Pay extra for a faster-refresh display if smoother scrolling matters to you or you play games that actually run above 60 frames per second. It is a lower priority if you mostly read static pages or use apps and games capped at 60 fps. A faster screen can show more updates, but it cannot make an app produce frames it does not render; the right choice depends on the phone’s adaptive behavior, battery performance, and the price difference.
What a refresh rate changes
Refresh rate is how often a display updates its image, measured in hertz (Hz). A 60Hz screen can refresh up to 60 times per second; a 90Hz or 120Hz screen has a higher ceiling. That can make motion—such as scrolling, animations, and supported games—look smoother. Android Developers notes that higher refresh rates can smooth actions such as scrolling, while increasing display-panel power consumption.
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Refresh rate is not the same as frame rate. Refresh rate describes the display; frame rate describes how many new frames an app or game renders each second. A 120Hz display does not make a game designed to run at 60 fps produce 120 fps. Android’s power guidance says a display rate above a game’s target frame rate provides no benefit for that game and consumes more power.
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When paying more is likely to make sense
- You notice smoother motion: If scrolling and animations look and feel better to you on a faster display, and you use those interactions throughout the day, the feature may be worth a premium. The perceived value is personal; there is no universal threshold at which everyone notices or prefers the difference.
- You play compatible high-frame-rate games: A higher refresh ceiling can matter when both the game and phone support rates above 60 fps. Check support for the specific game and device rather than relying on the screen’s advertised maximum.
- The premium is modest relative to your priorities: Compare the actual price difference with other features you care about, such as battery life, camera quality, storage, and software support. There is no evidence-based universal amount that every buyer should pay for a faster screen.
When it may not be worth the extra cost
If most of your phone use involves reading, viewing still images, or using apps and games that do not render above 60 fps, a faster maximum refresh rate may bring little practical benefit. You may still notice smoother interface motion, but that preference is subjective. If you do not value that change, money may be better spent on another feature that matters more to you.
#1 Best Overall
- Carrier: This phone is locked to Tracfone, which means this device can only be used on the Tracfone wireless network. Tracfone plan required, activating is easy, just 3 steps.
- DISPLAY: Immersive viewing on a 6.7-inch super-bright 120Hz display with powerful stereo speakers and Bass Boost for cinematic entertainment.
- CAMERA SYSTEM: Advanced 50MP Quad Pixel camera captures sharp, detailed photos and videos in any lighting condition
- PERFORMANCE: Lightning-fast 5G connectivity paired with a powerful processor and RAM Boost for smooth multitasking.
- BATTERY LIFE: Long-lasting 5000mAh battery with TurboPower charging technology delivers hours of power in minutes.
Nor should a high advertised maximum be treated as a promise that the display will always run at that rate. Device settings, content, temperature, battery level, processor load, and app or game support can affect the rate in use.
Adaptive refresh rate and battery use
Some phones adjust refresh rate rather than holding the screen at its maximum continuously. Android 15’s adaptive refresh guidance describes adjusting the display rate to the content’s frame rate, which can reduce unnecessary operation at the maximum and reduce jank associated with switching modes. Actual support and behavior depend on the phone and its manufacturer’s implementation.
Rank #2
- Carrier: This phone is locked to Tracfone, which means this device can only be used on the Tracfone Wireless network. A Tracfone plan is required to activate this device. Activating is easy, upon receipt go to the Tracfone Website and select “Activate” and follow the prompts.
- Immersive 120Hz Display: Watch, browse, and game on a stunning 6.7-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display. The 120Hz refresh rate provides an incredibly smooth, fluid scrolling experience, while Vision Booster ensures your screen stays clear and bright, even in direct sunlight.
- Pro-Grade 50MP OIS Camera: Capture life in stunning detail with the 50MP main camera featuring OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) for crisp, blur-free photos and steady videos. The system also includes an 8MP ultrawide and 13MP front camera, so you get the perfect shot every time.
- Massive Battery & Fast Charging: Power through your entire day and then some with a massive 5,000mAh battery. When you finally need a boost, 25W Super Fast Charging gets you back to 100% in a hurry, so you’re never tethered to an outlet for long.
- Durable by Design, Ample Storage: Built to handle life's moments, the Galaxy A26 features an IP67 water and dust-resistant rating. With 128GB of internal storage and the option to add up to 2TB more with a microSD card, you'll have all the space you need for your apps, photos, and files.
The power trade-off is real, but there is no single battery-life penalty that applies to every phone. Samsung’s Galaxy S22 guidance describes Adaptive mode as adjusting up to 120Hz and Standard mode as 60Hz; it warns that using 120Hz may drain the battery faster than 60Hz on those devices. That is a model-specific warning, not a quantified estimate for all phones.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFor a concrete example of device behavior, Xiaomi says its phones may drop from 90Hz to 60Hz during gaming when the device detects high temperature or low battery, when processor load is high, or when the game does not support rates above 60Hz. This illustrates why model-specific behavior matters when comparing advertised specifications.
Rank #3
- 2G bands GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 3G bands HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 4G bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 5G bands 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6
- Dimensions 146.9 x 70.5 x 7.2 mm (5.78 x 2.78 x 0.28 in) Weight 162 g (5.71 oz) Build Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame SIM Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time)
- Display Type Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, 480Hz PWM, HDR10+, 2600 nits (peak) Size 6.2 inches, 94.4 cm2 (~91.1% screen-to-body ratio) Resolution 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~416 ppi density) Protection Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
- OS Android 15, up to 7 major Android upgrades, One UI 7 Chipset Qualcomm SM8750-AB Snapdragon 8 Elite (3 nm) CPU Octa-core (2x4.47 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix L + 6x3.53 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix M) GPU Adreno 830
- Main Camera Triple 50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 67mm (telephoto), 1/3.94", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55" 1.4µm, Super Steady video Features Best Face, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama Video 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS
How to compare two phones
- Check the actual price difference. Compare the prices of the exact configurations you are considering; there is no universal refresh-rate premium that makes sense for every buyer.
- Check what you use. Identify whether your regular apps and games benefit from rates above 60 fps. A faster panel cannot overcome an app’s lower frame-rate target.
- Check the phone’s refresh-rate modes. Look for whether the phone offers adaptive operation, what modes are available, and whether the manufacturer explains when it reduces the rate.
- Consider battery performance alongside refresh rate. Higher rates can increase panel power use, while adaptive behavior may avoid running at the maximum when it is not needed. Compare battery information for the exact model rather than assuming a fixed penalty or saving.
- Decide whether you value the motion difference. If possible, compare the phones using the scrolling and games you actually use. Choose the faster screen when the experience improvement matters enough to justify its cost and trade-offs.
What the available evidence does—and does not—show
Android’s developer guidance supports the basic trade-off: higher refresh rates can make scrolling smoother and increase display-panel power use, while a refresh rate above a game’s target does not help that game. It is guidance about display behavior, not a guarantee of whole-phone battery life.
A 2025 paper titled “Higher refresh rate does not necessarily improve scrolling experience on mobile phones” reports that 76 participants performed scrolling tasks involving text and/or images at 60Hz, 90Hz, or 120Hz. The available summary does not establish the study’s detailed outcomes, so it cannot support a claim about a measured preference, a particular effect size, or a point at which higher refresh stops helping.
Samsung Display’s 2020 announcement made historical claims about its adaptive-frequency technology: up to 22% lower display operating power than smartphones then in general use, and a 60% operating-power saving for still images in its stated comparison. Those manufacturer claims concern panel operating power and a particular technology and historical baseline. They are not estimates of whole-phone battery-life gains or promises about current phones.
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