Refresh rate is one of those TV specs that gets mentioned a lot, but does not always get explained in a way that is easy to act on. Here is a straightforward look at what it actually means and how much it matters in practice.
The basics
Refresh rate refers to how many times per second the TV updates the image on screen. It is measured in hertz (Hz). A 60Hz TV refreshes the image 60 times per second. A 120Hz TV does it twice as often.
The higher the refresh rate, the smoother fast-moving content tends to look.
When it actually makes a difference
The clearest way to notice refresh rate is during action-heavy content. Sport, fast-paced films, and gaming are where the difference between 60Hz and 120Hz tends to be most visible.
With lower refresh rates, fast movement can look slightly blurry or have a juddering quality. A higher refresh rate reduces that, making things feel crisper and more fluid.
For everyday watching, sitting down with a drama or a documentary, refresh rate is much less noticeable. The difference between 60Hz and 120Hz largely disappears when content is not moving at speed.
What refresh rate to look for
For most households, 60Hz is perfectly adequate. It handles standard TV content, films, and casual gaming without any issues.
If you watch a lot of sport, play console games, or tend to notice motion on screen, 120Hz is worth looking at. It will make the viewing experience feel smoother and more comfortable during the kind of content where it counts.
Beyond 120Hz, the practical difference for a TV used at normal viewing distances becomes very small. Higher numbers are often marketed heavily but deliver limited real-world improvement for most viewers.
The motion processing question
Many TVs include motion processing features that artificially smooth out the picture to compensate for a lower native refresh rate. These can be useful, but they sometimes create an effect known as the soap opera effect, where everything looks hyper-real and slightly odd.
If you are sensitive to this, it is worth switching the motion processing settings off on any new TV you buy to see what the display looks like without it. Most TVs let you adjust this in the picture settings.
A simple way to think about it
If you are buying a TV primarily for films, news, and general viewing, refresh rate is unlikely to be a deciding factor. If sport or gaming is a big part of how you use the TV, a 120Hz display is a worthwhile consideration.
You can check the specifications on individual models across Cello's smart TV range to find something that matches how you actually watch. The Knowledge Centre also has further guidance on choosing the right TV.