What is the Best Suitable Monitor Refresh Rates for Human Eyes

This article explains all about the human eye refresh rate. Hence, you can read on to learn more about it.

Human eye FPS is among the most talked about topics on Quora and beyond. We have come across many users asking, “How many Hz can the human eye see?” If you also have the same question, be right here with us as we explore this topic in more detail in this article.

Before understanding the best monitor refresh rates for human eyes, it is crucial to understand refresh rates in their individuality. Hence, let us discuss what is a refresh rate before moving deeper into the topic.

Refresh Rate: What Is It

Simply put, the refresh rate indicates the number of times per second the display updates the on-screen image. The unit of measurement of this rate is Hertz, abbreviated as Hz. The higher the refresh rate, the smoother the image on the screen.

The higher refresh rates are particularly crucial for gaming, browsing, and watching videos. It minimizes the motion blur and screen tearing (improving the gaming experience), results in more natural and fluid scrolling, and makes the images appear sharper. Hence, users generally look for monitors with high refresh rates, as high as 120 Hz.

However, can the human eye see 120 FPS? What is the highest FPS or refresh rate human eyes can see?

Let us dig deeper to find the answers.

Human Eye Refresh Rate: Highest Frames Per Second (FPS) Humans Can See

First things first, FPS is how your monitor shows images and not how you see them. How we see is entirely different than how monitors display images. Light passes through your Cornea until it hits the lens, the lens focuses the light on the retina, the photoreceptor converts the light into electrical signals, the rods and cones become active, and then the optic nerve transmits the electrical signals to the brain, enabling you to see the images.

Human eye

That’s how biology works. Your brain combines multiple fast-displayed images and considers them continuous motion.

Now, let us look at how monitors show images. The light from artificial sources is quite inconsistent. The monitor display, despite it looking consistent, has multiple light cycles produced at a fast rate, which is not usually noticeable.

In a study carried out to test the human eye limits, researchers observed that the exact cycles per second that people can visually track differ a lot. In the right conditions, the subjects could perceive things as high as 500 Hz. However, in the general scenario, a maximum of 60Hz to 90Hz is often noted.

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So, how many Hz can the human eye see?

Well, that varies depending on the conditions and the eyes in the question. In specific conditions, humans can perceive details at a rate faster than 90Hz. And, in the absolutely right situations, the rate can go up to 500Hz.

So, can the human eye see 120 FPS? In specific conditions, yes, it can. However, since no two human eyes are exactly the same, some eyes may notice visual changes happening on the monitor more easily than others, helping them see higher FPS.

However, how do you determine how Hz you can see? Is there a test for it? This brings us to the next section of this article.


Human Eye Refresh Rate Test

Previously, researchers did tests to determine how many Hertz can a human see. They showed rapid image sequences to people and asked for their responses. Most people were able to see at a rate of 30 to 60 frames per second.

Fortunately, your ophthalmologist can also examine the intraocular movements, i.e., the movements inside your eye, with fast cinematography, to find how rapidly your eyes can operate. Ideally, human eyes have 60 frames per second as the uppermost limit.

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Summing Up

This article answered your question, “How many Hz can the human eye see?” A maximum of 60Hz. However, as discussed above, the limit may vary depending on the conditions. On that note, you may wonder if it is worth getting a monitor with high frame rates. While 60Hz monitors work well in most cases, high FPS monitors are an asset if you are a computer gamer.

Since most eyes can track moving pictures up to FPS as high as 120 Hz in some cases, monitors with a high FPS help you respond fast to incoming dangers in games. A higher FPS also results in smoother graphics and animations. If you have more questions, you can write us a comment. Also, do not forget to share this article with your pals who may find this information useful.

Nika Pradhan
Nika is a passionate individual who finds immense satisfaction in expressing her thoughts through writing. She is a technology enthusiast, constantly learning and sharing her knowledge through her articles to make others technologically literate. When she's not writing about tech, you can find her creating characters in her fictional stories, reading something intriguing, or spending time with her loved ones.

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