’t do it. Here are the reasons why:

In reality, a high refresh rate means more battery drain, especially on dense- pixel displays. The lack of 120Hz is plausible as Apple wants to focus on 5G technology on its iPhone 12 lineup. In fact, the adoption of 5G also means less battery life, so the addition of a 120Hz display would only make things worse.

Besides, 120Hz panels are more expensive than the 60Hz. So, there’s likely a bit of cost-saving here, which is good for most buyers.

Overall, no 120Hz on the iPhone 12 lineup may be a flaw on this year’s iPhones. But, for most iPhone users, that doesn’t really matter, as the iPhone’s screen is already perfect for gaming and watching videos. So, that’s not a big deal at all.

Are you planning to grab this year’s iPhone? Let us know in the comments below.

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